Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-06-04
The Princess Louise.

Geo. w. Smalley, IN ulS last AouuOn
letter to the Tribune, writes as follows:
A good deal has been said privately of
late about the alleged reluctance of the
Princess Louise to return to Canada.
So long as talk of that sort was private
only l preferred not to repeat it..
Nothing could be less gracious than to
represent young wife as unwilling to
reioin her husband, and this is the con-
struction which might easily be put
mon her hesitation. But the matter
has been made public by newspaper
comment, so it only remains to say--at
the risk Of irritating our Canadian
friends-that it is true the princess did
not wish ts 60 back, but not true that
domestic reasons have anything to do
with her aversion to the journey. What
the princess dislikes is, to put it blunt
", the society of Ottawa; or rather,
tic want of society. She is passionate.
ly attached to England, and to London
above all. She cares for literature, for
art, for music, for conversation. She
E gland, aud one of the most cult
va.ed. She hsunts studios and concerts,
and drawingrooms where good talk is
to be had, to which she contributes her
full share. Her. she led full and
beautiful life. What is there in Ottawa
to compare with it? Ii the estimable
people Of that excellent capital will
but think of it for moment, they have
no reason to be angry because young
and brilliant woman prefers life i'll one
of the most brilliant cities Of the world
to life in the chief city of WAS goiIg
to say u wilderness; and wilderness 1t
is if you look only Tor those retinoments
and ornments OF existence which to wo-
men are more dear than more sub
! stantial merits.
There are stories floating about of
passionate entrcaties by the princess
for liberty to remain in England, ana
stern refusals by her mother. To the
queen, life has not perhaps much
poetry LETT in it. She sees that the
place of the princess is with her hus-
band, and she is u woman capable of
supervising personal feelings relent-
lessly, and enforcing political duties
upon Eer children. i'll the most austere
spirit ofthe sovereign. II the reports
that make their way over here from
Canada are to be credited, such loyalty
as there is among the Canadians cllngs
about the person of the Princess Louise
rather than about her husband, the
governor-gepcral and viceroy. l hear
of men and women following the prin-
cess in the streets and watching for her
at the corners only to touch the hem Of
her robe. Is that true know, at any
rate, that one eminent radical of the
Dominion, who has no love to spare
for roy atty i'll any shape, said that they
couli deal easily enough with the
yiceroy, bnt that tho princess was n
power. The eminent radical did not
wi,h her so to be u power. He would
be better pleased If she had her will
and lived here in London. half guessed
that ho was himself not insensible to
the charm and authority which the
prlncess-because she is princess anu
because she is q wOman-wie1ds over
the simple folk of the st. Lawrence
provinces. Bat he believes that every
.Ayear of her stay tightens the bond
~between the colony and the crown.
Aud he does not wish to see it frightened,
but loosened. If the princess knew
that such feelings prevailed among her
mothers Canadian subjects, it might
almost reconcile her to what she now
looks on az Punishment. For she is,
alter all, if her friends testimony may
be taken, o woman capable OF loving
something on u larger scale than
pictures and music; q woman with much
OF royal nature and love of reigning
which comes to her rightfully by birth;
with unusual force of character and
courage for great enterprises. II she
once conceived the notion OF playing a
great part in America, it is possible
enough she might change what now
seems the inevitable course Of events
in the Dominion of Canada, and keep
it imperial long after the time when it
now promises to become republican.