of the peaceful kingdoms of the world, whose
people are prosperous, well governed, and somewhat apart from the clash
and turmoil of other states and nations. Even the secession of Norway,
a few years ago, was accomplished without bloodshed, and now the two
kingdoms exist side by side as free from strife as they are with
Denmark, which once domineered and tyrannized over both.

It is difficult to believe that long ago, in the Middle Ages, the
cities of southern Sweden were among the great commercial centers of
the world. Stockholm and Lund ranked with London and Paris. They
absorbed the commerce of the northern seas, and were the admiration of
thousands of travelers and merchants who passed through them and
trafficked with them.

Much nearer to our own time, Sweden was the great military power of
northern Europe. The ambassadors of the Swedish kings were received
with the utmost deference in every court. Her soldiers won great
battles and ended mighty wars. The England of Cromwell and Charles II.
was unimportant and isolated in comparison with this northern kingdom,
which could pour forth armies of gigantic blond warriors, headed by
generals astute as well as brave.

It was no small matter, then, in 1626, that the loyal Swedes were
hoping that their queen would give birth to a male heir to succeed his
splendid father, Gustavus Adolphus, ranked by military historians as
one of the six great generals whom the world had so far produced. The
queen, a German princess of Brandenburg, had already borne two
daughters, who died in infancy. The expectation was wide-spread and
intense that she should now become the mother of a son; and the king
himself was no less anxious.

When the event occurred, the child was seen to be completely covered
with hair, and for this reason the attendants at first believed that it
was the desired boy. When their mistake was discovered they were afraid
to tell the king, who was waiting in his study for the announcement to
be made. At last, when no one else would go to him, his sister, the
Princess Caroline, volunteered to break the news.

Gustavus was in truth a chivalrous, high-bred monarch. Though he must
have been disappointed at the advent of a daughter, he showed no sign
of dissatisfaction or even of surprise; but, rising, he embraced his
sister, saying:

"Let us thank God. I hope this girl will be as good as a boy to me. May
God preserve her now that He has sent her!"

It is customary a