Life, 1898-10-13 · page 5 of 20
Life — October 13, 1898 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Queen of Holland" - Life Magazine Analysis This page features a portrait of **Wilhelmina of the Netherlands**, identified as "the Queen of Holland." The satirical text praises her as England's and America's "friend," calling her "sweet and most attractive personality." However, the satire appears critical: the text sarcastically suggests that while she's "doubly endearing" to Americans, the piece questions the emotional sincerity of those around her—specifically referencing **William McKinley** as a "blushing maiden" with "sparkling diamonds," mocking his romantic or sentimental character. The decorative vignettes around the portrait (showing figures and scenes) likely reinforce the satirical tone about royalty and international relations during this period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Queen of Holland. “THE oldest ving queen ts Victoria of England, and the youngest {a Wilhelmina of Holland. That the Dutch should be somewhat enthustasttc over this youthful ruler ts forgivable if she 1, a8 Wwe believe, a sweet and most attractive person- age. Anice girl of eighteen 1s not of itself an offensive object, and when in addition to her natural charms she shimmers with the gems of royalty, she becomes doubly endurable, To the good American this sentiment may seem erro- neous, but who among us would be responsible for his emotions if William McKinley were a blushing matden, sparkling with diamonds and dragging an ermine train? She ts a nice little queen, and may she escape the Algers and other pitfalls that beset our own. dear William! comicbooks.com