Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-04-25
HER MAJESTY VICTORIA.
a Pleasant View of the English sovereig
Her Simple Life In the Scotch Highland

A good deal has been said lately in
the newspapers concerning Queen Vic.
tbria, but so much of it is calculated &c
give false impressions with regard &c
the Queen that am tempted to send
! you q few notes about her, and, as j
have had the honor for long time past
of personally being acquainted with her
Majesty, / hope YOU will believe they
are true ones.
With regard to the Queens public
capacity it is needless for me TO speak,
as all the world knows how she has
fulfilled her numerous and arduous
duties, and shall therefore contine
myself to endeavoring to give some
idea of her private life, and especially
! of her in Her Scotch Highland home, as
it is there that have seen her most
and have had the best opportunity OF
judging.
The Queen rises carly in the morn.
| ing, and after breakfast reads and
answers her letters and transacts bust
ness. She is fond of the open air, and
if the weather be favorable often has
her papers taken into tent or sum-
mer-house upon the lawn, which com
view of Lochnagar. its surrounding
mountains, and the Valley of the Dee.
After this comes a walk or drive in
pony carriage, and then luncheon at
which no one is ever present except
members of the royal family.
During the afternoon the Queen
takes long drive, often extending to
over thirty miles and always in an open
carriage. She dimes late, never before
$50 p. m. An hour spent in the draw
ing-room talking with the guests who
may have been invited finishes the day,
and the Queen retires TO rest.
No question of state is ever decided
finally until her Majesty has been con-
suited. and she is such sensible and
clever woman that she has often put
her Ministers right and settled diff
cult point, and generally for the best.
The Queen is faithful to her old
friends and thoughtful for everybody
with whom she comes in contact, re-
Numbering the smallest details about
them, their families, and their occupa-
tons, and giving evidence of this at
most unexpected moments. A circum-
stance which happened to me justities
strongly the truth of this. Four years
ago was singing at the Royal Opera
at Berlin, and was not even aware that
the Queen knew of my engagement
there. i. soon after my debut, was at
large dinner party at the English
Embassy, and sitting next to me was
one of the gentlemen of the Crown
Princess household. During dinner
he put into my hand telegram, tell
ing me to read it. This was from the
Queen to herdaughter (now the ex-Em-
press Frederick), recommending me TO
her and desiring her to do all she
could for me. Needless to say that
after this was so excited that / could
eat no dinner, and insisted on keep
ing the telegram, one of my precious
souvenirs.
Her Majesty is fond of music and is a
good musician. She studied music
with Mendeilssohn and singing with
Lablache- As consequence of this
teaching she prefers the old Italian
music to any other, but at the same
time she can appreciate anything that
is good in the modern music. This |
know from experience, as / have sung
all kinds of music to her, the new and
the old. The Queen is much touched
by a simple. homely ballad, and after l
have sung to her songs like robin
Adair" or "Old Folks at Home" have
seen tears in her eyes.
She has been in retirement for
great many years, and during that time
has not been present at a single oper-
attic performance; yet she remembers
well the old artists and the manner in
txrhi fhaxy q h.
known roles. For instance, when l
told her that was studying the
'Huguenots, and was going to sing it
in America, she said that was one of
her fayorite operas; that she thought
Mario was superb as Raoul, and, that
although Grisi sang the music splen-
didly. she never realized her idea of the
character of Valentine.
The Queen has been present at few
concerts for many years past. She oc-
casionally has noted artist to sing or
play before her, but this always takes
place in private, and when l sing at
Balmoral there is nobody in the room
but the Queen and perhaps one or two
members of the royal family who may
be staying at the castle. With regard
to these little concerts | recall funny
4 incident. sat down at the piano to
accompany myself. and was just be-
ginning to sing. when the legs of the
stool gave way and / rolled on the floor
at the Queens feet. Her Majesty was
rather concerned at first, thinking l
must have hurt myself, but when she
saw that was all right she burst out
laughing. We all had been rather
solemn before, but after my tumble
everybody was so amused that it was a
long while before could proceed with
my ssng.
The Queen herself looks after the
welfare of all her tenants and servants.
and if any Que of them is sick she is the
first one to pay them a visit and take
them little comforts.
During her stay in Scotland she takes
a pleasure during her drives in stop
ping at various cottages to ask after the
welfare of the inmates. When so oc-
cupied the Queen is as kind and simple
as any ordinary lady could be. When
she paid me one of her first visits and
took tea with me my little boy was so
much struck with this that he said to
me after she had gone, 20 mamma,
/ xuh hot 1itf1a fn,- |.