"The world has no such flower in any land.
And no such pearl in any gulf the sea, As any babe on any mother's knee."
'There is great rejoicing to-day in Holland! over the fulfilment of a nation's hopes. The' fact that Crown Princess Juliana has not presented the nation with a boy, may dim the enthusiasm somewhat—for it is a peculiar fact that though throughout history queens, with few exceptions have left their countries: the better for their reigns, mankind still desires that it shall be ruled by men—but the fact that a daughter has been born to the royal house, who may in the course of time become their queen, has aroused the warmest feelings in the hearts of the loyal Netherlanders. Queen Wilhelmina has endeared herself to the hearts of her subjects by a wise and sympathetic reign. Her daughter is in 9 fair way to following in her footsteps and has already captured the hearts and imagination of the people aver whose destinies she may eventually come to preside and now there is) the immediate prospect that the little princess, born at Soestdijk, will in her turn assume the burdens of royalty which her grandmother now bears. 'The Netherlands royal family' has the happy ability of getting close to their. people, and one of the most striking examples of this was shown in the felicitous terms with which Princess Juliana herself announced to the nation the forecast of the event which has. now come to pass. Explaining by radio her: failure to attend certain festivities last June, she said it was "for reasons of health, which' you will understand and approve."' From' that moment an anticipatory joy was felt in' Holland and its dependencies. It brought the: Queen's loyal subjects right into the family' of royalty, and produced an' intimacy of feel ing between the. Crown and the people which' is altogether delightful.
A baby is such a wonderful thing. It] comes into this world with a fair white page on which, in this case, she herself, will write' her own history, and, perhaps, some of that} of her people. The little hands hold a. weightier pen than it is the lot of most babies to handle, and, probably, Longfellow in his "No'a child" best describes it all:
Child! © born denizen OF life's great city! on thy head. The glory of the morn is shed, Like a celestial benison!
Here at the portal thou dost st And with thy little hand.
Thou openest the mysterious gate Into the future's undiscovered land.
This atomy, around which the fond hopes of a nation are solicitously centred, not only opens the mysterious yate of life, but also that of a royal future. Unless a brother is born to her parents the rights of primogeniture descend upon her, with all their anxieties: and responsibilities. Her parents will seek to] train her how best to undertake the labour' to which, perhaps, destiny has called her. Her upbringing will be devoted to that great end, and, because of these things, this little gir), like a few others in the world, has about. her' an importance even greater' than that' natural importance vested in every baby that has ever been, or ever will be born. She takes the name of her grandmother. That! very fact may prove the happiest of auguries. 'That, of course, only history can tell, but if a future Queen Wilhelmina comes to serve! her country as well as her grandmother has: done, Princess Juliana, by presenting the! nation with her baby, will have rendered an' inestimable service to the nation, by wh she, herself is so enthusiastically loved.
'The Netherlands community is behind no other community of the same nationality in'.|its rejoicing. For the past week or so this office has been happy to have been able to answer many nightly enquiries as to the Jatest information about the anticipated event. and has had brought home to it how eagerly Hollanders in Shanghai have been awaiting' announcement of the news that a baby has: been born to their royal house. It has been' a very real pleasure to accommodate enquirers, and especially was it pleasing that, though, owing to the holidays, this journal was being published many hours carlier than usual, it was just possible to receive the glad, news' in time to transmit it to listeners by its nightly broadcast. Local Netherlanders have been making up their minds to celebrate the happy event, and, in the rejoicings in which they intend to' participate, they will take the knowledge that their many friends in the other communities of Shanghai join' in their happiness. 'The tragedy with which' they have been surrounded during these last six months. has brought the foreign communities of Shanghai closer together than' they have ever been before. There is undoubtedly a greater understanding and a. deeper sympathy, and there: has been a wholesale interest in the coming of this event that to some it has been just as pleasing as it had been an addition to the houses of their own royal families. They will join with the Netherlanders in these days of rejoining in wishing them all the joy which should be theirs, and unite with them in the hope that the little princess will enjoy a long' and happy life, and that if it is her destiny to become their Queen that her reign will be a long and happy one, for herself and those who may ultimately become her subjects.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.