Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-04-07
VictOria's Home Life.

The heart of London society has been
gladdened by the rumor that her Ma.
jesty the Queen intends to partially
abandon the life of seclusion she has
led for some years past and to appear
in public more frequently. She will al
so reside in London during the season
and endeavor to restore the prestige
and glamour of royalty that seemed
falling into desuetude. Indeed, it is
said his Royal Highness the Prince Of
Wales, alarmed at the rising tide OF
democracy and the growing want of re-
spect towards royalty, insisted that
her Majesty should make this change
if she wished that he should occupy the
throne.
It is we'll known that since the death
of Prince Consort her Majesty has pre-
ferred to spend most of her time at Os-
borne House, in the Isle of Wight, or
Balmoral, in Scotland. Here the early
years of her life were spent, and there
she meets at every step some image of
the past when all was happiness and
sunshine. She is especially alta ched
to Osborne House, situated in that
charming garden of verdure and flow
ers, 1.-The pearl of the Channel"
The royal residence resembles one
of those Italian villas on the lakes of
Como and Maggiore, and is delightful
at all seasons Her Majesty has recent
ly added to the property by the pur-
chase of the adjoining lands. The park
is now four miles in extent and is ad-
mirably laid out and adorned with ev-
cry beauty that art a bestow. The
castle is surrounded by a number of
beautiful terraces, from the last of which
an immense stretch of green landscape
extends down to the shore. The princi-
pal entrance to the castle is by way of
Cowes, and leads through a lovely gar
den of shrubbery and flowers. Ore of
the largest myrtles in this garden is the
growth of a branch taken from the mar
rage bouquet of the Crown Princess of
Germany and planted in January, 1858.
The castle is situated on a hight and the
windows look out On a beautiful scene
of sky and sea The royal apartments
are in the left wing, behind which stands
the hag-tower, 10Y feet in hight. :.
The apartments of her Majesty and
Princess Beatrice are closed % the pub
lie eye. They ale furnished in an ex-
quisite manner and contain much
bizarre and costly bric-a-brac, Chinese
and Japanese bibelots, and some old
Sevres of fabulous worth. The carved
woodwork of the walls are unique, and
whatnots are found in every corner,
containing rare books and a multitude
of odd and costly articles. Many val
liable tableaux and bronzes are in the
various apartments, together with
some remarkable paintings of the old
masters. On the great stairway is the
famous allegorica1 fresco of Neptune
abandoning to Britannia the empire of
the ocean.
Her Majesty's everyday life is one of
simplicity and extreme regularity.
She is an early riser, and insists on go
ing out twice a day, rain or shine.
Her usual mode of promenade is in an
open carriage, which is always attend
ed by an equerry. She is also fond of
driving out in her little Scotch pony
chaise. On returning from her prom
enade her Majesty takes q brief rest
and then devotes herself to business.
She goes through all the voluminous
correspondence brought by the gov
eminent carriers and makes the
miRutest inquiries concerning all the
important affairs of the day. If not
too fatigued she has of her at
tendants read TO her, and when not
thus occupied she generally devotas
herself to writing or etching. During
the life of the Prince Consort, etching
was the favorite occupation Of the
royal pair. At times her Majesty