The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-03-10
THE HArrrNEss OF QUEENS.
An Inside View of the Delights of Palace
Life.


Life.
From the Frenoh.l
There is nothing of which we hear sooner
than this. When we are small children our
nurses charm us, and make US envious with
their marvellous stories of life in the palaces.
Can we ever forget the Prince Charming,
and what the princess wore-her dress the
color of the sun; how she rode in a carriage
ornamental all over with big rubies, that
her scepter was single diamond, and her
crown made of stars snatched from heaven2
| Later the Almanach de Gotha recalls
these golden fables of our infancy, and we
see again the queens with their blonde hair
and bright ewes, their crowns high upon
their heads, and their great cloaks of velvet
| trailing from their shoulders. They smiled
with the smile of tranquil goddesses; they
are beautiful among the beautiful, happy
among the happy; before them one bows or
| goes down upon his knees; the earth is made
sweet by the caress of their feet; men only
breathe as they nod; joy is everywhere about
! them.
o sovereignsl o rulers! look what destiny
has done for you.
Queen Victoria reached the throne-ador-
able, eharming Crowned at Westminster
when Just 10, she married the husband of
the hsndsomest men of their time. She loved
so passionately that she poisoned her own life
! and that of her husband, who WIS a martyr
to her idslatry. Her Jealous Imagination
saw infdelity everywhere and always; ladies
once her dear friends became odious to her.
She drove away the ladies of honor, and at
a court-ball she slapped the face of pretty
girl to whom Prince Albert had addressed a
few words
A day came when death called this hus-
band, so fondly loved, and on that day died
also England's queen. The heart had gone
out of the body of the woman, and nothing
was left. Everything seemed to have been
brusquely torn away, and so great was her
despair, and so long did it last, that years
afterward, they discussed a regency in
Parliament The motion was defeated, but
after that the living corpse of her who had
been Victoria came from time to time to open
Parliament. The English, who respect the
dynasty, lowered themselves before the eter-
nal grief of the old woman, for they saw
still the crown ofthe queen above the widows
cap. But she never smiled save when, per-
chance, the name of Prince Albert was men
toned.
The queen of Belgium has an only son.
This child of 10 years is as sweet and exqui-
site as a cherub. This royal infant is sick
1t is night, and he suffers, for he burns with
fever. He tries to smother his cries of pain.
The queen, notwithstanding his agony, worn
out with long watching, and obeying thesup-
plications of her ladies, retires for little re-
pose. But she not sleep. She leaves her
bed and returns in haste to her son. She APP
prOaches softly. The prince appears to be
soundly sleeping His breathing is equal and
easy. The pale face of Marie Henriette
lightens with happiness. The boy is then
saved, since he can sleep. She goes out
Then the royal baby calls to the doctor. The
doctor bends over him. "Do not tell mother"
he says sit makes her so happy to think that
l sleep"
That child will never be king To-mor-
row, in the evening, he is dead
1t is 10 years since the Belgian prince is
dead, andno other child has come to the queen
At Brussels they seldom see her. She is al
ways with herself. If she goes out she hears
nothing, sees nothing. Her hair is white.
Her dress is always black. Her ladies of
honor are old and ugly, and made still more
ugly by the ugly ennui of this court in leth-
argy. No one dare smile before the queen,
who still weeps, who weeps always, and who
cries, "For me there is nothing more in the
worldr'
All alone the empress OF Russia plunges
into the intoxication of her tears She knows
that, for long time, the true crown of the
empress is not that which she wears She
has always with her the portrait of the en-
peror-the likeness of the man who loves
her no more.
Margaret of Italy dies slowly with ter
rible malady. She knows that her days are
numbered.
The Empress Eugene lies upon the ground
with seven spears driven right through
her heart. Throne, husband, son, beauty
all are gone.
For having touched the crown of Spain,
two young queens fall as ifstruck by light
ming. The duchess of Aosta flies to Italy,
and wastes in sickness and agony to death.
Mercedes, that queen of Is years, for whom
life seemed so full, is cold as marble in her
tomb.
Christina of Austria hears nothing but the
noise of the pistol, sees nothing but the CLEAN
of the dagger.
Macmillan wentto Mexico, and paid for
his ambition with his life. When the grave
closed over him it held also the world for
Carlotta Since then her present is the past
Her BRAIN is blinded, and she does not even
hat ha