The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1874-07-01
The Queen at BnrmOraI.


The Queens aim in the North seems to be to
live as simple and natural life as possible, and
to avoid all fuss and ceremony. She is scrupu-
lousy diligent IN attending to her public duties,
even during her holiday Great boxes of papers
are continually coming in and going out, and all
these are carefully read and, if necessary, signed.
The Minister in residence is in close communica-
ton with Her Majesty, and each day sees its work
punctually discharged. In other respects, the
Queens life is simply that of any private lady in
good circumstances She reads good deal,
keeps up a considerable private correspondence,
takes walks and drives, and pays visits to the cot
tagers as well as to the gentry in the neighbOr-
hood. Her published drawings show that she is
no mean craftsman, and she still exercises her
pencil in sketching. BY the advice Of her physi-
clan, the Queen spends great deal OF her time
in the open air in oil kinds of weather. She is
fond Of long excursions to the wilder parts Of
the district, and drives at an extremely rapid rate
Relays Of horses have to be kept constantly
ready for her at Invercauld Arms, at Oasteton
and also at Balater. She walks through the
grounds of the castle, or through the village ad-
joining, with one of her daughters, or a lady in
waiting, and with only single attendant carry
ing an umbrella, camp-stool and cloak. A keen
recollection of faces and names is hereditary
faculty of the royal family. All the Georges had
it, George III. especially, and so have the Queen
and the Prince of Wales. The Queen knows al
most every resident at Crathie and Castleton by
sight, and she is also much interested in learning
all the details of their personal history. A new
face is Immediately pointed out, and questions
asked as to its antecedents. The cottagers are
getting used to it now, but at first there was not
q little alarm and CONSERVATION when Her Maj
esty sent word that she was coming to tea and
even now the honor is Sometimes felt TO be rather
embarrassing. She usually sends her own tea
aud teapot, and room is set apart for her where
she receives her hostess, and has good gossip
with her about all the goings-on in the district.
There is no other part of her dominions in which
the Queen is so much at home among her sub
jects aud sees so much Of them in their every
day lie as here, and perhaps there is no other
part in which she could afford to indulge in the
same familiarities There is q certain innate
sense of courtesy and self-respect about the men
and women of the Highlands which prevents
them from forgetting their own position or TAX
ing liberties with their social superiors. This is,
no doubt, popularity derived from the old clan
nish system, under which the clansman was de-
voted, body and soul, to his chief but had, at
the same time, q right to think great deal Of
himself as being one Of the chiefs kinsmen. At
Windsor and Osborne. the Queen, although very
thoughtful and considerate for the poor people
around her, cannot get into the same intimacy
with them as at Bamoral. There can be no
doubt that this freedom of intercourse is one Of
the charms of her Highland residence which Her
Majesty appreciates the most. 1t is the touch
Of nature that makes the whole world kin. Else
where she sees the people only in their masses,
and is shut up, as it were, in peculiar world of
her own. At BalmOral she can come out of this
stiff and artificial world, and taste the flavor of
ordinary human nature in its least sophisticated
form. Complaints are sometimes made in the
South that the Sovereign should spend so much
Of her time in the remote Highlands, away from
the seat of Government; but the refreshing and
nvigorating effects of her visits to the North
are really benefit, not only to the Queen, but to
The nation. Bal1Oral and Abergeldie are the
private property of the royal family, and are
at considerable expense. 1t is calcu-
ated that, including the special trains and one
hing and another, each trip to the North costs
he Queen about 9l5OO.-Cor. NJ r Times.