The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-09-03

green peninsula on the southern bank
Ot the river Dee, lies ancient castle
Balmoral, which was built many CEN
turies ago. The imposing Craig Cow
an protects ii toward the south; toward
the north, wide, nmjestic wreath of
wild mountains shields it from the
storms blowing from that quarter.
On the northern bank of the rapid
river, opposite the castle, sat a plainly
dressed lady on field chair, on fine
summer day, about sixteen years ago.
on her lap lay dra wing portfolio. She
was engaged in sketchiug the castle in
front of her. Suddenly peasant boy
with his flock of sheep, came along the
same path, and intended to pass by the
lady. The sheep got frightened by her
uuwonted appearance, and would not
move from the spot. The boy, inn
patient at the delay, hastened TO the
lady and shouted:
"Get out of the way, madam, and let
my sheep pass" The lady smiled,
rose, and stepped aside. 1t was OF no
Thereupon the boy shouted angrily,
"Stand back, will you, and let my
sheep pass? Stand hack!"
At this moment loOtman went to
the boy and said to him:
"But, young fellow, do you know
whom you are talking tor"
81 diuna ken, and dinna care, re-
piled the boy, in his Scottish dialect,
s'this is the road for the sheep, and she
has no right 10 sit there"
"But, boy, it is her Majesty, the
Queen,n added the footman.
| "The Queen?" asked the boy, in snr-
prise. as it the Queen? Weel, but
why dinna she put on claes that folk
would ken herr"
Yes, it was Victoria, the popular
Queen, an whose kingdom the sun does
not sci, and 10 whom this native com
pliment was paid by the young shep-
herd. She walked aside far enough to
let the sheep pass.
Since lS4S the Queen and Prince AL
bert had selected Castle Balmoral, SO
rich in historical and legendary tradi-
tions, in the mountainous county of
Aberdeen, as their summer residence.
| Since the court resided at BalmOral,
the Highland clans met there once
| year to celebrate their national games
| and sports. The most splendid of these
Highland festivals was the torchlight
dance, which transferre the beholders
entirely back into ancient times.
1t is after nightfall. a platform hewn
out of the flank of the precipitious
mountain is the scene; one side OF this
| platform is floored and fenced in with
| wooden railing on three sides; on the
fourth side is canopy under which the
members of the court take their seats.
| -Four strong Highlanders, with torches
/ III lutlT uduuet W NAt lOuA
of the square platform; six bagpipes are
| stationed in front OF the throne, and
twenty-iour Highlanders, likewise with
] torches in their hands, now commence
II wild and curious dance to the notes
of the bagpipes, which they accompany
from time to time with the battle cry OF
the ancient clans. And the torches shed
their weird glare through the night,
| into the gorge yuwning far below them,
on the brilliant court party the dane
ing Highlanders, the witnesses of
/ half barbarous time, living only in the
patriotic songs of Scotland.
In the meantime the ancient castle,
which was entirely too small for its
royal guests, had to give way to u new
building. a small colony of frame
huts, erected for the English masons,
carpenters and laboreTs, rose at no
great distance from the palace, and the
splendid granite structure made rapid
progress from day to day. In the sum-
I ner of 1888 one of these frame structures
| was discovered to be on fire, and the
whole row burned down in the course
of half an hour. 1t was an interesting
| sight on this occasion to see Prince AL
bert standing in the chain OF laborers,
| extending from the contlagration to the
river bank, and handing one bucketful
OF water afier another to his nextnelgh-
bor, until the flames were entirely ex-
tiugulshed. Nor was the Queen an idle
| spectator. on luls OCCtslOus NOt OItS
did she, by her presence, encourage the
laborers engaged in distinguishing the
flames, but she issued the necessary
orders TO her servants with the calm
ness and prudence peculiar to her. Inc
royal couple indemnirted the working
men for everything they lost by this
cnntlagration. ....
Such noisy days of brilliant festivals
and unforeseen accidents were followed
by quiet days such as the Queen loved
above all things. Sunday was always
her most delightful day. Opposite the
castle. on the north side OF the river
Dee lies the small village of Crathie,
with its very plain and humble church.
Thither every Sunday Il devout couple,
| with prayer-book in hand, was seen to
wend their way from the castle across
the bridge; behind them followed the
children and few servants. Only
| when the weather was too unfavorable,
the family, which, as was shown by the
livery of the servants, was the royal
family, drove in a carriage TO the little
village church. The wOrshipers from
the village, in the beginning, stared not
little at the Queen and Prince Albert,
but before long they were so well ac-
quainted with each other that they ex-
changed greetings like old and intimate
friends. In the afternoon the Queen,
never accompanied by her servants,
aud only occasionally by one OF her
|
poor and sick. She enters now one
cottage, now another, examines the
clothes presses and beds, makes inquir-
les about the education of the children,
asks the boys and girls it they make
good progress at school, il they
remember what the preacher said,
sc. She comforts the sick and fee
BILE, and reads TO them from the
Bible; she scolds the lazy. After
returning home she makes all sorts
of notes-as consequence of which,
in the next few days, efficacious relief
is given to the poor sufferers in many
II lowly hut. Now she visits, during
the week, the village school-now she
converses with the village clergyman,
on the spiritual condition of his flock
and the improvement of his school.
! The children know her well, and hav-
ing heard the Queen say to Prince AL
bert, What do you think, Albert q
| they henceforth call her only "Dear
| Mrs. Albert;'' and while her husband
establishes model farm for the peas
ants of Crathie, she is at work upon the
| establishment of model village
school. However, the happy husband
aud wife do everything together.
| The year 1861 destroyed the happiness
| OF the royal couple. The excellent
German Prince who once said of him
self che was not only the Queens con-
sort, but the educator OF her children,
the private Secretary of the sovereign,
| and her permanent minister" wastorn
from her side by his premature death.
LONELY and dreary," she says in the
| preface of her husbands speecnes, LAY
her path before her from this time-it
is true, u path of duty and of toll,
/ which, c0nfiding in the loyal attach
nent and sympathy OF her people, she