The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-22
. WILMINGTON, NC, TUESDAY, JANUARY p, 1901
QUEEN VICTORIA ILL.,.
General Belief Prevails That. Great
= Britain'S Queen Has But a
Few Hours to Live.

flowers, ice and all the accessories of
modern medicine are at hand.
Osborne house is buried amidst a
gloomy park of frs. 1t is brightly lit
outside. The wind comes up from the
channel and surges through the trees
like death dirge. A mile away stands
the lodge. Beyond it's portals none but
the household can pass On them,
without the sovereign's knowledge are
posted bulletins announcing her condi-
tfon.
Beyond the bulletins, nothing official
is obtainable. but not a soul connected
i'm anyway with Osborne house seems
Ito believe j,iidt her majesty can sur
vive this attack. In fact, locally, the
announcement Of her death is await
ed with something approaching equa-
nimity. Never in the memory of her
subjects has the queen been i'll before
and now that at her advanced age she
has been stricken. it seems to those
who have lived around her that it IS
impossible for her to recover. The
villagers who have seen her girlhood,
wag their heads tonight and say it is
said day Tor England.
The official bulletins may safely be
described as optimistic. Their vague
ness in describing the queens ailment
may be accosted as merely evasive of
the facts. The information obtained
by the Reuters Telegraph Company to
the effect that it is paralysis from
which the queen is suffering is based
upon the highest possible authority. BY
Monday it is likely that the truth will
be announced to the nation. The ex-
treme weakness of her majesty and
loss of all her faculties appear to be
at present the chief cause for anxiety.
Stimulants are being freely admins
tered.
In the opinion of those best qualified
to judge, the queens present serious
condition was precipitated by inten-,e
worry over the losses and hesushins
suffered by the British tr5cps m south
Africa. Frequently she has remarked
to court attaches that another war
would kill her.
In this connection Reuters Telegram
Company learns that she was most Sc
riously ill while last at Balnioral in the
autumn. No word of this became pub
lie, but it appears that she was then
almost dying though that rigorous eti-
quette which she imposes alike upon
her family and attendants prevented
her condition being even spoken of as
dangerous.
The present stroke is sequel to that
which occurred at Balmoral If she
| survives it she will be not only the
| longest lived monarch in England s his
| tory, but also the posSesSor of the most
| marvellous constitution with which a
| woman was ever endowed. Locally it
/ is taken to be a sad coincidence that
| Sunday is the anniversary of thesdeath
| of Prince Henry Of Batenburg, for
| whom special memorial services are al
! ways held. 10
| The arrival of the prince of Wales at
| about o'clock this afternoon, accom-
| panied by Home Secretary Ritchie and
! the arrival of the princess Of Wales al
10 o'clock tonight occasioned no scenes
of any kind. They embarked upon the
royal yacht Alberta and went up the
little river separating Cowes from Os-
borne. Entering royal carriages they
were driven, through the half gals
| which prevailed, straight to the roya
residence.
Mr.. Ritchie. it is understood, wa:
specially summoned to supervise tbs
details of handing over to the prince o.
Wales the necessary authority to trans
act state business.
Fearful sorrow. not unmixed with ex
peotation. is written bruad upon ever,
face. That official secrecy which stop:
all callers at the lodge gates does no
serve to mitigate the general dreat
that pervades these islands. Located
almost as Key West is to the United
States, they hold in their bosom tn
most precious and revered personalit!
that a nation ever worshipped, and I
Is the general impression that forty
eight hours will bring the crisis OF tha
feeble life upon which many interna
tional threads hang.
The country women paused in thei
Saturday night shopping tours to pra!
that the hand of death might be stay
ed from falling on the big house owe
the Medinas river. bit their praye
find little echo in hope, for those wh'
have seen the queen down there sa,
she was only a shadow Of death. Ye
the policeman on duty at the lodg
gates respectfully refers all callers {
| the last bulletin and says mechanical
ly "Slight Improvement"
The dread word paralysis" is care
fully kept from the nation.
Cowes. Isle Of Wight. january 20, 2:1
a m.-The queens condition is un
changed.