The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-12
GIRLS READ TO THE QUEEN.
BeacOnsfieId FacetiOusIy Referred
Them as "Her Spectacles."

Boston Globe.
Now that the Queen of England like her,
grandfather, George III, suffers from fail
ing eyesight, two persons in her household
portance. These are the "lectrices," or read
ers, employed by the nation to save what
remains of her Majestys vision. The late
Lord Beaconfield once humorously described
the two lectrices as the Queens pair of
SpectacleS." For many years Fraulein
Bauer and Mile. Norele have held these po-
sitions, the Queen only needing their seIv-
ices for German and French, as her English
is read by her ladiessin waiting or maids of
Through the courtesy of the Queens pri-
vate secretary, a chat was quite recently
obtained with both these ladies, regarding
the tastes of their mistress in literature.
Mile. Norele, a sprightly and char ming
French woman, was easily enough induced
to 81. speak pea S,..o..,.. 49, soo,onoa .uoo,
little of the lighter side of our literature,
unless, indeed one excerpts the various per-
iodica4s which are sent marked for perusal
from the secretarys office. She is especially
fond of the older authors works, Xavier de
Maistre's, Victor Hugo's and portions of
Balzac,s for instance | think that the
story she likes best in all French literature
is De Maistre'S touching Lepreux de la
Cite d Aoste. | have read it TO her times
without NUMBER, the beautifui pathos of
the tale appearing to soothe her in re-
markable manner.
"Of all the moderns. I really believe that
her Majesty holds NJ Alphonse Daudet
alone admirable. She thinks his satire too
mordant, though; and prefers the delicious
Letters from My Mill in Provence and
'Trente Ans de Paris to the better known
books. You will be, perhaps, astonished to
learn that the Queen likes Henri Murger:
and many time have we laughed together
over the graceless scamps of the Vie de
Boheme'
Last year we read Fenelon's .Tele-
maque from cover to cover Her Majesty
declared that the work brought back two
of her life's happiest periods-her own
childhood'S days in kensington palace and
the days in which she taught her Children
their French. A very important branch OF
my work consists in reading the many Ter
tiers received daily by the Queen from mem :
bers OF her family and intimate friends
Nearly all OF these are either in German
or French Many of the Queens iuveniIa
descendants are accustomed to send her
long weekly accounts-perfect diaries in
fact-of their doingS and opinions
Frauiein Bauer was less communica five
tran her colleague. She comes of a family
which has served the Queens German an
back. -
The Queen" she said. reads consider
ably IN modern German literature. She is
even fond of the humorous Journals and
subscribes TO all the principal magazines,
Her German secretary. Herr Maurice Muth-
er, carefully watches for all newspaper ar
ticles which may interest her and sends
them marked for reading. I think that
Schiller is her Majesty'S favorfte German
poet, but she is also very fond of Goethe.
Heine she dislikes intensely. / have heard
that 'Heine's genius had the phosphorescent
light of decay.
She likes historical novels. particularly
IanbeS Der Denfsche Krieg.' and Scheil-
fel's Ekkehard. This taste for Historical
fiction. 1 believe. follows the Queen Into