Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-04-15


but in London-A Day al windsor
Relattonship Puzzles.
Once upon a time there was charm
ing little blonde princess. with large blue
eyes and golden tresses, who was known
as Mayfiower. because she was born in
that beautiful spring month, and her
father, holding her up before the lords
and ladies who FASTENED to see the baby,
said to them: Look at her well, for she
viii be queen of England!v The spring
of the year 1919 is far off now; the May
rose has changed into the Christmas rose; /;
the little princess has become the doyenne
of the sovereigns of Europe, and her
people honor in her half a century of
reign which, in the words of the national
anthem, has been "happy and glorious, !"
and distinguished by her majestys great
virtues and devotion to the public veal.
After being softened by the joys and
griefs of her crowned romance, the pub
lie venerates the grandmother who, from
the throne, has made the nation admire
sentiments which are most dear to it.
The one place where the queen is never
to be found is her good town of London.
Whether it be that Buckingham Palace
is displeasing to her majesty las it might
well bel, or whether the air and noise of
the capital are injurious to her health,
one thing is certain-that she avoids
London like the pestilence, leaving to
her charming daughter in law, the Prin-
cess of Wales, and to the extremely pop
ular heir apparent, the duty of repre-
senting her ON all official occasions. Since
Princess Beatrice's marriage and espe-
cially since the extraordinary manifesto
tions which marked her jubilee, the queen
has shown herself little more to her
liege subjects.
There is also more animation in the
palace. Her majesty has commanded
artistes TO appear at court, and has en-
couraged her encourage to get up anna
teur theatricals. The fact is that
Princess Beatrice has married Prince
Charming, from whom one wishes to
Danish all ennni, and, as he can not be
sent over to Germany to hunt and shoot
every week, the domestic hearth is made
IS attractive as possible. With the ex-
caption of few weeks spent at some
health resort the queen divides her time
almost equally between Windsor, Os-
borne, and Balmoral. Windsor, the
immense fuedal palace of William the
Conqueror and Edward III, is the actual
official residence of the queen, and never
las monarch had more stately home.
1t is to Windsor that her majesty in
vites those whom she wishes to entertain.
The invitations are usually to dinner, the
guests arriving at the castle in time to
dress, and spending the night at the castle.
The queens day begins little later now
than formerly, the rheumatic affection
from which she suffers having dimin-
works very hard. Rising between and
Q o'clock she breakfasts alone in her
apartment, but occasionally invites
Princess Beatrice or some other member
of the royal family. Often, in fine
weather, she drives to Frogmore, and
when it is warm enough she breakfasts
in tent erected in the gardens. From
10 to her majesty works. One of the
ministers is always at hand, but the
queen seldom presides over council,
except on some very exceptional occa-
sion. Every day there are 90 or 80
packets of dispatches for her majesty to
look through. Everything comes under
her eyes. Prince Albert used to say the
queen ought to be the best informed
person in the realm. ministers 90 out
the queen remains, said the prince.
Her majesty has an embarras de choix,
for of the 80 children and grandchildren
that Providence has granted her with
out counting the fourth generation,
which treads upon the heels of the others),
there remain 40. AS, beside, the queen
is allied more or less closely to all who
reign, have reigned, or will reign in Eu-
rope, one willingly abstains from at
tempting to classify those related to her
majesty. For the queen, however, the
disentangling process is pastime; her
majesty never gets confused over it and
good humoredly pretends to be surprised
that everybody is not so clever as her
self. After lunch there is a short walk,
and at 4 o'clock, no matter what the
weather may be, the queen goes for q
drive, generally accompanied by Princess
Beatrice, the lady in waiting, and some
other fair invitee. Dinner is at o'clock.
Should reigning prince be present, the
queen takes his arm; If not, she walks
into the dining room alone. Before her
majesty comes down, the gentleman In
waiting acquaints all the male guests
with the name Of the lady they are to
take IN.
During the day there Is complete lib
erty for all, yet there is none Of that
sociability which characterizes English
country house life. The evening has
never been time of much gayety at the
palace. Charles GreviIle found it deadly
dull. The queen used to seat herself at
large round table and the conversation
became more or less animated. Now,
the queen goes from one to the other,
addressing to each few words aimabIes
ct banales, and retires at IL o'clock.
When only members Of the royal family
are present there is often music. Like
al her children, except the Prince of
Wales, the queen IS an excellent musician
and sometimes sits down to the piano
with Princess Beatrice, or there viii be
singing. Nature has endowed her mai
csty with fine voice, not only for sing
ing, butfor speaking; sothat she is able to
give certain charm even to official doc
umenfs. She reads them as nobody else
can, although she ingenuousIy confesses
that she does so with fear and trembling
and i quite content IL she is able to say
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