Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1875-03-25

joyed them, however, chiefly for The
sake of exercise and for the pleasur.s
of the scenery into which they csr-
ried him.
The house of Coburg was infinite
ly related by marriage with the roy
al family of England. In 1916 Prince
Leopold, the youngest brother OF
Prince Albert's father, had married
the Princess Charlotte, then presump-
rive heiress to the English throne.
After her untimely death, the Duke
Of Kent married the youngest sister
of the Duke of Coburg, and on the
Oath Of May, 1919, she presented
him with a daughter, who was destin-
ed to become Queen of England. But
long before it was known that she
would ascend the throne the idea of
her marriage with one Of her Coburg
cousins had taken such root in the
family that Prince Albert's nurse
was in the habit OF prattling to her
infant charge, when he was only
three years old, of his destined bride
in England. In 1885 there was no
longer any doubt as to the succession
of the Princess Victoria to the throne,
and already several aspirants for her
hand were in the field. King Leo
pold, her uncle and loved adviser in
all matters, greatly desired her mar
riage to Prince Albert but he also
desired that the union should be one
Of affection, and not merely one oil
political ezpediency. he therefore
arranged with the Duchess of Kent
that she should invite the Duke OF
Coburg and his sons to visit her al
Kensington Palace. The object OF
the visit was kept strictly secret from
the Princess and the Prince, so as to
leave them completely at their ease.
The Princes grandmother had, it is
true, often spoken to him years be-
fore of her earnest desires on this
subject; but be had no reason to
think this was more than family
| wish, and the Princess at least was
left freely to the impulse of her own
inclination. Her uncle, King Leo
pold, sawsthat the impression was IA
forable, and made her aware of his
| wishes in the matter. Her answer
made it impossible to doubt how en-
tirely those Of the Princess were in
accordance With his own. In June
| 1856, soon after Prince Albert's de-
parture from England, she wrote tc
the King: "I have only now to beg
you, my dearest uncle, to take care
| of the health of one now so dear tc
me, and to take him under your spe,
cial protection. I hope and trust
that all will go on prosperously and
we'll on subject now of so much
Importance to me. y
The Prince, however, was still kept
in the dark but his education was
directed with view to the possibill.
ty of Lis marriage with the English
princess. He and his brother were
sent to Brussels, where, under the
care of Baron Wiechmann, a retired
officer of the English German Legi'
on, they remained for a period o.
twelve months, closely occapied with
the study of history, the modern Ian
euaees, the higher mathematics
I From brussels they went to Bonn.
where they remained eighteen months
While they were still at that univer
sitv the de tn of William ", jun
20, 1887, threw upon the Princes
Victoria, then only eighteen year
old, the grave responsibilities O
Queen of England. Her accession
to the throne revived the rumors
which had been for some time cur
rent, of contemplated marriage
with her cousin. and it was thought
expedient by their uncle, with the
view of Withdrawing public atten'
ton for the time from the young
princes, that they should spend the
autumn Of 1887 in making a tour
through Switzerland and the north
of Italy. September and October
were accordingly spent in thorough
exploration Of Switzerland and the
Italian lakes Oh foot-a mode Of tray
cling of which Prince Albert was
very fond.
But the time had arrived when
the question of The English marriage
had to be settled. King Leopold dc,
sired that some decisive arrangement
should be made for the year 1889;
but to this the Queen demurred, for
reasons which her uncle considered
conclusive. She was herself. she
urged, too young, SO also was the
Prince, and, moreover, his mastery
of the English language Was still
very imperfect. The Prince, on be
ing made aware of what was propos-
ed, and of the necessity of delay,
very sensibly declared himself will
ing to submit, if he had only some
certain assurance to go upon; =" But,