The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-02-15
LOrna aud Louise.

Society is in a hutter of excitement
over q dispatch to the New York Times
purporting to explain why, instead of re.
turning to Rideau Hall from British Co
lumbia, the Governor General and Prin-
cess Louise will travel in the Southern
States for time, after which the Prin.
cess will go to Bermuda for the winter
Briefly stated, the cause of the non. return
of royalty is said to be Lady Macdonald's
disagreeable and intrusive habits
Friends of the latter are very angry, and
characterize the dispatch as a premedi-
tated insult. An outline of what are al
legged to be the facts that have stirred up
this tempest in the provincial teapot will
not be without interest. When the Mar
quis of Lorne and his royal helpmeet
reached here in November, 1878, Sir
John A. Macdonald had been returned to
power by an enormous majority. He is
a man of great force and equal ambition.
He is not only at the head of his party,
but is its soul and its life. What he is in
Politics, his wife, Lady Macdonald, as
pired to be in society. Perhaps this was
in no way more clearly shown than by
the manner in which she sought to take
charge of the Princess Louise and make
herself indispensable to her. 1t is even
said that she assumed the role of female
Mentor, and told her Highness who she
ought and who she ought not to select as
her personal friends.
The Princess has enough of her mother
in her to resent anything of that kind,
and so it came to pass that one day she
told Lady Macdonald, in effect, that she
knew enough about the duties of her
station to be able to regulate her own
conduct and to choose her own associates
without her assistance. This was not
enough, however. Lady Macdonald was
not so easily to be rebutfed, and finding
that she was not to be accepted as the
Princess guide and counsellor, set up as
her rival. Rumor has it that the Prin
cess was not blind to all this, and that on
one occasion, when she was receiving
visitors, and Lady Macdonald called, she
devoted herself to the pretty wife of Il
senator, French-C Canadian lady, to the
exclusion of her ladyship. More than
this, Lady Macdonald does not speak
French, and the Princess made it point
to converse with the senator's wife in
that language. Lady Macdonald was not
able to conceal the rebuff. for it was
publicly administered, but they say that
she revenged it by coming and circu'
lating the insinuation set afioat as to the
not over happy marital relations Of the
Marquis and Princess, which were cur
rent some time ago.
The state of affairs thus inaug urated
continued, and the Princess found her
situation uncomfortable, and perhaps
did not conceal this fact as closely as she
might have DONE To this is doubtless
due the impression that she dislikes
Canada and Canadians. 1t might be
going too far to say that the squabble
has determined her to winter in Der
muda but people hint that such
is the case. When it was made
known that she would not return here
this winter. much disappointment was
caused. Parliament opens in February,
and society looks forward to gay season,
a prominent feature of which would be
grand viceregal entertainments. 1t does
not satisfy society that Lady Macdonald
is here, however much pleased she her
self may be, but she is, and that without
greater light near by. At first people
said that the princess was not fond OF
Canadians. and they were piqued at the
idea that they were not considered good
enough to bask IN the sunshine OF roy
atty. Others looked at the matter from
a patriotic standpoint, and expressed re
greet that she should have wilfully re-
fused to endear her house to American
subjects of the crown; but there are not
few who say that the princess is not to
blame. These last claim that her Royal
Highness is right no. to subject herself
10 a repetition of the unpleasantness of
the past They go even further, and
hint that Lady Macdonald has purposely
made Canada unpleasant to the princess,
so as to induce her to oppose any extern
sion of her husbands term OF office,
which draws near its close. 1t is said
that she desires to reside ut Rideau Hall
herself, which is not an unlikely event
should the Marquis go home, and Sir
John Macdonald. as is quite pos 'ible, be
appointed to succeed him rs governor
general.