The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-03-05

QUEEN VICTORIA.
BY FREDERIKA RRENER.

1t was now past three in the afternoon, and as
we wished TO reach home before dusk. and as
we saw no signs OF a royal cavalcatie, we deter
mined to wait no longer. but to set out on our
nomeward way. Wewent down to the carr;a ge
| which had drawn up below, outside the iron
gates, the nearest approach to the castle
Here we found about hundred persons assem-
bled, mostly of the lower class althou oh we'll
dressed, who appeared to be waiting for some
| thing that was to come from the castle, toward
which they looked up.
We had Just taken our seats in the carriage,
when we heard it said: THE Queen is coming n
SO 1t was! Queen Victoria with Prince Albert
and their attendants, came riding down from
| the castle, and on toward the iron gates, which
opened for them. We drew up our carriage in
order to see the Queen as perfectly as possible;
and that was not difficult, for she came on
slowly, and looked quietly around her She
was dressed in black, closely-ttting riding
habit. 4 black riding hat, without veil or orna-
ment, and rode upon brown horse To the
lett OF the Queen rode Prince Albert, on her
right an elderly gentleman, who looked like a
German. After the Queen, upon pony, rode
her eldest son, the young Prince of Wales. no
one on either side; ; after him came stately la
dy and two gentlemen, with their servants fol-
lowing. All were dressed in black, all rode
upon brown horses the whole cavalcadc look
| ing as simple as possible. | had my ewes riyit-
ed upon the Queen. She seemed to me- be-
| tween the two tall gentlemen, almost like a
little girl. l remembered the imposing figure
and glance Of our Northern Queen. | could
| not Judge Of the much-praised and beautiful
form OF the head on account of the riding hat.
which also concealed the upper part Of the fore
head. However, the small figure appeared to
me remarkably well proportoned and elegant.
and she safe her horse, which seemed 10 carry
| her AS it In sport gracefully and well.
She looked at Us. and saluted us with short
| nod OF the head. There was more OF kindness
however, in Prince Albert's glance and bow
Then came the little Prince with his hat lifted
from his head. and the light locks raised by the
wind delicate looking boy, but with eyes and
an expression from which an angel seemed to
glance, SO grave aud gentle did he look. that
lovely nine years old boy. The sight of him
affected me gently, and could not help saying
in Swedish: God bless thee. thou beau,iiu
chiId.;'
Some over-loyal little boys waved their hats
so zcalOusly: that the Queen said to them .Put
Oh your hats, you friyhten the horses! And.
| turning at the same moment towards where We
were l saw an expression on her pouting under
lip OF which would willingly have seen more,
because there was in it suppressed merry laugh
| ter.
But they ro,,e on; the cavalcade turned 10
the left into by-road Of the woods. and van
shed among the green trees. | said farewell to
The hope OF ever seeing more of Queen Victoria:
yet, nevertheless, l did see more of her, thanks
be to fate and to my old Swedish umbrella,
which for the last time in foreign parts did me
now good service. Mrs. 5 coachman. one
Of Queen Nictoria's loyal subjects, who had du-
ring our drive to Windsor. been especially de-
slrous to avoid certain heavy and sandy road
now fonnd reason for not avoiding it, probably
because he had seen the Queen take the SANE
road and hence it was that, to our surprise We
found ourselves after hall an hours plou"hno
OF the sand. close upon Queen Nictorias train
After we had driven slowly for Il few minutes
the Queen turned round AMI motioned with hcI
hand Tor onr coachman to pass by them. He
obeyed, and Just as we came past the Queen. he
dashed forward in order to clear the way for her
Majesty.
| We had not gone fifty yards, when, in consc-
quence of the rapid movement of the carriage,
one OF the doors few open. and all the umbrel-
las ana parasOls liew up to cast themselves on
the ground at the feet Of Queen Victoria. |
caught at them but too late to save Inv Swcd-
lsh umbrella, which resolutely seemed to fling
itself out OF the carriage upon the road. Ny
Swedish umbrella! my faithful companion dur
| ing three years travcl-ny travelling COIN
panion in America and the West Ind;esNno.
could not leave it here to be trampled on by
the feet of Queen Nictoria's horse. | must pick
1t UP, even if from beneath that very horse 5
| feet.
1--WE must stop. must get OUT" said to
my irresolute friend ; 81 must have my umbrcl-
la again -
| Mrs. -- called to her coachman to stop,
and alishted from the carriage. At the same
moment up galloped the Queen and Prince Al
bert. laughing and nodding kindly to me. who
could not help laughing myself. Then they
rode past US, one Of the gentlemen indicating z
to us that the umbrella had been picked I'D ant!
restored to the hands Of the coachman | was
glad to have recovered my faithful travelling
companion, and almost equally glad that, by
means Of IFS selfsacrifcing intcrpOsition, had
received an impression of Queen Victoria which
could scarcely have been improved
| There are countcnances, which we may see
for whole days. and yet not understand them
until one has seen tear in the eve. Other
countenanccs there are which are unexplained
enigmaS, until a smile, or i good hearty fit oi
laughter lights them up. And thus was it.
when Queen Victoria. laughing and noddng to
me, few past me light and airy as fairy Qneen
| at once understood the magic power of her
person; for like sunlight breaking through the
cloud Ike flower bursting from its bud, was
| the laughter in the Queens countenancc.~
| There was in il degree of natural life fresh
ness and vivacity. good humor. and a good deal
Of peculiar character. After this. | can easily
comprehend what noble lady, who often sees
the Queen. said On one occasion, in reply to my
remark, "What a little Queen you have -
:. Yes. she is little Queen, but on large
scale! She seems to me Away like human
being such as God made her, while the greater
number of human beings seem 10 be such as
God did not make them!'
| a human being such as God made, natural,
true in every ything. What beautiful idea
| And thc ''ercater number of human beings such
as God did not make them''-how true!
| Alas! educators. establishments for educa-
| ton books, the word-they take care that we
shall not be that which God created us, and that
t shall sometimes require half life. nay, that
we shall not succeed sometimes through the
| whole of life, in discovering what the Creator
really intended us TO be.
| 1t is easy to see what power of fascination
| n Queen perfectly natural in manner, and who
possesses SO much that is naturally noble and
| good in character, may exercise over the human
| mind in this artificial world.
| On our return from Windsor we passed Run
nymede. so remarkable in English history,
| Iu.b; laS on n Iittlp island in the Thames