Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-12
SEE THE QUEEN.
Our Portland Friends Have :
Glimpse Of Victoria,
They Evidently Think Her Majesty's
Pictures FIatter Her.


question:" said six shiverng. shaking
sisters on Monday morning, May i0tn.
We were ranged on a front seat, otner-
wise called a bench, in Hyde Park. rae
ing the very narrowest portion of Con
stitution HILL" in order to gain look
at Her Majesty the Queen. she Game
from Windsor that day, on her way 70
buckingham Palace where she was 70
hold q drawing room next day. we hau
simultaneously, sprung up on the pench
thirteen times at as many iaise ana kIns
of "here she is, and as many times
drawn our wraps more closely ABOUT Us
and sat down to patient waiting. Flnal-
ly the great iron gates. which are UNI
locked only for the Queens entrance,
swung open, the royal guard mounted on
superb horses came gallopinS py ana ~
the twinklng of an eye we had seen the
sight of slghts,-Victoria, Queen OF Eng
land and Empress of India, with ner
daughters. Princess Louise and Princess
Christian. We were so near. and stood
so high, that we had no difficulty In per-
suading ourselves that the bow her most
gracious Majesty gave was a personal
one for ourselves, and intended as pub
lie announcement of the friendly reia-
tons she desired to maintain with the
United States; we received 1t IN the spirit
in which ii was proffered, ana waved
and cheered Justify. The amount OF roy
al luggage sent in advance of the party
certainly gave credibility to the report
that Her Majesty never travels for So
journ of even twenty-four hours without
the bed, bureau, easy-chdir aud general
furnishings whicn she is accustomed TO
see and use. The portraits of the Queen
are so idealized that one sees no picture
of the actual woman. She Is FAR from
presenting a queenly figure; imagine a
short gray haired person exceedingly
stout with a round puffy face, glasses on
nose. and dressed in the severest, plainest
black-surely nothing could be more I'M
like ones preconceived notion or queen
who is supposed to be blessed with peren-
NAL youth, loneliness and commanding
grace. Victoria in her girlhood Is said
always 10 have been photographed stand
ing on n concealed footstool With age
her height has diminished and when sit
ting her head barely reaches her daugh-
ter's shoulder Princess Beatrice has a
lovely countenance. yet its expression
shows that even Princess can nave
troubles and trials ike ordinary women
We were so elated with our view of the
Queen. that we determined the following
day to try for u glimpse of the Prince
and Princess of Wales. as they Were TO
assist at the Queens drawing room. We
started about noon for buckingham Pal
ace, as all carriages begin 10 line as early
as one O'Clock. Tie English people. to
say nothing of Americans. dearly love
a lord and for two hours an endless
procession .lled past the carriages, look
ing through the open windows at the
beauty 90 and fashion of the English
1TlStOcTacN. there were UuilolthS VI
prancinS steeds. the coachmen and foot
men decorated with such huge bonton-
nieres that they could hardly see over
them. The titled women in their fine
equipages We're dressed magniiicently:
court trains of nile green velvet. heaven
ly blue brocade. or shimmerirg satin; the
diamond tiaras. the necklaces OF pearls,
rubies and emeralds We're dazzling. All
wore the prescribed white feathers III
their hair, from WHICH depended the mar
Il nrp;..l httpsx
shower bouquet of orchids. roses or some
flower whose color blended with the cos
tune; many of these bouquets had rib
bons arranged to stand in stiff loops
among the blossoms and occasionally
feathers also were introduced. All dress
cs were cut decollete. and the arm was
bare to the shoulder as the glove reached
only to the elbow. out of the entire
number there might have been a dozen
handsome women. 1--WE saw but two ana
to state the unvarnished truth The ma
jority were exceedingly PLAN. scrawny
and sallow except when rel eyed by I'M
limited quantities of powder ard rouge.
But hurrah, there comes the Princess.
and ignorant people, who shall be name
less. began feeble cheer. which was
quickly suppressed as Il native Briton
rather contcmptuously explained that
is a Duchess" But if one sees Il brilliant
red coach, with gilt trimmings, with two
Elegant gentlemin' in front, dnu two
standing behind dressed in scarlet coats
and gold lace, with white silk stockings.
immense shoe-buckles powdered hair tied
in Il queue, and red ana gold three cor
nercd hats, is it not natural 10 think that
such splcndor means a Princess is ap-
preaching? All things come to the
women who wait. and soon were seen the
outriders-which now we realize always
preceae royalty-and the lovely AleNan-
dra powdered. painted and wigSed to
resemble a girl of twenty drove by bow
ing right and left. one bent old woman
belonging to the poorest class. had Sc
cured n place in front, as the royal car
riage passed she was nearly frantic with
delight. "Oh the dear rincess. the sweet
Princess" she screamed. Evidently H.
Il. IL. heard her. for she turned her head
completely round and bowed, apparently
directly to the loyal old subject. certain
ly giving evidence of the kindly heart
which has done much to make the Prin-
cess of Wales the idol of the British
kinsGom.
But by no means the least of our royal
experiences was the royal welcome We
received from Mr. and Mrs. George
Moore. soon after our arrival. We are
indebted to their cordial hospitality for
our first visit to Crystal Palace Their
delightful home in Upper Norwood. Lon
con, combines the elegance of English
life with The distinctive home comforts
of New England. Here we met the
genial artist, Mr.. Harry Brown, who
gave us a hearty greeting, and what a
good time we had talking of old friends
and familiar scenes! After most deli
cous lunchwe spent several hours in the
immense glass palace, whose wonders
would take days to see. 1t being Satur-
day one attraction was a concert given
by four thousand children, the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge being present and
distributing prizes to schools having the