The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-30
Tho ouecn,s Old servant.
DEATH OF JOHN BROWN, HER FAITHFUL
TENANT FOR TUIRTY-FOCE YEARS,

The Queens Old Servant.
DEATH OF JOHN BROWN, HER FAITHFUL At
TENDANT FOR THIRTY-FOuI YEARS.
John Brown. the well.known personal
attendant OF Queen Victoria, who died at
Windsor Castle Wednesday at the age OF
fifty-six, passed thirty-iour years in the
service Of her Majesty and the late Prince
Consort. John Brown in England was
much more widely known than many OF
the members Of the nobility. end through.
out the long years OF his faithful service
the Queen was attached to him so greatly
that he often became bone OF contention
among the courtiers who were jealous OF
his influence over her Majesty. lie was
Scotchman, The son OF a small farmer
who lived at the Bush on the opposite
side to Balmoral. lie began his service
in the royal family rs n gilie in 1919, and
was selected by Prince Albert and the
Queen to 20 with her Maiesty's carriage.
He was with Victoria continually during
her life in The Highlands OF Scotland from
1913 TO 1861, entering the service OF the
royal pair permanently In 1851, when his
duty was to lead the Queens pony on her
excursions After the death OF the Prince
ADUSOii III lCDI lttO1ld Utiliht uOlt insin
ever attached to her humble Scotch SER
want, and in December, 1865, she promoted
him to the position Of personal attendant
or body-guard to herself. From that time
until his death the Queen never appeared
In public without John Brown, and he fol-
lowed her everywhere. His wishes were
often much more potent than those OF
the members OF the Court, and when
L.. at.1. ,.l,x ,.,,
brought from Scotland TO attend him, be-
cause John had no faith in English medical
skill. OF late years Browns overbearing
and dictatorial manners have causeda good
deal OF unfavorable comment among the
nobility and others, whom he annoyed
when they were visiting the Queen. lie
was not liked by the Prince OF Wales or the
Duke OF Edinburgh, who complained that
he did not know his place; but the more
he was snubbcd by mobiles and princes the
more gracicusly the Queen smiled upon
him and added to the fayors which she be-
slowed on him. Among the special fav0rs
granted him was the exclusive right to
shoot over some OF the royal preserves,
and quite recently the Queen threw open
the State apartments at Windsor, at his re-
quest, for the Mayor OF Windsor, after
uJNliiE ltlbNfu w uO ~ lbi VtllilN vi llEu
rank. John Brown proved an invaluable
man TO the Qneen's household, and his
personal attachment TO his mistress was
undoubted. His personal anxiety on her
account amounted almost TO q MANIA
1t Is said that he was greatly worried
two years ago when the Queen was shot at
by lunatic, because he had not been able
to prevent the shot from being fired, and
l.
in the crowd instead of by himself. He
also worried greatly because he was not
present to prevent the Queen from falling
on the stairway few days ago, and he
blamed himself for the bad effect OF the
drive which she subsequently took, al
though her Majesty had insisted on going
out in spite of his opposition.
John Brown was not treated by the
Queen as a mere servant. lie was rather a
friend and confidential adviser. lie was
not OF importance enough to be admitted
to the royal table, but he was too great a
man to eat with the servants OF the house
hold, and the result was that when the |
Queen travelled three lunches had TO be |
for the royal party, one for |
the servants, and third for John Brown.
IL is said that John, with the prOyerbial |
Highland shrewdness, feathercd his nest |
well during the long years OF his |
service. A recent London letter, speaking
Of him, shows the familiarity which existed |
between him and the Queen, and the trout
BILE which it caused at Court. "Ladies-in-
waiting OF exalted rank" it says, 4" have
rebeled openly against the breach OF eti-
1uette his familiarity has created. and re-
fused to be made party toit; but snubbed
by them he was only the more graciously
.reated by his royal mistress. He follows
he Queen like a shadow from palace 20
palace, in public aud in private, behind her
hair ut her meals, IN the rumble of her
carriage in her drives, bending over to ex-
change few words, and calmly possessing
himself OF her feld-glass to inspect some
Instant maneuvre at n review" The
Queen herself, writing OF John Brown
n 1861, in foot-note in her "Journal
If Our Life in the Highlands" says:
: His attention, care, and faitlSulness
annot be exceeded, and the state OF my
lealth, which OF late years has been sorely
ried and weakened, renders such quaifi-
ations most valuable, and indeed most
leedful, in constant attendant upon all
occasions. He has all the independence
nd elevated feelings peculiar to the High '
and race, and Is singularly straghtfor- I
ward, supplemented, kind-hearted, and {
always ready to oblige, and &
4 a discretion rarely to be met with"
Brown was heavily-built, fine-looking |
cotchman, six feet one inch in height,
With broad chest and a well-deyeloped |
MUSCLE. He had large, full face, and high !
Drehead, wcll-shaped head, with gray hair $
I the sides, well-brushed up to hide the
aid spot on top. His appearance and his
eviction to the Queen caused him to be ,
nown throughout England as the "Watch
,og."