Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-10

at least. he began to speak, and failed. 1t was
now or never, and spoke in my turn.
WIN your majesty allow me to make one
suggestion on that point. !"
The queen bowed, and stated what Jim
MeGowans hint which remembered at this
moment, had revealed to me.
The admiral, madam, took picked crew
ashore with him, Of course. spoke by aeci-
dent with the coxswain when came aboard on
returning from Portsmouth. The crew, who
are all very fond Of the Chief-the admiral,
mean,-believe that he has carried OF a rich
widow, not SO. very much against her viii, to
marry her. Provided your majesty should be
able to get safe ashore without the usual marks
Of respect, and II the household at osborne can
be answered for, believe the secret will be
In spite Of the gravity of the situation, the
queen smiled slightly at the nature Of the sole
piece OF sly continuance of which ever knew
admiral Morgan to be guilty: Then she looked
down for some moments in silent consideration.
Then she raised her head again and addressed
the minister.
knowledge great weight in your reasoning. l
will now go AS far as this provided can be set
ashore quietly within osborne grounds, and pro-
vided the household there has not been dis
turbed, or can be quoted If 1t has been dis
turbed-I will take time for mature considera-
ton OF this matter: But cannot in conscience
promise more explicitly now.'
81 thank your majesty most earnestly re-
piled the minister; II earnestly pray God to
guide; o you to right decision In his will
''Amen," said queen Victoria. half uncon-
sciously, as if she were in the habit OF praying
and responding to prayer.
at our old mOoriDgS; the captains gig was
quietly ordered out and manned; the ladies were
with some difficulty, and by means OF a chair
rugged to a whip-tackle (as they had been
brought aboard) lowered into her in the dark
neSs-for it was now toward midnight-and the
minister and escorted them on shore. AS we
came within sound of the wash on the beach.
the queen looked intently landward.
Port, port your helm, SteerSman," she said
it was who was steering, and was going to
lay the boat alongside little landing some dis
lance outside the limits of osborne. 81 Think
resumed her majesty, Il will land at the private
landing. have key to the gate above and IL
is very quiet spot"
boat as handsomely as any old quarter-master,
and to the evident admiration of the Sailors land
very quickly laid us safe alongside small land
and got out first handed the ladies ashore,
and passed up with them to the gate above on
the edge OF the slope Of the beach, where, as
the queen opened it, we took off our hats and
made our farewell bows.
The queen held out her hand to the minister,
who kissed 1t with sincere emotion. "Good-by
at London, or at Windsor. Everything seems
to be quiet. 1t may be that you have put it in
my my power WEI, to do good deed, Mr.. =, and
They passed inside; the gate was closed and
locked; and we returned to the boat and to the
ship. The minister was silent. gave the tiller
this?" he said in a low tone. 'Why, the fact
is" explained, ''she was so furious that the
Chief couldn't do anything with her, and he
just had to bout ship and set her ashore again.
widow, just because you think she likes you.''
"Sure, Mr.. Ward, and wouldn't have a wild
der anyway unless she was in love enough to
the old manll have her yet"
If he wants her. you may believe it, said.
In this new state of affairs, the minister re-
n rryn tic sod
thinking 1t more important that he should re-
main in London; and he wrote orders instead for
the ship to sail at once without him, carrying
dispatches; and caused himself to be set ashore
again near Osborne, where there n small inn,
and whence he could easily return to London
next day.
Note by NJ. Ward IN 1s65.-Nothing more has
ever been heard of that nights work. The good
queen kept the promise that she only agreed to
consider. l do not believe she has ever been
sorry, for 1t is not the least OF her many good
deeds. l never said one word to the Chief about
1T, except on the occasion, few days afterward,
when he was growing in some moment of i'm
patience about having lost his chance to get
1 ventured to say, chow was it that you knew
SO exactly when to make that descent on the
queen?"
Information from my private secretary.
said the Chief, abruptly,-"all your fault.all
that isn't profane!"
'lulOFuldUlOn HOW on edrtl should
] know how to steal queens?"
I'm show you, Ward;' and he went to his
desk and after some rumaging produced cut
ting from the London Illustrated Ne,cs, giving
full, true and particular account Of Osborne
and her maJestys habits OF life there, with
view, map, and everything complete to facili-
tate burglary with promptness and quiet. "You
brought me that only day or two before" he
went on; "and when you went over to Ports
mouth that day, got the paper and read it,
and " hen came to that place where the fellow
talks about the queens safety, and SO many
millions OF Englshmen's hearts, and describes
her way of going out and walking In the
grounds with one confidential attendant late at
night at all seasons of the year-it isn't much like
New EI gland November, you know-it struck
me that could show EN- wrinkle or two. SO
sent for MCGOWAN and told him cock-and- bull
story about widow, and asked him IL he could
pick me boats crew Of men both smart and
safe. and he said he could; aud we went. We
had four short ladders knocked up in hurry
two for each side the wall-the London fellow
was careful, thoughtful chap; he gave us the
height OF the walEto an inch-eleven feet, eight
inches it was; and all the rest was easy enough;
they were out Of sight Of the house and we were
too quick to let EN- scream-put white handker-
chiefs round their mouths and tied their dresses
neatly about their ankles and shipped them over
the wall and down to the cutter and aboard as
neat as cotton"
"Well,"I SAID, when this instructive account
was rendered, 1t strikes me that the London
editor is the one to blame. He touched of the
fireworks I'm sure"
perhaps you are right said Admiral Nor
gam" and, Ward, We won't say anything more
about it please. 1t didn't work. And LIE isn't
long enough to afford the time to chatter about
l do suppose that the Chief, as is the way
with some minds, settled back into a conyic-
ton, and so remained that it was a great mis-
take not to let him bring Queen Victoria 10 New
York.
THE CARS DRE4M