Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-03
HER MAJESTY, THE QUEEN.
Seen by an American Observer While She
Was variously Engaged.

| WINS SeriOusAy EuBaScos
There was an American sparkle in the Lon
don atmosphere, says . London correspondent
Of the New York Sun. The afternoon was o
fine that took dash through Hyde Park.
was skirting along the path Immediately out
side the Kensington Gardens, which adjoi
the park, when my attention was attracted By
a mounted policeman, who seemed in grea
distress. He had galloped up alongside of Q
watering cart that was leisurely sprinkling tn,
drive and was shouting to the driver to shu
of the water and draw to one side. Natural,
enough the driver was slow to understand WHY
he was interfered with in this summary man
ner, and he neither stopped ths water Of hi
cart nor pulled his horse to one side.
III out Of the road, cried the policeman, "'e,
majesty comes be lind" and with these word
he caught the sprinkling cart horse by thu
bride and pulled him as well as he could out o.
the way.
Then largo landau drawn by four horses
on which rode Positions, rolled swiftly along
the road. On the box of the carriage sat two
men, two more sat behind, while in front, or
both sides and in the rear rode q dozen groom,
on horseback. On either side Of the equipags
was an equerry, . gentleman of distinguished
appearance, who kept very close to the wheels
| and exactly opposite to the occupants Of the
| vehicle.
THE QUEENS AFTERNOON DRIVE.
| This was the way Victoria, queen Of the Eng.
lish, took quiet afternoons drive. She wal
by the side Of her daughter, Princess Beatrice
while two ladies-in-waiting sat on the seat in
front OF her. The confusion caused by the OBJ
struction OF the watering cart was noticed by
her majesty, and she sat upright for an instant,
while swift look of apprehension passed over
ward, and, removing his hat, informed her tina.
| there was nothing to fear, whereat her majesty
| settled back among her cushions and became
| her placid self again.
As the cavalcade swept round into the drive,
| the fashionable carriageway of the park, the
great throng of equipages melted to the sides
OF the road, leaving clear path for the
| queens company to pass through Hats were
raised and her majesty slightly inclined her
head to the right and left. At Hyde Park COR
| ner a large crowd was collected and as the
| royal party dashed under the archa cheer went
up. Traffic stood still in Piccadilly as the
potential one was whirled across the great
| thoroughfare, and then the carriage and its
guard sped along under the dropping branches
| of the queens drive-where several attempts
have been made on her majesty's ife-curving
grandly round through the huge gateways Of
Buckingham palace, which then shut out from
public vicw.-s;T,
This was the day preceding the first drawing
room OF th6sSason. The queen had come down
from Windsor to receive the girl debutantes
and the matrons hitherto unpresented at Buck
| ingham palace. On the day of the drawing
| room she met less than half of the company,
giving way to the Princess of Wales and going
out for her regular drive, which she is not will
ing to miss, even to comply with the usual royal
functions 1t was certainly somewhat para
doxical that while a long line of splendidfy at
tired women was going through the torturous
ordeal OF being presented to the queen, the
queen herself was spinning round Hyde Park,
her mind occupied by the picture Of spring.
time promise spread about her, and oblivious,
no doubt. Of the uncomfortable throng that her
obllginR daughter-in-law was welcoming by
proxy.
THE PRINCESS BEATRICE.
II her majesty is a red-faced and somewhat
dowdy old lady of a not highly cultured type,
her daughter, the Princess Beatrice, does great
honor to the purity of blood that is supposed
to flow in royal veins, and the august mother
may point to her with pride and say that it was
not necessary for her (the queen) to have
granddaughters to show that the line of beauty
was by no means obsolete in the family Of
Guelph. Princess Beatrice possesses one of the
purest, best-modeled and sweetest faces have
ineness Of the features, the soft expression of
the eyes and the tender smile combine to create
an effect that can only be associated with
women of queenly character. She is high-bred
to her finger tips, that is evident at glance,
and, unless all indications are deceptive she ia
as pure and modest in hear. as she is lovely of
mien.
Beatrice is the queens youngest daughter and
Is thlrty-three years old. Like all the Younger
children Of monarchs, she has been kept in the
background during the greater part of her life,
and it was not until she married Prince Henry
OF Battenberg, six years ago, that the public be-
came acquainted with her. Her marriage with
Battenberg has not brought any prestige to her.
For some reason that young man is not re-
garded with much respect by the English peo-
pie. and is generally ridiculed in all the public
prints whenever he performs an official act in
bis capacity as Notwithstanding to her
majesty. The queen being especially attached
to her youngest daughter, has her with her a
great part of the time, and Battenberg. as hus-
band, is permitted to linger near. This Ger
man prince, who is in such public disfavor, is
slender young man, with delicate and not
altogether happy countenance that is adorned
by pretty little pointed beard. In appear
ance he is distinctly the inferior of his hand
some wife, and, as l saw him this week with
the royal party at the horse show he seemed
quite destitute Of that perfect grace of manner,
that savoir faire, without which royalty misses
Its first Characteristic. He is thought very
handsome, but his beauty is that Of a pro-
vincial cotillion leader or the unpleasant pref
tiness Of fascinating dry goods clerk.
The condition of great-grandmothership is
such an old story to the queen that the antici-
patton now agitating the house Of Fife has not
very much excitement in it for her. Her en-
lerprlslng young grandson, the Emperor of
Germany, conferred the additional title upon
his serene grandmother some years ago and
has strengthened it with great regularity on
several subsequent occasions. There is no
sentiment, however, existing in England for
the little German great-grandchildren and the
Duchess OF Fife will have the qualification that
she deserves-of delighting the nation with o
royal child OF the fourth generation.
THE DULLEsr COURT IN EUROPE.
1t is rather startling to find the opinion
openly expressed in some Of the disrespectful
London publications that it would be rather
pleasant change II the good old queen could
be comfortably disposed Of and the CAV prince
allowed to ascend the throne. With Victoria
in power the English court has become the
duilest in all Europe. Her majesty is decidedly
home body" and cordially dislikes the
EFFORT of formal entertainment. She loves to
withdraw w. Osborne. Balmoral or Windsor,
call 70 her presence some fine old congeniai
ducbess and with her one or two younger
ladies' In waiting and her daughters Beatrice
or Louise idle away the peaceful days in gentle
converse, casual drives and occasional music
The contemplation Of a large function op-
presses her and she consents to take part only
| In those events from which it would be mex
cusable negligence to absent herself. Her
manner Of Sinking all but few moments Of a
drawing room iB an example of her exceeding
apathy toward all social formalities In couse-
quence OF this the palaces of the queen are
| never made the scenes Of such brilliant festivi-
ties as dazzle and delight other nations, but
are ever gloomy, solemn and silent The most
her majesty win do in the way of pleasurable
indulgence is to command a leading actor to
Il h...~ l.. L