The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-20

LONDON, June 19.-NoW that the
| jubilee is at hand, and England as
we'll as the whole world has it's atten-
ton focused on Queen Victoria, there
| is nothing of greater interest than
retrospective view of the sixty years
of history making in which this re-
markable woman has participated. Go
ing over this time, year by year, one
first marvelS, then grows amazed, and
at last finds himself filled with admir-
alton for the woman who has perform
ed the multifarious duties of wife,
mother and queen without swerving
once from the path of duty or seeking
relief from the tremendous burdens
that she has been called upon to bear
To discuss the history of Queen Vic
| toria is to take up in detail the years
which have made more of the English
nation than any others in existence.
| Monarchs have risen and fallen, time
and again in England. It has frequent
! ly been the case that they have won
the affections Of the people in a meas
ure. Look back into English history,
as we will, however, we can find no
instance since the days that William
| the Conquerer first stepped foot on
British soil, where one who wore the
| purple succeeded in twining his or her
name with the strands which wound to-
gether have formed that great cable
| Of union which winds British hearts
as we'll as the British empire.
In the years thai have elapsed since
Victoria first assumed the reins of gov
eminent, the people whom she has rul-
nd hnY
| as never queen was judged before. They
watched the young girl of eighteen,
| fresh from the joys and fOllies of ire
| sponsibility suddenly assume the cares
of statehood and attempt the solution
Of problems which many older and
wiser persons would have hesitated to
consider. They saw the woman of
middle age, stricken with grief at
the loss Of her dearly beloved husband
bear up bravely under that burden Of
sorrow and devote the same infinite
care to the interests of her subjects
that she had bestowed when enjoying
the years Of happiness that previous
ly was hers. They have seen this sor-
rowful and careWorn woman growing
old with them and still never forgetting
to put first of all the interests of those
who had put their trust in her. They
see her today in the gathering years
with the sunset of her life made still
more beautiful by the cloud-like radi-
ance of the love of a nation.
Very interesting is the story Of the
childhood of the little princess, brought
up with the most absolute simplicity,
and being taught to meet strangers
with a friendly regard which won many
a heart, as the little lady gave child
ish greetings to those she met in her
daily walks in KensingtOn gardens.
| Steady hard work was the order OF
the day. In music and singing she was
early proficient, and languages she ac-
| quired with much facility. AS every
| one knows, it was not till Princess Vic
| toria was in her eleventh year that
| she became aware Of her position with
| regard to the throne; then 1t was that
| she made the characteristic observa-
! ton, Now, many a child would boast,
| but they don't know the difficulty; there
| is much splendor, but there is more
responsibility" and lapsing from this
| grave language, she concluded with the
| earnest utterance: IT will be good
| simple sentence which has surely been
| her majesty's guiding motto through
| out her long and glorious reign.
Her girlish years passed quietly in
continued study and in visits to vari-
Gus towns Of the kingdom, the Duchess
Of Kent, ever thoughtful of her chiId's
future, judging it advisable to let
her see something of the country in
this way, and everywhere the gentle
| young girl, with her gracious yet dig
| nified manners, won the regard of the
people. Growing older, the princess
was seen in Hyde park, the Academy,
at theaters, concerts and Ascot races.
An interesting ceremony at this time
was her confirmation in the Chapel
| Royal, the solemnity of which deeply
affected the princess, for she chung Sob
| bling to her mother, feeling, as the
archbishop addressed her on the high
responsibilities that would one day be
! hers, that the duchess was the best
| friend to whom she could turn. It was
in the following year that the Duke
of Coburg brought his sons, Ernest
and Albert, on visit to England,
when the princess became acquainted
with her future husband, though on
the first meeting it is doubtful
whether the young girl surrendered
her heart into his keeping
On May "a, 1897, Princess Victoria
attained her eighteenth year, and with
II her majority; costly gifts and state
ball marked the momentous event. A
few days after came a brilliant draw
ing room at the court in her honor,
and a little later she appeared at the
ball held at the opera house for the
relief of the Spitalfields weavers.
Scare a. month passed when the
young girl, having just reached the
age when 1t was time to taste the
pleasures that belonged to maidenhood
| was called upon to occupy a throne
Again we have the characteristic
touch, when Queen Victoria, as we
must henceforth call her, scarce awak-
ened from slumber in the early morn
Of 1887, learns the momentous tidlngs
and kneeling with the archbishop, I'M
plores his prayers on her behalf. A
few hours later, with wonderful self
possession, she met her lords in coun-
ell, with Lord Melbourne, at all times
her friend and adviser, as principal
minister, and the Duke Of wellington
among the distinguished men gather