The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-13
The Queen and Her Shawls.
From the NetC York Sun.

One of the most rigidly observed customs
Of her august majesty, Queen Victoria, is
the presentation of India shawls on all pos
sble and some unsuitable occasions. Vic
toria must have special factory for their
manufacture and she receives supplies of
them just as any mercantile importer might
do. Women who perform meritoriOus acts
deserving royal recognition are assured of
getting old Alharabad shawls as they are
of drawing their breath Nobody makes
more fun of the old lady than Albert Ed
ward, Prince of Wales, and one of his Jokes
taking in the shawl, was told by Ellen Terry
just before her departure for London. She
said that on a steam launch at the Henley
regatta, a jolly party Of theatrical people
were gathered when, without announce
ment, the Prince and one of his favorite
colonies came aboard.
"From an obscure corner" said Miss
Terry, ''the other craft on the river were
closely scanned. 1t is quite the thing for
every British woman past 80 to get herself
up like the Queen. Especially those who
resemble her at all put on the widows cap,
carry their hands crossed over their stom-
achs, affect a severe condition of features
and increase the likeness to their revered
sovereign. On a launch belonging to Til
ford was big, heavy woman who really
bore a remarkable resemblance to her
majesty--a likeness which she plainly height
ened by every means possible. We called
the Princes attention to her and assured
him that it was his mother out after him,
no doubt. He was gazing at her through
the glass and laughing heartily, when the
lady rose clumslly and threw shawl on
which she had been sitting over the shout
ders of young girl.
"'She has discovered herself shouted the
Prince 1T is undoubtedly the Queen. She
has just presented one of her India shawls.
81 think the laugh that followed showed
the Prince that the Americans, who were
the majority, were all well acquainted with
his mothers customs as her own subjects ~
Another actress of the Irving company
said
"Sir Morell Mackenzie is a big, homely
Scotchman and the last time / saw him he
was studying the pictures of the first day
of the Royal Academy opening He had
over his stopping shoulders a heavy gray
travelling shawl. l felt a little surprised
that it was not embroidered all over with
colored palm leaves, in the proper India
fashion, for felt sure he ought to be wear
ing the Queens given article. But | learned
from the letter of friend at home that the
shawl had reached the family. Her Majesty
last month rewarded the Doctors attentions
to her son-in-law by giving Mrs. Morell
Mackenzie an India shawl. l hope it is
prettier one than usual, for as a lot the
Queens shawls are desperately ugly"
An actor in the party said that Miss Heath,
the lately deceased actress and wife of Will
son Barrett, was appointed reader to the
Queen and had a merry old time Of it once
giving evolutionary effect to the Queens
''Diarv Of q Season in Scotland along
with that gilly -fower, John Brown. Such
platitudes would never have been printed
save for the august personality of the author
ess. Poor Mrs Barrett read day after day until
the deeply interested Queen had heard the
whole book for probably the twentieth time
One day Mrs. Barrett came home completely
exhausted She had been standing beside
tall reading desk, stiff as n poker, backing
around in the presence like ballIy horse
mo one ever shows the small Of the back 20
her Majesty for fully four hours. 1t bad
seemed as though Victoria would never get
enough diary. During the actress absence
a bulky box had been brought by special
mess niger in the livery of the Queen. The
teller of this anecdote was present and has
beea in London long enough to call the
turn.
cts a shawl to O certainty" he averred,
and so it was-about as gloomy and peculiar
an old shawl as was ever seen.
Mrs Barrett was developing the mania
that afterward became insanity and made
her an inmate or lunatic asylum. She
contemplated the thing moment and said:
ssIt is a dreadful result. / shall never wear
il but it would drape catatalque with pretty
effect I'll keep it,"
esconed from life's troubles and Victoria's
shawl. ~ shall always think that It's pos
session helped to unsettle her mind, said
the actor. ''for it was the crazlest bit of
cashmere in the whole royal shop"