Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-01-26

lN, MAINE, 1UEOUA
| ., iron cage and gusrded by armed sol
diers. Queen victofis's crown, made
for her on her accession to the throne,
has 27S3 diamonds, and the uncut ruby
In front ID said to be the one given TO the
Black Prince In 1867, and worn by Hen
Try V on his helmet. The Prince OF
Wales crown is Of pure gold, with no
precious stones. There are many other
costly jewels, sceptres, etc., among
them st. Edwards staff made of gold,
I l-2 feet long. and weighing 30 lbs. {;
and the orb at the top is said 70 contain
piece Of the true cross on which the
Saviour was crucifed. The whole collec-
ton is worth fifteen million dollars.
At the corner of the fortress Is another
little chapel erected In 400, and adjoin ng
It Is small burying-ground where tht
bodies Of the inmates Of that burial place
Of death In life, at last found resting
place; and we have no words to express
the sadness and unutterable melancholy
Of Its atmosphere. Macaulay says OF IL:
I'm truth, there Is no sadder spot on
earth than this little cemetery. Death
Is there associated, not, as In West
muster Abbey and st. Paul's, with
genius and virtue, with public venera-
ton and with imperishable renown; not,
as in our humblest churches and church
yards, with everything that Is most en-
dearing In social and domestic charities ;
but with whatever Is darkest In human
nature, and In human destiny; with the
savage triumph Of implacsble enemies;
with the Inconsistency, the ingratitude,
the cowardice OF friends; with all the
miseries Of fallen greatness and OF
blighted fame"
But come away and leave the inhabit-
ants Of this melancholy spot, and their
ghosts that haunt yonder subterranesn
chambers Of horror, and let US seek the
more cheerful surroundings, II scarcely
less forbidding exterior, OF Buckingham
palace, the winter residence Of the pres
ent queen Of England, whose private
life think We can all assume, Is not
particularly cheerful, though II We had
her money and propensity for sccumu-
lsting more, we think we could have a
pretty good time, and insure the same
fate for few more we might name. 10
these great and imposing palaces which
she owns In several places, we can't help
but wonder what she does with all the
space therein, for her own apartments
here, to use an expression OF more force
than elegance, are scarcely large enough
to "swing cat in."
She takes nearly all her meals alone,
only occasionally having dinner party,
OF which the hour Is erdctiy O'Clock,
when she enters the room ut precisely
s :55 and waits till the hour has struck,
and then proceeds 10 the banquet table
with her guests, who are sll more or less
distinguished people OF course, for no
one else could get invited to the queens
table. These affairs are not very long,
for 1t Is all over by 10 o'clock, and each
guest then has the extreme honor and
privilege OF few words Of royal conver-
sation with the queen, which Is looked
forward to with intense eagerness.
They say Her Majesty can talk II she
tries, and Is not the piece OF royal mech
anlsm she is made to appear by the Eng
lish poiitician-and also that that she Is
extremely human, and likes beer. She
has good many court ladies, sort Of
titled chambermaid, and they don't have
such a Jolly time either as some people
might think. for their queen Is very
capricious. aud they must be ready to
attend her slightest want. She very fire.
quently gets tired Of some OF them, from
having them around so much, doubtless.
She seldom reads n newspaper, and that
Is the duty OF one OF her numerous ladies
In waiting.
Americans generally look with won-
dering eyes on that peculiar sheet OF
London Journalism called the Court Cir
eulsr, for In II, "a all are aware, the do
ings Of the royal family are chronicled
from day to day. The queen walks out
one day accompanied by the melancholy
Beatrice-drives out In the afternoon
with some one else-and travels between
London and Bilmoral, where she has
another royal residence-and the English
readers love this sort Of thing, which
strikes American readers as exceedingly
abnormal, for In their own country they
do not care whether the President Of the
United States walks, or rides, or goes
.ishiRg.
have been shocked on several Occa-
sions to see pictured 10 the American
papers, Her Majesty breskfssting on her
throne, aud calling to her maid 10 let no
cne In till she has her crown on, and
other similar caricatures, which many
people believe are true, even In England.
which shows how little they really know
Of the private life Of their sovereign.
She takes little part In public affairs,
as her son, the Prince of Wales, whose
winter residence, Marlborough House, Is
near by, does all that for her, and he
does 1t well.
With the exterior Of Buckingham
Palace We are not specially over-awed,
for IL gives one the impression Of being
cold aud dark and uninviting, and the
impulse Is to say we would not live in II
II we were two queens, but the surround
ings are extensive and magnificent, with
their gardens, parks, trees, ponds, rustic
bridges and fountains, and by the time
we had succeeded In walking the entire
distance around them, which took three
hours, We were ready to agree that they
we're entirely too extensive.
At each side Of every entrance gate Is
stationed a red-coated soldier, armed,
and in the top.heavy heid-gear OF
drum major, and right beside him Is the
little house, which II laid down on the
ground, would make you think It was
meant for his last narrow bed, but 1t Is
for the purpose Of shelter from inclem-
ent weather, providing he "knows
enough to 90 In when 1t rains"
The interior Of the palace is sumptuous
and luxurious In the extreme. The
sculpture gallery Is the first room, lead
Ing from the portico, with its great
marble columns, AMI 1t contains statues
of all the nobility OF this and former
ages. On the first floor, are the green
drawing room, 80 feet long and 80 feet
high, throne room, SO feet In length and
sumptuously fitted up, grand saloon,
state ball room, ITO feet long, and the
picture gallery, $50 fe It long, c)ntaining
hundreds of paintings done by all the
oalahra ted old maaters There are many