The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-20
INTERESTING REcoLLEcrIoNs
Whitaker, in New York Graphic.l

Whitaker, in New York Graphic.
 The English papers tell us that this country will shortly be honored by the presence of Victor Albert, the eldest son of the prince of Wales, who comes by direction of his grandmother, the queen, of course to let us "blarsted Yankees j see how we'll the royal line is getting on and whom the English press pronounces an unmitigated snob.
 It seems that his :" callow," royal high ness, who may some day be king ofEHg. land if the people thereof permit it, and the ancient queen does not live forever. took train some distance away from London to come into it and entered one ot the compartm cars intended for four or six persons, nobody knowing him or imagining that an embryo king had done the road so much honor At one of the stations two men got in who paid no attention to Victor Albert-had the gentlemen pulled of their chapeaus and kept uncovered it would perhaps have been different-but pursued the even tenor ot their ways, notwithstanding the glaring of the prince. When the train arrived at the depot in London his royal" highness made his way directly to'the superintendent and entered for. mai complaint against the conductor for his insolence in putting any other person In the compartment with him. He was reasoned with and told that it was not possible that the conductor should know who he was, as he had only come in the guise of a private citizen and paid one fare, but nothing would satisfy his snobish- ness, and so it is hardly necessary to say that no notice was taken of his com plaint.
 The story tells what manner of man is coming among us. But there is another story told of him that can be construed any way. We get it from an English friend. When the prince was about six teen he and his younger brother were sent by the queen for a few days at sea on board of her majesty's yacht. One day there was a grand commotion on deck, and the younger princess yells filled the ship. The captain rushed on deck and found the. elder prince belaboring the younger unmercifully.
 What's this? Whats this. your highness7" said the captain anerily. beating your brother?"
 Well," said Victor Albert, sullenly, "he deserves it, captain ; he won't say God save his grandmother when tell him."
 But if this young sprig is snob he is not following after his father, who paid New York a visit exactly twenty-four years ago and left behind him a very favorable impression as 8 nice. boy, very agreeable in his manner, rather good looking, and disposed to break loose from his keepers and do as he pleased, which he always has ever since. was introduced to him at the Fifth Avenue hotel, and would have liked to have half an hours talk with him, but the thing was impossible so closely was he guarded, not only by his own staff but by the American ladies who hovered around him. A little memorizing of this visit of his royal highness to this country may not be uninteresting, after quarter of a century, and so l will give it, as far as recollection goes, for doubt if there is any printed record of it except what the newspapers of that day gave.
 When the prince came to this country 1t is very doubtful whether he or rather his mother intended it. think that it was meant that he should only visit Canada, but that if he was properly in- vited it was left to General Bruce, his tutor, to accept or not and cross the border. The cordiality of the invitation was such that refusal was impossible. It was in this wise. A meeting was held somewhere in Wall or Broad streets of which Peter Cooper was chairman, and several hundred of our prominent citizens were present, who were each to bay SIoo towards entertaining the prince. Then they appointed committee to 20, form ally, to Montreal, where he already was, and invite him. This was in August. 1860. Among this committee were Hamilton Fish and John Jacob Astor, the rest do not remember. They vent to Montreal and had . good time, and came back with a fine report of the young man, and the intelligence that he preferred dance to dinner, which was very natural, aud so it was decided that . ball it should be at the Academy of Music, and instantly all New York went