Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-02-21
HER MAJESTY VICTORIA,
\GAdamS Albani Writes Entertaininrly OF
hcr Homo IiIo.

Ou0 oO AuuCu Oh IL Is calculated TO give
false Impressions with regard to the
Queen that 1 am tempted to send you
lew notes about her, and, as have had
the honor for long time past of person
ally being acquainted with her Majesty,
hope you will believe they are true.
With regard to the Queens public ca
pacity 1t is needless for me to speak,
as all the world knows how she has full
filled her numerous and arduous duties,
and shall therefore confine 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 early in the morning,
and after breakfast reads and answers
her letters and transacts business. She
Is fond of the open air, and if the
weather be favorable often has her pa
pers taken into tent or summer-house
upon the lawn, which commands an ex-
tensive and most lovely view of Loeb
magyar, its surrounding mountains and
the valley of the Dee.
After this comes a walk or drive in
a 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 car
rage. She dimes late, never before $50
p. m. An hour spent in the drawing
room talking with the guests who may
have been invited finishes the day, and
the Queen retires to rest.
The Queen is faithful to her old
friends and thoughtful for every body
with whom she comes in contact, re-
membering the smallest details about
them, their families, and their occupa-
tions, and giving evidence of this at
most unexpected moments. A circum-
stance which happened to me justifies
strongly the truth of this. Four years
ago I was singing at the Royal Opera at
Berlin, and was not even aware that tho
Queen knew of my engagement there.
], soon after my debut, was at q large
dinner party at the English Embassy,
and sitting next to mo was one of tho
gentlemen of the Crown Princess house
hold. During dinner he put into my
hand telegram, telling me to read it.
This was from tho Queen to her daughter
(now the Empress Frederick, recon-
mending 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
keeping the telegram, one of my
precious souvenirs.
Her Majesty is fond of music and is
good musician. She studied music with
Mendelssohn and singing with Lablache.
AS consequence of this teaching sho
prefers the old Italian music to any
other, but at tho same time she can ap-
prcciate any thing that is good in tho
modern music. This I know from ex-
pcrlenco, as l have sung all kinds Of
music to her, the new and the old. Tho
Queen Is mucn touched py simple,
homely ballad, and after I have sung to
her songs like "Robin Adair'' or "Old
Folks at Home" havo seen tears in her
eyes,
She has been in retirement for O. great
many years, and during that time has
not been present at single operatic
performance; yet she remembers we'll
tho old artists and tho manner in
which they rendered tho various wcll-
known roles. For instance, when told
her thatl was studying the ''Huguenots,"
end was going to sing it in America, sho
said that was one Of her favorite operas;
that she thought Mario was superb as
Raoul, and that although Grisi sanr
the music splendidly, she mover realized
her idea Of the character OF Valentino.
The Queen herself looks aftor tho
welfare Of MI her tenants and servants,
and II any one of thom is sick sho is tho
hrst one to pay them o visit and tako
them little comforts.
During hor stay in Scotland sho takes
pleasure during her drives in stopping
Of various cottages to ask after tho VOL
fare OF tho inmates. When so occupied
the Queen is as kind and simple as any
ordinary lady could he. When she paid
mo ono Of her first visits and took tea
with me my littlo boy was 90 much
'Sruck with this that he said to mo after
ghc was gone: go mamma, what littlo
woman for such big Quocn!" 1t is all
this that has made tho Queen so beloved