Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-02-26
THE QUEENS BOOK READY.
A STORY OF LIFE IN ROYAL CIRCLES
FAMILY AND DOMESTIC AFFAIRS DIS
CUssED, &C.

la STORY OF LIFE IN ROYAL CIRCLES
FAMILY AND DOMESTIC AFFAIRS DIS
CUssED, &C.
LONDON, February II.
The Queens new book, which was dis
tributed to the press this morning, consists
of disconnected diary from August 81
1862, to September, 1882, with long gal
from October, 1879. to the final date, cover
| ing the period Of transition from the ad
ministration of Lord Beaconsfield to thai
of Mr.. Gladstone. The entire book is de
voted to family and domestic affairs. Po
litical illusions are only incidental. The
| illustrations are numerous and include por
traits of the Queen and the Princesses
Eleanor, Louise, and Beatrice. There il
also portrait of Grant, the Queens body
servant, and onel of her attendants, John
Brown. There ale pictures, too, of the
Queens collie dogs, Sharp and Noble, and
several views of scenes in the Highlands,
from sketches by the Princess Beatrice. In
the preface the royal authoress says:
Remembering the feeling with which
our "Life in the Highlands was received,
the writer thinks the present volume may
equally evoke sympathy, as, while describ-
ing very altered life. it shows how her
sad and suffering heart was soothed and
cheered by the excursions and incidents it
recounts, as well as by the simple noun
taineers, from whom she learned many les
sons of resignation and faith in the quiet
of the beautiful highlands.
THE MEMORIAL cAIRN.
After the dedications to the loyal High
landers, and especially to the memory of
the ''faithful attendant and friend, John
Brown" the diary opens with the building
of the memorial cairn in honor of the
Prince Consort. The entry reads as fol-
lows:
We started off in little pony chair, led
by Brown. BERTHE (the Prince of Wales) in
front, Eleanor and Louise on ponies. and
the two little boys. Arthur and Leopold.
l actually drove in the little carriage to the
very top of Craig Lowragan, Grant, and
Duncan, pushing the carriage behind.
Sweet baby Beatrice we found at the top.
The view was so fine, the day was so bright,
and the heather SO beautifully pink; but
there was no pleasure, no joy-all dead.
Here at the top is the foundation OF the
cairn to be erected to my precious Albert.
I and my poor six orphans all placed stones
on it, and our initials are to be placed on
stones all around it.
AccIDENTHTo BROWN.
In October. 1868, when making an ex-
cursion from Balmoral to Clova, the car
riage was overturned. The face and the
right hand of the Queen were bruised and
Browns knees were very badly hurt.
The succeeding entries refer to Browns
injury.
I was much distressed at breakfast to
| find that poor Browns legs had been dread
| fully cut at the backs of the knees, and he
| said nothing about it. But to-day one be-
came so inf1amed and swelled so much he
could hardly move. The doctor said he
| must keep it up as much as possible and
| walk very little, but did not forbid his 60
| ing out with the carriage. I did not go
out myself in the morning.
The next day, October 12, the Queen
| writes:
| Browns leg is much better. The doctor
thought he could walk over the hill to-
morrow.
ROYAL HOUSE WARMING.
I When making the first visit to Glassalt
Shiel Mountain Lodge, in 1853, the diary
describes the house-warming as follows:
| Brown came to say that all the servants
were ready.
There were present Louise, Arthur, Jane,
Lady Churchill, number of domestics
and the policemen. We made nineteen,
altogether. Five animated reels were
danced, in which all but myself joined.
After the first reel whiskey toddy was
brought round for every one and Brown
begged would drink to the fre-kindlng.
The merry, pretty little ball ended at
eleven, but the men went on singing in the
stewards room for some time, all very
happy. But sad thoughts filed my heart,
both before dinner and when 1 retired to
rest. thought of my darling husband,
whom fancied must see, and who always
W shed to build here. Then the sad thought
struck me that it was my first widow
house. But am sure his blessing rests On
it.
In 1871 the Queen witnessed the Scotch
Communion service one Sunday at the
Crathie church, near Balmoral.
| She writes:
The Communion is most touching and
beautiful. 1t impressed and moved me
more than can express. 1t is impossi lie
to say how deeply we were impressed by
the grand simplicity. It Was al so truly
earnest No description can do Justice to
the perfect devotion Of the whole assem-.
blage. longed much to join it. To see
all these simple good people in their nice
plain dresses, including an old woman in
her mulch. SO many of whom knew, and
some of whom had walked far, although
they were in deep snow, was very striking
''Since 1872 the Queen adds, Il have
partaken of the Communion at Crathie
every autumn"
THE PRINCESS LOUISE's ENGAGEMENT.
On October 5, 1870, the Princess Louise
became engaged to the Marquis of Lorne
The event took place, the Queen says, dur.
ing walk from Glassalt Shiel to Dhu Lock,
where Louise had gone with Lady Ely, the
Lord Chancellor and Lorne.
Louise, on returning at night, told me
Lorne had spoken of his devotion to heI
and had proposed to her. She had accept.
ed, knowing would approve. Though
was not unprepared for this result, l fell
painfully the thought of losing her. But
naturally gave my consenta and could only
pra1 that she might be happy"
The sole reference to events in France in
1870 occurs in speaking of sermon which
she heard in the church at Balmoral. She
says:
doctor Mcleod gave such a splendid
sermon on war. Without mentioning
France, he said enough to make everyone
understand what he meant when he pointed
out how God would punish wickedness and
vanity and sensuality"
In June, 1879, the Queen records the re-
ceipt of the news telling of the death o
the young Prince Imperial:
Brown knocked and came in. He sale
there was bad news. When 1, in alarm,
asked what, he replied:
''The young French Prince is killed."
l could not take it in and asked severa
times what it meant. Beatrice then came
in with a telegram in her hand and said:
''Oh, tho Prince Imperial is killed."
feel the thrill of horror now while
write the words. l put my hand to my
head and cried out:
"No, no, it cannot be true"
Then dear Beatrice, who cried very
much, as did, too, gave me the telegram
To die in such an awful, horrible way
Poor, dear Empress, her only, only child,
her all, gone! was quite beside myself
Brown was SO distressed. Every one was
quite stunned. Little sleep did l get
thinking of the poor Empress, who did no
yet know it. The Prince was good and sc
much beloved. To think of that dear