The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-11-11
Before She Became Ruler
of England, Victoria
Reigned Over a Fam
lily of 1872 Wood
en- Dolls.
A PATIENT AND IMAGINATIVE CHILD.
Dainty Workmanship of Royal
Fingers = A Miniature
Ballet.

Little Princess Victoria, whether pur-
posely or by accident. was more sympa-
thetically treated by her mother, the
Duchess of Kent-her dolls Deing mex
pensive wooden ones, many of which she
dressed herself, the rest being dressed by
her 6 1verness, the Baroness Lehzen. Her
dolls were her companions. and "Her Ma
jesty," writes Sir Henry Ponsonby,
played with them till she was nearly
fourteen years Did. her favorites were
small dolls-small wooden dolls which
she could occupy hsrself with dressing
and who had a house in which they
could be placed. None of Her Majesty's
children cared as much for dolls as she
did, but then they had girl companions,
which she never had. Miss Victoria Con
roy (aIterward Mrs. Hanmer) came to see
Ter once a week aud occasionally Others
played with her, but with these excep-
llous she was left alone with the compau-
lonship of her dolls"
This little revelation is perhaps the
most interesting thing in the article and
gives US an insight into the loneliness Go
which the child-princess, without bro
thers and sisters, was condemned. 1t is
no wonder that the extensive wooden
~ - 1OA9 0&AOL16 VI . MIS-
interest to their royal little mistress, IAN
additional and Interesting proof of this
being found in what one might call the
dolls archives" These records a e to
be found in al ordinary ~copybook, now a
little yellow with years, on the inside
GOV of which is written in a childish.
~scraggling, but determined, handwriting,
List of my dolls" As for the dolls
themselves, Miss Low says:--
1T must be admitted that they are not
Rsthetically beautiful with their Dutch
dell-not Dutch-type of face, Occasion
ally. owing to a chin being a little more
pointed or Il nose little blunter, there is
Il slight variation of expression; but with
the exception of height, which ranges
from thee inches to nine inches, they are
precisely the same. There is the queerest
mixture of Infancy aud m~atronliness ia
their little wooden faces, due to the COM
bination of small sharp hoses aud bright
vermilion cheeks Consisting OF a big dab
OF paint in one pot with broad placid
brows, over which, neatly parted on each
temple, are painted elaborate elderly
grayish curls. The remainder of the hair
is coal black and is relieved By a tiny yell
low comb perched upon the back OF the
head.
A large number of the dolls are dressed
to represent theatrical characters, and,
from adnote which her Majesty has her
self added. it seems "she went TO the
OPCAt anu IlG Odl1Sls % WulCu SuH
was very fond, several times"
In addition to having been a little girl
of Imagination the Princess Victoria
must have been endowed also with a con-
siderable amount OF patience and indus
try, for we are told:-"The workmanship
in the fTock is simply exquisite; tiny ruff
hes are sewn with fairy stitches: wee
pockets on aprons cit must be borne in
mind forrdolls of 5 or 6 inches) are deli
cately finished off with minute bows, and
little handkerchiefs not more than half
: aR-lnch square are embroidered with red
silk initials, and have drawn borders.'
Another exquisite piece of workmanship
is to be found on an apron worn by Mile.
Sylvie Leconte-a celebrated pallet
daucer of fifty years ago.
III might have been woven,o says Miss
Low, in 'elfaud. so fragile and fairylike
is the white aerophane of which 1t is
wrought and so exquisite are the curves
AMI SO sure the stitchiDgs of blue, violet
and grass-greens silks with which it is EN-
bellished." Besides clowns, ballet
dancers, peasants, operate queens, and so
forth. there are a number OF court ladies,
the most lovabIe of which Is a Miss
Arnold, who is Just a sweet, natural
young girl-a gentle woman every inch of
her-in the Simplest of white muslin
frocks, with a faintly-tinted lilac sash
and neck ribbon. Over her shoulders is
a lace fchu, reaching in long ends to her
feet. You forget for an instant about
wooden joints and painted cheeks and,
peering beneath her co~ai-scuttie bonnet,
look eagerly for the fair and serious face
that goes along with this Puritan maiden.
What a bewitching thing this poke bon
net is. too. of rich straw, trimmed with
al artists eye for color in sewers lines of
purple ribbon. tying under the tenure
chin .'-The Strand magazine.