The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-20
THE GROWING or VICTORIA

|
Baltimorcan'A .Kccollcction Of the
Queens Accession Sixty Years Ago.
baltimore American.
Mr.. John Carpenter, who has lived
here 5 nee 1919. 49, nrrs"nt at .ir
,.rowri.,s ui wet pria at Westminster
II" talked about the event without he ).
itatiOn:
, "Nictoria,' he said, "was declared
the lawful heir on Juuc 20, 1897, bu,
on account OF her agc--shr was nc,
yet lS-thc public coronation did no,
take place until June -, 1898. 1t il IL
long while ago. Thc pageant was !,
magnificent one. How lon1 my in.
ory does not serve me, but it was gor.
EGOnS. | saw the queen. She was Il
happy fresh. looking young thing, with
Il happy smiling face, rs innocent look
ing rs she was. There was not Il care
upon her brow. IL seemed us if no
| thought OF tho stupcndous responsible
ties which she was assuming had come
to hcr. She appeared utterly nncon.
scloua of self on the part shc was pliy-
ing in that notable event.
she did not appear frightened, but
to the piaudits Of the multitude she
turned to the left aud right, bowing
ana smiling most graciouSly. | had a
good position on one OF the thorough
fares through which the pageant pass
ed, and got u good look 1T her. OF
course, the trappin%s Of hcr horses and
the chariot and everything else were
most gorgeous. And such cheering
Such crowds. People? There were
people everywhere. Strange as it may
seem, though the queen should have
been the central figure, | think what
impressed me- most on that occasion |
was tho superb appearances Of Marshal |
Sonlt, the French am bassad0r, and his |
stan. Everything was gorgeous in the
pageant, but SOult was more than gOr.
grous. can see his trappings in my
minds eye at this minute. 70 attempt
to describe them would be beyond my
powers. Gorgeous is all | can say for
them. And he knew they were gorge
ou*. Nhll, there WAS no Sclf-cOnscious.
I, - ABOUT tn" queen. there was plenty
Of it about the French ambassador.
and the people fed his vanity, for cheer
after chcrr rent the air as he passed
hy. There were long lines Of resplcnd.
rnt s"ldiery; tho brilliant uniforms, the
gold lace, the flashing Of the
arms in the sunlight, the bare OF the
trumpcts, the cavalcades Of horscmcn.
carriages OF statc-cverything went to
make up such pageant as is seldom
seen. and can hardly be tclipsed by
anything at tho present time.
WAS the queen beautiful? | can
hardly say that | obtained any suck
impression Of her. think she was
pretty ics, | know she WAS. But /,
was her youth and her freshness that
Impressed me most. She had clear cut
features, and her portraits Of this date
show nothing Of tho slender young
girl with the graceful carriage | re-
member seeing that summer day so
long ago"
Mr.. Carpenter has in his possess on a
copy OF tho Sun, paper published In
and probably tho only one to
oe found in this city Of the date Of the
coronation. 1t WAS printed at the time
II gilt, ali Of which has nearly worn
sway, but the paper Is in nn excellent
tato of preservation. On the front
)ago is q vignc tie profile of the young
lucen, which Mr.. Carpenter says was
.n excellent likeness at the time, and
m editorial noto pr0nounccs it tri
lmph Of art.
S3S, and the number in the possession
+ Mr.. Carpenter Is the tive ntieth edi-
ion. 1T contains a history OF former
oronations, the makeup OF the pa
cant, and the positions Of the various
rO0ps, etc, in the coronation parade,
sketch Of the young queen, and every
natter pertaining TO the event. There
> also description Of tho crown
which was placed on the head of tho
outhful daughter OF the duke OF Kent.
his crown was estimated to be worth
vcr Ill 900 pounds.