Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-28
THE QUEENS sPECTAcLEs.
Vict0rin's Literary Tastes Described
by Professional Renders.

Now that the queen OF England, like her
grandfather, George ILL.,, suffers from failing
eyesight, two persons in her household have
come to possess more and more importance.
These are the "lectrices," or readers, en-
ployed by the nation TO save what remains
Of her majestys vision.
The late Lord Beaconsield once humor-
ousy described the two lectrices as 'the
queens pair OF spectacles." For many years
Frauen Bauer and Mile. Norele have held
these positions, the queen only needing
their services for German and French, as
her English Is read to her by her ladies in
waiting or maids OF honor.
Through the courtesy of the queens pr-
vate secretary a chat was quite recently OBJ
tanned with both these ladies regarding the
tastes OF their mistress in literature. Mile
Norele, a sprightly and charming French
woman, easily enough induced to speak
Her majesty" she declared, reads very
little of the lighter side of our literature,
unless, indeed, one excerpts the various peri
odicals which are sent marked for perusal
from the secretary's office. She is especially
fond of tho older authors works, Xavier de
Maistre's, Victor Hugos and portions of Bal
zacs, for instance. / think that the story
she likes best in all French literature is
DE Mastre's touching LepreuX de la Cite
d'Aoste.' | have read 1t to her times with
out number, the beautiful pathos of the ta'c
appearing to soothe her in a remarkable
manner.
"of all the moderns | really believe that
her majesty holds NJ. Alphonse Daubet alone
admirable. She thinks his satire too mordant,
though; and prefers the delicious Letters
from My Mill in Provence and Trente Ans
de Paris to the better known books You
VIII be perhaps, astonished to learn that the
queen likes Henri Murger: and many a time
have we laughed together over the graceless
scamps or the Vie de Boheme.' Last year we
read Fenelon's 'Telemaque' from cover to
cover. Her majesty declared that the work
brought back two Of her life's happiest
periods-her own chldhoods days in Ken
sington palace, and the days in which she
| taught her children their French.
"A very important branch OF my work con-
sists In reading the many letters received
daily by the queen from members of her
| family and intimate friends. Nearly all of
| these are either in German or French. Many
| or the queens juvenile descendants are ac-
customed TO send her long weekly accounts
| perfect diaries in fact-of their doings and
| opinions"
IN GERMAN LITERATURE
Fraulein Bauer was less communicative
than her colleague. She comes of a family
which has served the queens German ances-
tors In many capacities for generations back
THE queen" she said. reads considerably
In modern German literature. She is even
fond or the humorous journals, and subscrlbes
10 all the principal magazines. Her German
secretary Herr Maurice Muther, carefully
watches for all newspaper articles which may
interest her. and sends them marked for
readiHg' think that Schiller is her majestys
iayorite German poet, but she Is also very
lond OF Goethe. Heine she dlslikes intensely.
nave heard her quote the prince consort to
the eneet that Heines genius had the phos-
| phorescent light of decay
she likes historical novels, particularly
Lauhes Der Deutsche Krieg' and Sehefei's
Ekkehard This taste for historical fiction,
Y fba t,..
guages. She greatly admires Walter Scott
Felix Dahn and Freytag are two more ia
yorites.
Reading her najssty's voluminOus Ger