The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-24
QUEEN LIKES AMERICANS.
Costa Rica's President Talks With
Great Britain's Queen.
From the New York World


From the New York World.
London, Jan. 2.-on Wednesday last
Senior Igleslas, president of Costa Rica,
went to Osborne and lunched with Queen
Victoria. lie returned to London delight
ed with his reception.
When the World correspondent called
upon him at breakfast to-day, at the Ho-
tel Albemarle. Piecadilly. where he is stay
ing as the guest of The British govern
ment he expressed his pleasure at ad-
dressing che American people through the
World. He continued:
What a marvellous Old lady is the Eng
fish Queen l sat at her right at luncheon
and conversed with her for fully an hour
| and half. She is a charming converse
tionalist, full of tact sympathetic, and re-
markably well informed Oh matters inter
esing to Americans
President Iglesias said the Queen showed
great interest In Costa Rica and was anx-
ious to learn his impression of England
He continued:
Il told her 1 admired the energy and
bustling activity of the English people
1 talked especially of the wonderful sights
in the city of London every morning.
" But, your majesty I added, I confess
l do not like the hardness which an Eng
iishman shows in making bargains
Queen Victoria smiled genially at that
and 1 did not feel at all ill at ease for
having said it.
Il went on to liken the Englishman's
| severity in commercial matters to Ameri-
can methods. Her majesty showed great
interest in what l told her of the United
States. She asked me whether 1 knew the
United States we'll. l described my journey
coming over
she said, They are a wonderful peo-
pie and she made the remark in a tone
| as though she regretted she had never
| visited the United States"
Did she say SOP"
''Ah," responded President Iglesias,
checking himself, Il must commit no
ought to repeat her words This I will
| say: Her admiration for the United States
| is the result of thorough knowledge of
| the American people and American ways.
| Ii is easy to understand now why the
| English and American aristocracies are
so fond of ming.ing together"
What was your first impression of the
| Queen?"
Most agreeable disappointment A
| common impression outside of England
is that the two great characteristics of
ness. Nothing could be more inaccurate.
| And then how different is Queen Victoria
from the parsonage she is generally sup
| posed!
Take my own impressions. I knew the
| great English lady was advanced in years
| had heard that she typifed the well-known
| English characteristic austerity. I had
read how heavily the enormous burdens
| of ruling a vast empire must rest on her
venerable shoulders. Moreover, 1 went
| down to Osborne expecting 90 see in Queen
| Victoria ali those infirmities. mental and
physical, which attend old age"
Instead of which President Iglesias
| pushed his chair back and declared en-
Enthusiastically:
"A white-haired, smiling, courtly old
lady who, not only is remarkably happy,
but also likely 10 live another twenty
years. Her very manner puts you at
ease.
Here is an instance what mean: In
| accordance with universal etiquette she
| opened the conversation in French. That
| is a tongue l do not speak so we'll as Eng
fish. Perhaps I ought to explain that I
was never taught English-I simply picked
it up in the United States.
when l was describing to the Queen
my impressions of Paris I was at a loss
for a word and then the Queen came
| to my rescue with a Spanish phrase We
| then cOnverscd in English.
Nothing proved the aged Queens gra-
| ciousness more conciusively than the fact
that she frequently used Spanish express
sions in conversation. That made me feel
more at ease; but there! That is ex-
actly how you feel at Osborne. 1t has
a homelike atmosphere and, in the pres
ence of that good and great woman with
her silvery hair and her motherly face,
| you cannot help feeling at home.
81 mustn't forget to tell you the Queen
has done everything to insure an enjoya-
BILE holiday for me here. Every morn
| ing her majesty's equppages from Buck
| ingham palace are at the door of my ho-
! tel to take me everywhere I want, and
as for the Prince of Wales, no service
| he could do me has been neglected."