Just before the time the King was to come in we were ushered down a little narrow staircase which led into the Rigsdag, passed in front of the throne, and went up a still narrower staircase to the gallery reserved for the diplomats, which seemed very shaky.  Some day when the Rigsdag is opening there will be a collapse of diplomats.

The body of the hall was filled with the gentlemen, all the members of the two Chambers in evening dress and the court officials in their uniforms.

When the Queen is present, which is not often, she sits opposite the Corps Diplomatique, surrounded by the ladies of the court, who wear little white fur capes over their shoulders.

The galleries on both sides were filled with the nobility and society.  The throne on which King Oscar sat is on a raised platform filling the whole end of the hall.  The throne is unique, made of silver, silver lions supporting it on both sides.  Back of the throne was a long blue velvet curtain hanging from the canopy.

Everything was ready and every one in his place.  A deep silence reigned throughout.  There was a blast of trumpets; every one stood up, and the King came down the same little staircase we had.  He looked very majestic in his splendid robes of ermine, over which hung the blue Order of the Seraphim, the highest order in Sweden, and of course all his other decorations.  The crown he wears is magnificent, made of costly jewels, and, I should think, very heavy, causing the King to hold his head very straight and steady.  He looked up at the loge of the diplomats, made a slight inclination of the head, then mounted the few steps of the throne and sat in his silver chair.

The Crown Prince came next, followed by Prince Carl and Prince Eugen.  The three are as tall as the King.  They wore blue velvet mantles trimmed with ermine, their uniforms showing underneath, and as if they had been handed down, but not let down, from former and shorter Princes.

They wore crowns which seemed difficult to balance on their heads.

The King took the Proclamation from the hands of his Rigskanzler and, standing up, read it in a loud and clear voice.  He did not use his eye-glasses, because the letters were made so large that he could read without them.  It was a fine and thrilling moment.

The Rigsdag being opened, the King left as he had come.

STOCKHOLM, 1892.

Dear L.,—­Prince Chira, one of the sons of the King of Siam, came to see us to-day.  He has just returned from St. Petersburg.  We were very glad to see him again.  We knew him so well in Copenhagen, where he has been living for some years.  He has been in the Danish army, and, although only nineteen years old, has passed the most difficult examinations, and is now an officer.  He talks English, French, and Danish with equal facility.  When at Aalholm he entered into all our games and charades with enthusiasm.