While this crown is only made of
paper, the crowns of kings and queens are made of gold, set with many
costly stones. Besides the larger jewels in the crown of King George V.
of England, there are also sixteen sapphires, eleven emeralds, nearly
three hundred pearls, and some twenty-eight hundred very costly
diamonds, and it is estimated to be worth many millions of dollars.

[Illustration: The Crowns on a Table.]

Now suppose that we had gathered into this room the children, the boys
and girls, of all the kings and queens of earth. Suppose also that they
could all understand English, and that none of them knew that they were
the sons and daughters of kings and queens, and that it was my
delightful privilege to tell them how great and rich and powerful their
parents are; and then I were also permitted to tell them, for the first
time, what beautiful crowns their parents own. Suppose also that after
exciting their curiosity about these things, I should have the crowns of
all the kings of earth placed on a long table at my side, covered with a
beautiful cloth, and after telling them about the crowns, I should
uncover this table with all these crowns of gold, studded with jewels.
Don't you suppose that the eyes of all those boys and girls would
sparkle with curiosity and delight?

But now, suppose that it were my privilege to do more than to show them
the crowns. Suppose that I were permitted also to tell them that they
were heirs to these crowns, and that after their fathers and mothers,
the present kings and queens, had died, they were to become kings and
queens, and were to receive these crowns as their own. Suppose that,
more than this, it were my privilege to pick up the crown of Denmark,
and then calling some little boy to me I were to hand it to him, and
tell him that he was to keep it, and that some day it would be placed
upon his head, and he would be King of Denmark. And then I should take
the crown of Sweden, and calling another girl, I should give her that
crown, and tell her that she should keep it, until some day it would be
placed upon her head, and she should be Queen of Sweden. Suppose that in
the same way I should take the crowns of Germany and Russia, and
Austria, and Italy, and Spain, and the great crown of England, and all
the crowns of all the nations of the earth; and calling the boys and
girls by name, should have them come forward and receive these crowns,
to be kept until they should be placed u