The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-05-18
THE GROWING OF VICTORIA.

a BaitimOrean's .Recollection OF the
Queens Accession Sixty Years Ago.
Baltimore American.
MIR. John Carpenter, who has lived
here S nee 1915, was present at the
browning Of Victoria at Westminster.
He talked about the event without hes
itatiOn
Victoria" he said, "was declared
the lawful heir on June 20, 1887, out
on account of her age-she was not
yet lS-the public coronation did not
take place until June %, 1888. 1t is ~
long while age. The pageant was a
magnificent one. How long my mem
DRY does not serve me, but 1T was gor-
geous. | saw the queen. She was u
happy hesh-looking young thing, with
a happy smiling face, as Innocent look
ing as she was. There was not Il care
upon her brow. 1t seemed rs if no
thought of the ~stupendous responsible,
ties which she was assuming had come
to her. She appeared utterly uncon.
scious Of self or ne part she was play.
ing in that notable event.
She did not appear frightened, but
to the plaudits of the multitude she
turned to the left and right, bowling
and smiling most graciously. | had a
good position on one Of the thorough.
fares through which the pageant pass.
ed, and got a good look at her. OF
course, the trappings Of her 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, J. think what
impressed me most on that occasion
was the superb appearance of Marshal
SOult, the French ambassador, and his
stall. Everything was gorgeous in the
pageant, but Soult was more than gor.
geous. | can see his trappings in my
minds eye at this minute. To attempt
to describe them would be beyond my
powers. Gorgeous is all / can say for
them. And he knew they were gorge.
Gus. Whit there was no self-conscious.
ness about the queen, there was plenty
of it about the French ambassador,
and the people fed his vanity, for cheer
after cheer rent the air as he passed
by. There we're long lines Of resplend.
ent soldiery; the brilliant uniforms, the
arms in the sunlight, the blare of the
trumpets, the ~cavalcades of horsemen,
carriages OF state-everything went t.
make up such q pageant as is seldom
seen, and can hardly be eclipsed by
anything at the present time
Was the queen beautiful? | cau
hardly say that | obtained any suck
impression Of ner. | think she was
pretty. Yes, | know she was. But /,
was her youth and her freshness tina,
impressed me most. She had clear Gu
features, and her portraits of this date
show nothing Of tho slender young
girl with tire graceful carriage | re.
member seeing that summer day Sc
long ago."
Mr.. Carpenter has In his possession q
copy OF the Sun, a paper published In
London, and probably tho only one tc
be found in this city Of the date Of tn,
coronation. 1t was printed at the tim,
in gilt, ali of which has nearly worn
away, but the paper is In an excellen,
state OF preservation. On the front
page Is a vignCtte profile of the young
queen, which Mr.. Carpenter says wa
an excellent likeness at the time, ano
an editorial note prOnouuces it a tn,
umph of art.
The paper was printed on June 20,
1888, n the number in the possession
of Mr. Carpenter is the TIVE ntieth edi-
ton. 1T contains a history of former
c~oronations, the makeup of the pa
geant, and the positions Of the variou.
troops. etc, in the coronation parade,
u sketch of the young queen, and every
matter pertaining TO the event. Their,
is also q description OF the crown
which was placed on the head Of the
youthful daughter of the duke of Kent.
This crown was estimated to be worth
over Ill, 600 pounds,