Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-01-16
THE QUEENS DAUGHTER.
"Reminiscences Of Princess Alfce-The Late
Priacess Pensive and studious-A French
Prisoner OF War Befriended by Her.
Correspondence New York Tribune.

Prisoner OF War Befriended by Her.
Correspondence New York Tribune
The Princess Alice, OF England,
whose death hes again plunged Queen
Victoria INTO the gloom from which
Lord Beaconstield had induced her to
emerge, was link between French
and German philosophy. The lamen-
ted Princess was the most pensive
member of her family. The days and
hours OF her life which were not con-
secrated to family affection and works
of mercy and kindness, were spent in
meditation, reading, and converse by
word of moath and by letter, with
great thinkers, some of whom she had
discovered herself. Her mind was
essentially receptive. There were
many points of resemblance between
Princess Alice and Lady Jane Grey
No flight of philosophy was too nigh
for her to follow; and she was wholly
free from intellectual pride and the
narshness that comes so often OF wo
men breaking their heads against
metaphysical systems. When the
Princess wanted to digest an abstruse
work she sat down to the piano or
organ and let her fingers wander over
the keyboard. She had the sensi-
bilities Of musician, skilled hand
and a cultivated ear. Her thoughts
while she played took order, shape
and wing. She wrote to DIR. Strauss,
at whose feet she sat, that at such
times her soul mounted to heavens
gate like the bird she most loved to
watch and contemplate. Strauss, as
the world knows, devoted himself to
the calculation of the truths and le-
gends on which the Christian Church
is based. He, according to some,
reduced the personality of Jesus
Christ to myth. According to 9th
ers, he revealed him az a sublime
emanation of the heart end sonl of
Pagan antiquity. Greek civilization,
Jewish patriotism. and Asiatic inspi-
ration eliminated in him. AS
Jewish incarnation he was the bridge
which connected together the hard
intellectualism and the practical COM
mon sense of .he West, and the
vague dreaminess of the East, and
enabled them to act and react upon
each other. lie was the moral ideal
which was set up by overridden
Greece and Judea in opposition to
the gross ssnsuality, the lust of con-
quest and the Ca ,arism of Rome.
Princess Alice took the latter view
of Strauss's theological teachings.
She accepted as her rule of life Plato's
ut is better to suffer than TO do an
injury" and the Sermon on the
Mount.
A French officer, who was pris-
oner of war in Germany in 1870, and
who resided on the same floor with
me in Paris for many years related
to me some interesting conversations
be had with Her Royal Highness.
He was recommended to her by bis
mother-in-law,, a Dresden lady of
rank, the descendant of French Hu,
genots who had emigrated to Sax.
ony. The Princess sent her Cham
berlain to inform him that she would
be happy to receive him at certain
day and hour at the Altes Sch,oss
of Darmstadt,. This grand Ducal
residence is an ancient castle built in
the time of Luther, and lies 10 the
oil part Of the town, and whore the
ground is low. 1t was surrounded
with moats aud bitches, which since
the late Grand Duke abandoned this
residence to bis nephew Ludwig
have been drained into ponds, with
an outlet to river flowing through
the Odenwald. No more gloomy
looking sckloss is there in all Ger
many. But the gardens are exquis-
itelg laid out. Children were play
ing in them, and the interior of the
edifice was adapted with charming
taste to the needs. of modern life.
My friend was ushered with some
state to the eighteenth century wing
in which the reception rooms are
situated. The Princess Alice was In
drawing room at the extreme end
of the suites of apartments through
which he was conducted by a gen.
tleman usher ia court dress. A
chamberlain who was awaiting him
introduced him. He found the
Princess standing and ct each side
little girl. She was attIred in the
plainest manner in brown stuff, very
plainly made and devoid of trim.
ming. The children were in similar
costume5. A large black cross stood
out from g deep white linen collar,
which completely encircled the neck
of the Princess who looked with her
fair Madonna braids Of wavy hair
and purely oval face, and sweet,
pCnsive cast of physiognomy, like
an angel of peace amid the angry
passions and miseries of war. Prince
Ludwig her husband, was in France
at the head of military division,
and in the neighorhood of
Tours, from which my friend
came. The Princess, who knew
be belonged to monsrcbical family,
spoke among other things of the
friendship which existed between q
Grand Duchess of Hesse- Darmstadt
and Marie Antoinette. There was a
collection of that Queens letters 10
the Grand Ducal library, and among
them one of peculiar interest 1t
was written Immediately after the
death of the Princess Sophie of
France, third child of Louis XVI.
and Marie Antoinette, and contained
some expressions betraying q pre-
sentiment of the ills which were to
overtake the royal family. In this
way the conversation was led by
Princess Alice to grave topics, on
which she descanted with penetrat.
ing sweetness, and in voice which
fell like music ON the ear" The
royal lady told the French officer
that che took no pride in lanrels cul.
led in war, unless in defence of
homes and liberties and she did not
believe that any political or other
edifice cemented III blood could en-
dure, for that the meek were TO in-
herit the earth. In conclusion she
asked my friend if she could De of
service to his family 10 Touraipe or