The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-11-13


ters. and was as devoted as child to her
mother Her brothers are absolute perfec-
ton in her eyes, even to the headstrong
King of Greece whom nobody thinks fault
less.
But it is her own children whom Alexan-
dra loves best; she is wrapped up in the
life story of the daughter Victoria. 1t was
she who secured husbands for the two 9TH
ers when she knew that they were hope
lessly in love. The Prince of Wales wofdd |
have looked to royalty for husbands for his
daughters, but Alexandra could not: bear
to them thwarted in love, so she made
matches for them which can never culmi-
nate, except by a miracle, in the throne
chair. >.
She idol'zes her grandchildren, and near
ly died one spring when little Lady Alexan-
der Duff, the eldest child of the Duchess of
Fife, had the Group. 1t took long visit to
Italy to revive the Princess, and required
the aid of several of her favorite chums to
coax back her spirits. y
When the Duke of Clarence died six
years ago she temporarily lost her reason. !
and after years of mourning she wear |
led her husband with her lamentations that
he poor fellow, betCok himself off on a
yacht for long tour out of sound Of her
waing. 81 al
When her children were i'll she devoted
her time entirely to them that once
Queen Victoria was compelled 10 rally her
upon the importance of studying questions
of state, but for the only time in her ca
reer Alexandra responded sharply-so much
to the surprise of Queen Victoria that Her
Majesty let her alone. - . W Il
No one has accused the present Queen
of over-morning for any, of her family
Though she4felt the loss of the Prinossean1
sort deeply she never fogets that shes Is n
Queen who Is expected to be the mother of
not only nine, but nine million.
The. Princess of Wales has n ever ton-l
fafa taaaf although.
she must know what is going on. She has
always been absolutely Indifferent to such
things, unless swerved to one side or the
other by personal favoritism. She admires
Asquith, who married ''Dodo," and could
have secured for him almost any question.
but she was either too Indifferent or to.
careless to ask, and the viceroyship which
might hive been filed by him today be-
longs to another. The Queen, who knows
every line of the possibilities Of her states
men, has ever been a politician. looking Tor
improved service, civil and military, but
Alexandra has never. worked along. polit-
icaly lines and never will; she is not that
kind of woman.
Queen vistoria has her cat and a dog
or two; she also keeps a few horses to draw
her around, and then there are the royal
stables which she presumes exists, for
now and then the cream horses drag her to
church on great occasions; but the Prin-
cess of Wales is immensely fond of animals
and makes pets of them. .s 4
When at Sandringham it is a sight to see
the Princess feed her dogs. She has 100 in
a kennel; and she and the Prince visit each
kennel feeding the animals out of basket
which the Princess carries. Her boudeir is
always more or less inhabited with small 4
animals-cats and dogs. When the Queen
is expected, it takes the maids two hours
to clear out the menagerie and get ready
for Her Royal HlghneSs, who must not on
any account be piloted in until their pres
ence Is dispensed with.
There is nothing Queen Victoria loves
quite dearly as to speak her mind, but
Alexandra has never been fond of doing so.
An intimate friend said once that the only
person to whom she ever aired her opinions
was the Prince and the only whom she
ever rated was this same Royal High
ness.
To others Alexandra is meek and mild
and forgying; but from the Prince she ex-
acts q lover-like devotion, which is trying
to a benedict of thirty-five years standing.
Alexandra, on the other hand, is as much
| in love as the day which she stepped on
British soil, and her wedding circlet means
| as much to her as it ever did. The Prince
may have lost his welded bonds in the
| vicissitudes of social life but the Princess
| has preserved hers delicately intact.
| Ang again this royal parsonage differs
| from her mother-in-law, Queen Victoria,
| while conventional, has been so almost
| masculine in her dealings with the opposite
| sex that again and again has been accused
| of flirting. At one time it was said that
| she was attentive" to Lord Salisbury, and
| again is was thought that she and Mr.
| Gladstone held more consultations Ilthan
| were strictly required by the ministry.
| But Alexandra has never spoken to- an
| Englishman unless he came across her path
| socially; and it is declared on the authority
| of one of her closest friends that she has
never in her life granted a private audience
| to one of her subjects, although besought
| at times to do so on matters of states No
| touch of gossip rests upon her. $ III
| Alexandra has her little weaknesses--afs
| womanly ones; she is fond of novels a
| thing the queen despises, unless of the cas-
| sic sort She disikes famous people, such
| as authors and artists, for she Is timid in
| the face of genius, while the queen will
| have nothing 10 do with any other. Alex
| andra loves fancy work, and can outline a
| worsted dog to perfection, while the queen
| never takes a stitch. Alexandra notes the
hang of a skirt and the cut of a sleeve.
| Victoria is calmly oblivious to everything
| except court dress. ga
Alexandra is also very charitable, giving
| in an impetuous way, which would drive
| the queen frantic could she see the inroads
| made upon the royal hot houses and the
royal Conservatives. The Princess is not.
| above going to the grape house and gather
| ing bunch of the fruit for dear Lady
| Scarborough," who is ill, nor opposed to
picking the biggest roses for the Hon. Miss
| Churchill, who really wants them" Queen
| Victoria would look askance at SUCH ex-
/ travagance, for there must be an income
| for the royal house and for contribution
! to the foreign mission; but the Princess~is
-. -