The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-07-06
Queen vlctoria's Father In Nova
Scotia.
[Barpei's Bazar.

lBarpei'S BaZar
About seven miles west of th, centre of
Halifax, near the head of Bedford Basin, is
beautiful spot, now much used as picnic
ground, which every Haligoniah knows as
"the Princes Lodge" 1t is part OF the es-
state in old times leased by Sir John Went
worth to the Duke Of Kent for his royal res
idence during the seven years that Prince,
the father of Queen Victoria, lived in Nova
Scotia. Sir John Wentworth had his coun-
try mansion there. and called ii, 10 allusion
to Romeo and Juliet, "Friar Laurence's
Cell" The Duke enlarged the original
house until 1t was fine two-storied villa,
somewhat In the Italian style, with extensive
wings at the north and south and great
hall and drawing rooms In the centre. Back
Of the house were stables for his hors ses, and
the grounds though rustic, and having all
the marks that nature had originally put up
on them, contained many charming surpris-
es. His Royal Highness, who was at that
time commander Of all the forces In North
America, had telegraph battery on an ad-
joing hill. by means of which he could send
his orders to citadel in town. In the neigh
borhood Of the Lodge were artificers of var
ious sorts, so that the place was like a little
feudal town. Indeed, the Prince himself
used to put his hand to the -jack-plane or
drive the cross-cut saw, and l fancy there
was little that went on that he did not per-
sOnally oversee. He was strict disciplin-
ariaD, but was very kind. affable In social
life, and especially interested in young men,
for whom he often did much. His life had
not been luxurious one, and he inherited
many Of the simple tastes Of his father,
plain old "Earmer George" which. on the
whole. commended him TO N0va-Scotians.
Society in Halifax In those days was very
gay, and it is said that the Prince, by his
moderation In the use Of wine. and by re-
framing entirely from cards, had good in
fuence over the young men of the town.
To cure intemperance among his men, 1t Is
said he used to make them turn out at five
O'Clock In the morning for drill, which, of
impossible. His punishments were very
severe. For one poor soldier he ordered a
thousand lashes on his bare back, and on
the grounds Of the Lodge Is shown a cave
where another was confined for two or
three years, until he died. Once or twice
1t is said men committed suicide from fear of
his punishments. Prince Edwards friend
and companion during his Nova Scotia life
was clver French wOman's Madame Alpon-
sine Therese Bernadine Juliet de Montgenet
de st. Laurent, Baronne de Fortisson, whom
he first met In Martinique, and who, when
he married the Queens mother, retired to a
convent. The Halifax people were daZzled
by the presence of royalty among them, and
when the Princes seven-year term had ex-
pired, 1t took society a long time to settle
down to its normal condition. In 1900 the
Duke of Kent began the erection of the pres
ent citadel In Halifax, first removing the old
insecure fortiticatiOnS, and then building the
massive walls that now enclose the fort. A
conspicuous monument of his Royal High
ness still remaining is the square wooden
clock tower below the glacis, directly above
the middle OF the town.