The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-09
AN ENGLISH LORDS BOOK
Ronald Covers Recollections of Fa-
nous Persons, Male and Female.
Queen Victoria and Empress Eugenie-IIu-
pressions of Gladstone, Disrael, Bern
hardt, Langtry and Sam. Ward.

of the robes at her Majesty's court, and
Queen Victoria seems to have had a special
attachment for her. She was with the Queen
when the Prince Consort died. The Duchess
of Sutherland presented the Queen with a
Bible subscribed for by the widows Of Eng
land to her Majesty. On it's receipt, the
Queen wrote the following letter from Wind
sor Castle:
DEC 10, 1862.
NY Dearest Duchess-I am deeply touched by
the gift OF q Bible from many widows, and by
the very kind and affectionate address which &C
companied 1t, and which you read to me: Pray
and heartfelt gratitude of their widowed Queen,
who can never feel grateful enough for the uni
versal sympathy she has received and continues
devoted subjects, but what she values
more is their appreciation of her adored
and perfect husband, to whom she and the coun-
try owe everything. To her the only sort of con-
ISOLATION she experiences is the constant sense OF
his unseen presence, and the blessed thought of
that eternal union hereafter, which will make
the bitter anguish of the present appear as
naught That our Heavenly Father may lmpart
and support Is their broken-hearted Queens
earnest prayer. The Bible itself is very hand
some. as we'll as the reading desk, and both, with
the address and signatures, will ever be kept by
the Queen and her children as the marked and
lender sympathy of her SUBJECTS. Believe me,
ever dearest duchess, your most affectionate
VICTORIA.
During the Duchess of Sutherland's life
the Queen made visit of a fortnight at
Cliveden; but Lord Ronald Cover was not
at home at the time, so we miss the particu-
lars of the visit. After the death Of the
Duchess, however she visited the family
seat, Dunrobn, where she stayed six days,
driving and riding about and enjoying the
beauty OF the place and the country. II
could not help expressing to her Majesty"
says Lord Ronald Cover, chow much ! re-
GREETED TINT her first visit should have been
made when she to whom Dunrobin owed so
much of its beauty had been taken from this
world. During the time of the Queens resi-
dence at Dunrobin. Stanley, the African ex-
plorer, was one of the guests at the house.
The ex-Empress of the French was among
Lord Ronald Covers friends. He visited
her at Chiselhurst and, during two hours
conversation, she described to him her fight
from Paris, which, we roget quite as much as
he, that he did not right down more fully.
She described the hurried fight through the
palace and the galleries of the Louvre, fol-
lowed by only one or two attendants the
respect with which the guardian of the gal
leries received her, and their emotion at see
ing her almost deserted fugitive
been so lately the idol; of her
great danger of being recognized while along
with Nine. LeBretton in the Rue de Rivoli,
where for hours they had to remain, the
street being blocked with the mob; of an
other long period of suspenses when, at some
station near Paris, her only safety and pro-
lection while waiting hours for train was
newspaper, which saved her from
recognition and probably death. She
said that such death as that had no terrors
for her which, if she could have remained
and faced the dangers in the palace, she
would not feel; Indeed, it makes one shud.
der to think what would have happened had
that mob guessed who one of the two ladies
in black was in the cab in the roaring street
that bright September day.
Garibaldi visited Stafford House in 1864.
He was followed through the streets by an
immense concourse of people, and it was
with much difficulty that he got into the
house without being crushed. He was very
lame from the Aspromonte wound. He wore
a soft, large high hat, and gray overcoat
lined with red cloth; his famous, but not his
only-as ill-natured people said of the arti-
Gle of apparel-red flannel shirt, with an i'm
mense black tie around his neck. Garibaldi
remained ten days at Stafford House He
rose at 5, and soon after his rooms were
already thronged by his friends.
Mr.. Gladstone was also among the most
frequent visitors at Stafford House and Lord
Ronald Cover visited him at Hawarden Park.
The castle he describes as "a pretentioIs
modern Gothic building. The day of his
visit Mr.. Gladstone was in his study sur
rounded by books He welcomed his visitors
with great cordiality, although at the time
he was excited regarding Lord Carnarvon's
speech on the Eastern question. "His study
is overcrowded with books. Here he showed
us the box made of carved bog oak that had
been presented to him on his late visit to
Dublin; also tray, on which lay piled foot
high vast heap of printed cuttings from
newspaper, many of these full of abuse Il
never read Them he said laughing" Lord
Ronald Cover had the pleasure of entertain
ing. Mr.. Gladstone at his little house at
Windsor. The Premier overlooked with
amiablity, and praised his hosts bric-a-
brac and paintings,
With Disraeli Lord Ronald Cover seems to
have been on terms of special intimacy. He
visited the Premier freq uently, once at Hugh
enden, in company with Sir William Har-
court. They went down together and found
a brougham awaiting them at High Wycombe
station, and after a drive of about a mile,
passing through the town of Wycombe, they
reached the lodge of Hughenden. Here
were pretty pair of French wrought-iron
gates, of which Lady Beaconsfeld was not
little proud. This road, after passing the
lodge up to the house for about half a mile,
was very steep, the house being on top of
quite a respectfully sized hill Passing
through a small Gothic entrance and
corridor, in which was bust of Mr. Dis
raeli, when apparently about twenty, they
were shown into the library, where their
host received them. HE was dressed" says
Lord Ronald Cover, sin a duble- breasted,
tailless jacket, that made him look quite
boyish"
"On coming down to the library before dim
ner, found Mr.. Disraeli and Lady Beacons-
field, the poor old lady sadly altered in looks
since leaving London-death written on her
face-but, as usual, gorgeously dressed. The
only other guests in the house beside W. H.
and myself we're Lord and Lady John Man
ners. At dinner sat next to Lady Beacons-
field. Mr. Disraeli was evidently very anx-
ious about her, and although occasionally
flashing out into conversation with his curl
Gus play of arms and struggling of the shout
ders, he was evidently much depressed at her
state. His attention to her was quite touch
ing, and Mary Ann as he sometimes called
her, was constantly appealed to- We did
not sit long over our wine after the Ladies' had