The clarion., 1886-08-25
Seeing the Queen.

We extract the following from Cathe.
rine Coles notes in the Picdyxne of her
visit to the Colonial and Indian Exbibi-
ton, London:
As we looked down this wonderful gal
lery from our point OF vantage, there
| came slowly along toward US little group
consisting of ten or twelve gentlemen and
two ladies walking in this wise In the
center was low-sized, stout, red-faced old
lady, apparently sixty odd years of age.
This was Queen Victoria. She Wore a
black silk dress made short enough to
escape the floor. The skirt was full. the
! front being covered with six or eight van
dyked fouuces. The back of the skirt
| hung full and plain. Over this was worn
a simple little black cloth dolman wrap
A close large black bonnet, from which
hung short black round net or grenadioe
veil, was on her head Her face was rosy
to the point of redness, her hair very gray
| and brushed simply behind her ears ; the
cheeks were not red all over, but sort of
mottled red and white. Once she smiled
as some gentleman OF the party was pre-.
sented to her, inclined her head toward
him in gracious but autocratic sort of
way, and exposed all her teeth as she
| shniled they were very white, and so
even and perfect as to look suspiciously
false.
The Queen carried gold-handled ebony
walking stick, and made good use Of it,
leaning on 1t as she stopped to look in the
cases, or to talk, with her elbo a-kimbo. in
a comfortable fashion tn It did my heart
good. She walked rapidly along, moving
In booming, ship-underf full-sail sort Of
fashion, an idea borne out by her annie
skirts and fat. dumpy BODY.
Sir Philip Cunlif Owen, Secretary Of
the Exhibition, walked on one side of her
and Lord Somebody or t'other on the
other. They did not walk UP alongside of
her, in an equal sort OF way, but off about
four feet from her, pranciag sideways
towards her with their bodies, their hats
In their hands and their backs constantly
eurviug as they courtesied and bowed in a
fashion that recalled ones ideas of the
days of Queen Elizabeth.
Behind the Queen came the Princess
Beatrice and her husband, Prince Henry.
lie is tall, rather nice-looking man. with |
brown hair and moustache, and dressed in |
a dark frock-cost and trousers. The |
Princess had on blue foulard that prob |
ably cost hfty cents a yard. II was COW |
cred with white polka dots and the long I
draped oyer-dress was edged with that
white lace known as "yal antique.D Her
bonnet was a little Frenchy affair of white
lace and dark blue velvet, and the waist
OF her dress had V-shaped arrangement
OF white lace let into it, front and back.
She did not walk up alongside of her
mother in a daughterly sort of way. but
came on behind her Majesty, and politely
waited until the Queen had examined each
case before she ventured to look herself.
Ihe Princess is plump, very unlike a
princess IN her manner and not ha ndsome |
she has not the extreme, almost ultra
graciousness OF demeanor to the public
that characterizes her ister-in-law. the
Princess of Wales.
When the Queen got to the end OF the
galleries nearest Us, she came a few feet
forward In the open space beyond the ex-
hIDifs SO that the hundreds collected might
have good view of her, and then. with
out looking at them or without any demon.
stration on their part, she slowly tnrned
and, like the King Of France, went back
again.
1 observed the crowds of her subject.
satnereo apouf, and there was not an atom
DI enthusiasm, only the most searching
ana grave and sombre curiosity, and when
hat were ALL
l talked the other day with an intelli-
gent middie-ciass gentleman on this oues-
'ion OF the royal family. He said: aWhen
ne Queen dies we will have the Prince of
= aies ior King; but alter him there will |
'e no more kings or queens for old Eng .
and We are on the eve OF a great reyo- {
uton j, that will come quietly and in or
Ter, and surprise no one. II