The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-05-29
THE LAST HOURS OF PRINCE Al
BERT -.

BERT. =,
An English periodical contains the following
interesting account of the last hours OF the
Prince consort of England, written by mem
Der of his households:
"There has reached us from abroad most
interesting extract from letter which was writ
ten by a member Of the Queens household
shortly after the death Of Prince Albert. The
extremely confidential position which the writer
held at the time not only gives the assurance OF
perfect reliability, but invests the following
lines with a very special interest. After de-
scribing the grief and fears of the whole house
hold for the Queen, the writer speaks Of the
personal loss sustained in the death of Prince
Albert:
allow Lshall miss his conversation about the
children! He used often to come into the
school room to speak about the education of the
children; and he never left me without my feel
ing that he had strengthened my hands and
raised the standard was aiming at. Nothing
mean or frivolous could exist in the atmosphere
that surrounded him ; the conversation could
not be trifing il he was in the room The last
sunday be passed On earth was very blessed
one for the Princess Alice to look back upon
lie was very i'll and very weak, and she spent
the afternoon alone with him, while the others
were in church.
Gle begged to have his sofa drawn to the
window, that be might see the sky and the
clouds sailing past. He then asked her to play
TO him, and she went through several of his IA
E0rite hymns and chorals. After she had play
ed some time, she looked round and saw him w.
ing back, his hands folded as if in prayer, and
his eyes shut. He lay so long without moving
that she thought he had fallen asleep Pre-
sentiy he looked up and smiled. She said,
'Were you asleep, dear papa? oh, no. he
answered; only | have such sweet thoughts
During his illness his hands were often folded
IN prayer; and when he did not speak, his serene
lace showed that the happy thoughts were with
him to the end. The Princess Alices fortitude
has amazed US all She saw from the first that
both her fathers and mothers frmness Deepen
ded On her hrmness, and she set herself to the
duty. He loved to speak openly of his condi-
ton, and had many wishes to express He loved
to hear hymns and prayers
Gle could lot speak to the Queen of himself,
tor she could not bear to listen, and shut her
eyes TO the danger His daughter saw that she
must act differently; and she never let her voice
latter or shed single tear in his presence. She
sat by aim, listened. to all he said, repeated
hymns, and then, when she could bear it no
longer, would walk calmly to the door, and then
rush away to her room, returning SOON with the
same calm and pale face without any appear
ance OF the agitation she had gone through. |
have had several interviews with the poor Queen
since. The first time she said, You can feel
for me, Tor you have gone through this trial =
Another time she said how strange it seemed,
when she looked back, to how much for the
last six months the Princes mind had dwet
upon death and the future state; their converse
ton had so often turned upon these Subjects
and they had read together book, called Heav-
en or Home. which had interested him very
much.
"He once said to her. 1--WE don't know in
CHAT state We shall meet again; but that we
Shall recognize each other and be together in
eternity. | am perfectly certain Isseened as
if it had been intended to prepare her mind and
comfort her-though Of course it did not strike
her then. She said she was wonder to her.
sell, and she was sure it. was 10 answer to the
prayers OF her people that she was SO sustained
She feared i. would not last and that times of
agony were before her. She said, There's not
the bitterness 10 this trial that [ felt when [
lost my mother-I was SO, reDellious then; but
now | can see the mercy and love that are mix
ed in my trial Her whole thought now is to
walk worthy of him, and her greatest comfort to
think that his spirit is always near her, and
knows all that she is doing" I
: 4 REroRT DIscoURTEoUs.-At a couven-
ton 81 eiergymen, not long since, it was propos-