During the gala days of the accession Louise wrote to her grandmother: “I am Queen; and what pleases me most about it, is that now I shall not have to limit my charities so carefully.” But indeed, for the nonce the King was obliged “to live on the Crown-prince’s income” and to contrive means to pay his father’s debts. Therefore the Queen had no larger income than the Crown-princess, or about one thousand thalers a month. How could this suffice for one who had calls and solicitations from every side? Indeed, after a few years, she was involved in three times as much debt as her income amounted to, so that the cabinet councillor was obliged to represent to the King that she could not possibly make two ends meet on this income.
The King paid her debts, but ordered that in future she must keep an account of her expenses and that they should be paid out of his purse and the bills be laid before him.
But it was not enough, and Louise was obliged to ask a loan from the treasurer. He applied to the King, but the loan was refused, and he returned to the Queen with the words: “Really, Your Majesty, this can go on no longer; you will pauperize yourself with your charities.”
Louise answered: “I love my children; to be the mother of my subjects is as sweet to me as to know that my best of husbands is their father. I must help wherever there is need.”
“Very well, then, I will speak to the King,” answered the official.
“But in such a manner that he will not be angry!” begged the Queen.
Soon afterwards she found the empty drawer of her writing-desk newly filled, and she asked the King: “What angel has done this?”
Smiling, the King answered: “His name is legion; at least I know no other name, and I know but one angel [at which his eye rested on her]. But you know the beautiful saying—‘to his friends he gives even in his sleep.’”
Thus loving and beloved throughout the broad expanse of her country and among its people, as well as in her home circle, she was the happiest of wives, mothers, and princesses. But all too soon the sun of her happiness began to decline.