Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-05-24
SEVENTY-SEVEN YEARS OLD.
Another Milestone in Queen ViciOriaS
Long Reign.
Her Health is Becoming Quite Fee
BILE and There Are Fears That She
May Not be Spared Much Longer.
She Has Occupied the Throne for
Fifty Eight Years.

FlIUV-ElRIlI Z SttfS.
London. May 23.-Queen Victoria
will celebrate her seventy-seyenth
birthday tomorrow. She has reigned
IS wears. much longer than any living
sovereign, and the only older one Is
the King OF Denmark.
The military will go through the usu-
al honorary routine. The artillery at
all the naval and military stations VIII
fire salutes and the troops will parade {.
The Queens Household Brigade WIFI
perform their annual ceremony OF
trocping their colors, which thousands
of persons will witness on the parade
ground at Whitehall.
The Queen was born on May "A, 1919
at Kensington Palace, and was the only
child of the Duke of Kent, fourth son OF
George III. The Duke of Kent is on
record as calling his daughter plump
as a partridge" His affection for her
had a curious connection with his death.
He came home with wet feet and, in
stead of changing his shoes, went to the
nursery to play with her. and in conse-
uusnce caught cold and died. At nve
years the Princess Victoria is described
as having "a countenance which be-
speaks perfect health and good temper. y
She had fair hair and complexion and
very large eyes. She used to ride a
donkey gayly caparisoned with blue
ribbons in Kensington Gardens and
would accost passersby with How do
you do?" and Good morning" She
has always retained her regard for the
donkey family. The Duchess of Kent
trained her daughter very thoroughly
She was careful that she should appear
very seldom at the court of her uncle,
George ". One of the effects of her
mothers training was the simplicity in
dress which has always characterized
her. she was IS years old when she
became QUEEN by the death of William
", on June 20, 1897. At that time she
was a very sweet-looking young wo-
man, with very fair hair, large blue
eyes and rosy cheeks, easily blushing.
Above all, her appearance was fresh and
wholesome. Writing Of the Queens
voice as she heard it at the
coronation, Fanny Kemble, thd
great actress, said: THE enun-
citation was as perfect as the intonation
was melodious, and think it impossi-
BILE to hear a more excellent utterance
than that of the Queens English by the
English queen" With her coronation
robes she wore the insignia of the Order
of the Garter, the highest order of
knighthood in England There was
some doubt as to where the garter
should be worn. Her marriage follow
ed three years later. She was fortunate
in fading in her cousin, Prince Albert
of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. one who was ac-
ceptable 10 the country, and whom she
herself loved.
The queen had to propose to her hus-
band. Once she asked him if he liked
England, and he said: Very much"
Then why should you ever leave it?'
she asked. BY little inquiries Of this
kind she ascertained the state of his
feelings, and finally made a declaration.
She told him that he would make her
intensely happy if he would share his
life with her.
The queen and the prince consort had
a honeymoon OF three days. There were
many uncomfortable features at first
about the latter's position. The law
gave him no exact social precedence.
Lord Albemarle, master of the horse,
maintained that he had the right to sit
in the queens carriage on state occas-
ions, and not the prince consort. The
Duke Of Wellington, however, gave his
opinion that the queen could put Lord
Albemarle where she liked-either on
top of the coach or beneath it. or any
where else. The queen took wonderful
care of her beloved husband, whom she
was TO lose so early. In her diary she
speaks with sorrow of his delicate sto-
mach. So many attempts have been
made on the queens life that she has
der. in all cases she showed courage
and presence of mind.
The queens first child. the Princess
Royal. was born in 1870 From that
time she diligently fulfilled the Scrip
tural injunction to increase and multi
ply. There are countless portraits of
her with her children, and some of
these are very pleasing. She has been
painted and photographed with one,
two, three, four, five, six seven and
eight children. A favorite photograph
In recent years was the one in which
she holds the Princess Beatrice's child,
at the time her youngest grand-child.
The queens domestic qualities having
been much spoken of. it will be inter
esting to hear an opinion she once eX-
pressed on the subject of women in
politics: I'VE women are not made for
governing. and if we are good women
we must dislike these masculine occu-
pations."
During the past year her age has
weighed perceptibly upon her, and from
time 70 time alarming rumors about her
health have circulated, some going so
far as to declare she was losing her
mind, and that for days at a time her
mind wandered Her public appear
ances are becoming very rare. She
walks with the greatest difficulty, hav-
ing become very stout. Despite the loss
of the charms of early life, and her re-
tirement from public gaze, she retains
undiminished the affections of her sub
jects. There will be no unusual cele-
bration of her birthday this year: