The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-04
THE HONE LIFE OF A QUEEN.
The Comfort and Charm OF victorin's
Private Rooms.

ErfNNte HOOntS.4n
4 From Harmsworth's Magszine)
The home life OF Queen Victoria has
ever been a subject OF widespread inter-
est and sympathy. Her somewhat dull
and monotonous childhood, her idyllic
married life, her long widowhood. and her
peaceful but busy old age. have alike at
tracted both writer's and readers on every
hand. Perhaps the most remarkable feat
ure in the Queens career says writer
| has been the skill with which she has con-
! trived to maintain the charm and sim
Fplieity of an old-fashioned English home
life, notwithstanding the pomp and cere-
mony which necessarily belong 10 court.
This is largely due to her early training.
The daughter Of the Duke Of Kent a
prince OF very limited income the young
Princess Victoria saw little Of the luxury
which is commonly supposed to abound
| In royal circles Strict economy was the
rule in her early home. and the lesson has
never been forgotten.
| Amid the costly magnihcence which
characterizes the state apartments. the
Queens private rooms are always notable
| for their comfort and LONELINESS. In
matters OF dress. too. Queen Victoria is
| far more economical than many of her
middle class subjects. This may best be
| illustrated by good story. which has the
| advantage of being perfectly true. Some
time ago a newly appointed equerry was
, going through the stables when he saw
person in shabby black dress and mush-
room hat looking at the horses.-
Possessing more zeal than discretion,
he at once called out MY good woman,
you must go away at once. Strargers are
not allowed here when the Queen is in
residence" As she did not seem in
clined to leave. he went on to vthreaten
to have her escorted to the gates. Judge
of his feelings when the STABILITY dressed
old lady turned round and the Queen stood
revealed! This is only one of many anus
ing incidents that have arisen through
the sovereign's love OF simplicity in dress.
The Queen attributes her long life AMI
excellent health very largely to her prac-
tice of spef ding as much time as possible
in the open air every day. In her youth
riding was her favorite recreation, and in
Scotland she has almost lived on pony
back. Now. of course. carriage exercise has
taken its place. Every morning Her
Majesty goes out in her little pony chair.
often visiting the farm and stables in the
course of her drive. Sometimes her chair
is drawn by beautiful donkey which was
purchased in the south of France by his
royal mistress to save him from ill-treat-
rent
This donkey rejoices in the name OF
Jacko, and on holiday occasions wears a
curious harness adorned with bells. and
with two foxes brushes hanging over the
blinkers. The greater part of the forenoon
OF each weekday is devoted to business,
for no woman in the land gets through
more actual work in the course of each
week than the Queen. Her despatch boxes
are arranged on a table set in Windsor
Park near the Frogmore tea house, when
ever the weather permits Here the Queen
carefully reads and annotates the inna-
tnerable dispatches which come to her
from the Foreign and Home offices. for II
has been the rule OF her life to attend per-
sonally to all important affairs Of state. i
But this by no means represents all the
multifarious occupations Of the Queen.
Her private correspondence is enormous.
for ii is a kind of unwritten family law
that all her children and grandchildren
shall write to her every day. All impor-
tant housekeeping questions are settled
by the royal mistress herself. who. ofteE |
orders the meals and even keeps an eye |
on the household linen. When the Prin- |
cess Royal tnow the Empress Frederick |
became Crown Princess of Prussia she |
greatly scandalized a certain pompous old |
German countess who discovered her bus
lily engaged in arranging the linen cup
board. 1T is beneath the dignity of a |
Prussian princess" remarked the old
lduy. Dut utT prOteslS were QUICKLY cut |
short by the answer. My mother does It,"
Even the smallest details of domestic |
economy are not regarded by the Queen as
beneath her notice. story is told that |
or one occasion she went into practically |
disused room at Windsor and noticed a |
cabinet that had evidently not been busted
that day. She promptly wrote the Royal /
autograph in the dust and beneath ii the
namH Of the particular maid whose duty
1t was to dust the room. This may seem
rather a small matter, but when one re-
members that nearly 1000 persons are
employed in Windsor Castle and it's pre-
cincts 1t shows a very remarkable knowl
edge OF the personnel OF so vast d staff.
After the busy mornings work the Queen
takes frugal luncheon. Notwithstanding
the resources of the royal kitchens and the
well laden table that Her Majesty always
likes to see before her. she sets an ex-
ample OF strict moderation. her own tastes
in food being of the simplest. The Queen
is a great stickler for old-fashioned OBJ
servances at the royal table. In particular
she insists upon plentiful supply Of cold
viands on the sideboard though she rarely
takes anything cold. The servants at Bal
moral will never forget one occasion when
only the half Of a cold chicken graeed the
sldeboad. The royal mistress noticed the
state of affairs on entering the room.
Soon she conveyed a hint TO Princess
Beatrice and Lady Ely to both ask for
cold chicken. and asked for the same her
self. Great was the consternitiou. and
the Queen secretly enjoyed the scene.
though the servants certainly did not enjoy
the lecture they subsequently received from
the master of the household.
In the afternoon Queen Victoria never
fails to go for a long drive unless the
weather is exceptionally bad for II IS no
small shower of rain that will keep her
indoors. Some of the ladies in waiting
are said to attribute their colds to this
,ause. Some times when the Queen goes
for a long drive, tea basket Is taken
ilong. and the cup that cheers is prepared
n some quiet spot A small portable table
IS then placed in the carriage and the
Iindly face of the monarch beams with
qualification as she proceeds to pour out
ler favorite beverage.
An Important Discovery.
From the INDIANAPOLIS NeWsO III