young green shoot, but a tender blossom, surpassingly fair and lovely like all last things, an object of admiration and delight to all who shared in its possession and could watch its development, the last heir to the glories of an ancient name, the sweet child-queen of Holland, Wilhelmina of Orange. A strong young sapling would have better satisfied the far-seeing statesmen, who, not content with the present, gaze anxiously into the future; but the beauty and purity of the flower took the hearts of the Dutch nation by storm. And, moreover, a flower is not beautiful only, it does not merely shed its perfume around, but its very existence contains a promise for the future. It is this future the faithful subjects of the little queen bear in mind; it is to this they are even now looking forward in hope, faith and love.

Wilhelmina Helena Paulina Maria, Princess of Nassau-for such was her title as heiress to the throne - was born in the Royal Palace of the Hague, August 31, 1880. From the very first she was the object not only of her parents' tenderest love, but also of the greatest interest to the loyal people of the Netherlands who saw in her their future sovereign. Queen Emma fully realized that her task as the mother of this child was of more than ordinary importance; that her child belonged to the nation as well as to herself, and must be brought up in trust for the nation. She decided that this should as much as possible be her own lifework, and that she should never give the moral part of her daughter's education into other hands than her own. From her earliest infancy she kept the child as much as possible in her own room; often seated by her cradle for hours together she watched her in her sleep, and later on in her play, and finally gave her her first lessons.

The most prominent feature in the child's character, therefore, naturally grew to be a deep affection and devotion to her mother. Her first and last thought morning and evening was her mother; and no sooner was she dressed in the morning than she would fly to meet her with the eager inquiry: "How has mother slept? Is mother quite well to-day?" and then off to the king to carry him the good news of her mother's health without delay. Of her father she naturally saw but little, for the king was in bad health and obliged to live as quiet a life as possible, devoting all his remaining strength to Government matters. Yearly, on the little princess's birthday, the children in the Hague who were born on the same day were invited to a party at the palace, when the queen took great pleasure in providing them with good cheer and birthday presents, which were distributed among them by the royal child. From time to time other children's parties were also given in some far off part of the vast palace where their merriment could not be heard by the king, but where the little ones could play and romp to their hearts' content. The queen was clever in inventing ways to please the king by exhibiting the infant graces of their daughter. One New Year's day the little girl was hidden in a hamper full of flowers and carried into her father's room, where she jumped out suddenly and

recited to him verses of her mother's composition containing their united felicitations and New Year's wishes.

But the favorite residence of the Royal Family of Holland is not the grand Palace of the Hague, so full of historic reminiscences, but a country residence, known as Het Loo, an old-fashioned but spacious palace surrounded by a park which stretches away for miles around it. This is home to the queen and her little daughter, and here the latter is able to enjoy all the healthy sports and amusements of happy childhood. Here a playground was fitted up with benches, swings, etc., for the enjoyment of the princess and her playfellows, and as she grew a little older a small chalet was added, with a little kitchen containing everything that would enable a little girl to mess and cook to her heart's content. There was also a sitting-room where the twenty-three doll children of the little mother lived, dined, supped, and were undressed and put to bed when evening came. Their existence seemed so real to their owner, that she once at a grand state dinner where a celebrated statesman had been placed at her side, as being the noblest and most distinguished of the guests, turned to him and asked if he had not felt rather nervous at the thought of dining at the palace. The great dignitary, somewhat piqued, no doubt, looked down upon the little princess and asked her why? Because," was the truly childish and naïve answer, "all my children are down with the measles, and I thought you might have been afraid of the infection."

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By and by the time came for lessons to begin in earnest. The education of a future queen is a serious matter nowadays, when good schools and excellent teaching are provided even for the children of a beggar. A lady competent to superintend her studies was soon found; this was Miss Winter, the kindest and most capable of governesses. Besides teaching her royal charge the English language, Miss Winter accompanies her everywhere and is present at all the lessons given to her by other professors. From her eighth year the day of the little queen has been thus divided:

She rises at seven in the morning, and the very first thing after dressing rushes into her mother's room in a child's impetuous way to wish her goodmorning and to smother her with kisses. The two queens then breakfast together, and soon afterward lessons begin. Dutch and arithmetic come first, and as the young pupil is very bright and learns easily, she has made good progress in both studies, especially the latter. At half-past nine there is a pause of half an hour, after which other studies are pursued till eleven o'clock, when the Queen Regent is ready to give the Bible lesson, for this part of her child's education the mother has kept entirely to herself. A big Bible with beautiful illustrations is open on the table before her, and after the child has listened to some of its stories she kneels and prays God to make her conscientious and good, and to fit her for the high and important duties that await her, the difficulties of which her noble mother is so well able to realize and foresee.

After this there is still time to feed the swans in the park, or go for a short drive with Miss Winter before lunch is served at half-past twelve, this meal like all the others being taken with her mother. In the afternoon there is a lesson in French, and then Professor Stortenbeker, the court pianist, gives a music lesson a grateful task, as the little queen shows decided talent for music. She already knows some pretty pieces by heart, and is occasionally allowed to play them to her mother as a recompense for her industry and progress.

After these lessons some hours are devoted to play. In the Palace of the Hague a big room is fitted up to replace the chalet of Het Loo with all that a girl of eleven can desire. In one corner is the reception-room, in another the bedroom of the twenty-three dollies. The latter is furnished with tiny beds and wardrobes filled with clothes or miniature china and plate. In another room is a cooking-stove where dinners are often prepared by her busy little hands. The queen is very merry and inventive in her play, which continues till she goes for a drive, this time with her mother, and in an open carriage whatever the weather may be. Enveloped in her pretty silver-gray fur cloak, she braves the lowest temperature of chilly Holland, and consequently looks uncommonly rosy and healthy. Later in the afternoon she is often found sitting on a low stool in her mother's apartment bending over some piece of work for her “children” — the mother of a family of twenty-three naturally has a great deal to do.. Dinner is served at six, and after some frolicking of a rather noisy kind in the hall with Miss Winter, she goes to bed at eight.

To these lessons are added others in riding, given her from the age of seven by the Royal Master of the Horse, Baron Snouckaert, aided by his colleague Sterns. At Het Loo a riding course has been fitted up with a seat for the Queen Regent, who at best felt a little nervous at the thought of a possible accident, and who used to come and look on as often as she could to convince herself that nothing went wrong. At the Hague the queen's favorite ride is out of town on the highroad to Scheveningen, where she is often to be seen cantering along at a very good pace. She looks extremely pretty in her riding habit of white cloth and her black hat with white plumes, her fair hair streaming down her back and her cheeks all aglow. We can easily believe that her pony has a great share in her affections and interest. He is black in color and his name is Baby. He is the favorite of his young mistress, who also possesses four other ponies; he is so tame that when let loose in the park he follows his mistress about for miles on her walks, as if he were a dog. She can pet and kiss him and put her arm round his neck as much as she likes she may even pull his mane or his tail without his resenting it. The other ponies the little Wilhelmina has learned to drive all alone in a tandem on the numerous roads that wind through the park of Het Loo, and she manages them very cleverly indeed. Another pleasure this lovely summer residence offers her is sailing on the river that traverses the grounds. She has her own boat, beautifully painted and fitted up; this she

has named The Emma, after her beloved mother. Like all children she enjoys visiting the graceful swans that swim about in the ponds, and feeding the pretty deer which are so tame that they will take food out of her hand.

The character of the queen is not wanting in courage or spirits, as may be seen by the following anecdote :

One winter afternoon the quiet carriage containing the two queens stopped at a small village. From the window the queen watched the school children, who, divided in two parties, were pelting each other with snowballs. Begun in play, the game seemed, before long, to turn into earnest; this made the little watcher suddenly resolve to interfere and stop the fighting. Before her mother knew of it she was out of the carriage and running toward the children who, vexed at her remonstrances and interference, turned against her en masse, making her the butt of all the snowballs. Far from getting frightened at so many opposers, the child bravely tried to hold her own against them all, and it was only when quite covered with snow and really hurt by the hard snowballs that she was at last rescued by the footman out of the hands of her small subjects who, until that moment, did not dream that they were snowballing the sovereign of the land. This little adventure created great amusement in the court circles of the Hague. I think it may also assure us that the Flower of her Race is not lacking in that courage and valor which have been distinctive of the famous House of Orange. H. E. de Ramsay.

AN ANXIOUS INQUIRY.

UMBLE-BEE, Bumble-bee, flying away,
Do you live in the heart of a rose all day?
Do you carry a dagger made out of a thorn?
A little boy wishes you'd never been born.

Mary E. Stone.

MAN

ABOUT CONCH-PEARLS.

ANY people have the impression that the pearl is found only in the oysters gathered beneath the waters of tropical America, Persia and India.

It is true that these bivalves frequently secrete the most valuable specimens of the opaque gem, but they cannot claim the exclusive production of these much-sought-for articles of commerce.

Oysters grown in any locality frequently contain a prize, while even the fresh-water clam, which has its home in the beds of the clear-running streams of New England, is eagerly hunted, in the hope of finding an occasional pearl.

Nearly every boy or girl has paused before some well-kept garden to admire the beautiful conical-shaped shells arranged along the sides of the walks, and wondered what creatures had used these houses for their habitations.

These are the conch-shells; they are found in great profusion about the Bahamas and West India Islands.

This species of mollusk are pearl-producing, and although the gems do not rank in price with those taken from the oyster, they are considered by many to