Evening star., 1901-02-02
Her Firm Discipline is Relaxed for
Grandchildren.
SHE is AN IDEAL GRANDMOTHER
Her Charming Traits in Persona
Intercourse.
H OU SEHOLD KNOWLEDGE

Written for The Evening Star.
The development of Queen Alexandra as
a grandmother has been a source of in
finite surprise to every one who has had
the privilege of seeing the familiar side OF
this reserved, almost severe, royal lady-for
Queen Alexandra, despite many beauties
of character, is reserved and severe, es-
peciaily in her own family circie. None
can vouch for this so well as her children
end her servants If their Veneration and
affection for their mother and mistress ever
unseaied their lips. Through ali the years
that she held the position of greatest dis
tircton and influence princess she has
never been known to express opinion, dis
play a prejudice or go back upon her word.
She has opened hospitals. fairs. &c, by the
dozens and distributed thousands of prizes.
but she never made a speech. Mutitudes
of guests have been entertained at San
dringham, untold numbers of famous or
humble men and women have kissed or
taken her hand in theirs, received her polite
greetings, attention or ready charity, and
yet nobody has ever been found ready TO
vouch for what the princess felt on any
subject.
As a HOusekeeper.
What every visitor to the country home
of this royal lady has never failed to notice
has been the marvellous order that pre-
vailed; the perfect attention given by the
accomplished servants, and If they only
knew it the superior talent that directs this
extensive housekeeping is exercised by the
princess alone. Not only does she know
what every one of her sixty-five servants
should do and how and when they should
do 1t, but hers is the most economically
conducted royal establishment in Europe
Even to the food given daily to her pet
dogs seventy in all; her monkeys and ner
iS accounted for in her
faultlessly kept books, and wastage at San
dringham Is utterly unknown. Not alone is
careless ness never practced. but the small
est effort to elude or deceive the chatelaine
of the mansion would not be ventured upon,
for the princess is famous for her truth
compelling eyes. They are large. peculiarly
clear. drectlygaZing. gray-bue eyes. and
when an offending employe or child is sent
to be interviewed by the princess In her
boudoir the confession. made under the In
fluence Of their steady gaze. is invariably
without reservation.
The Princess Wardrobe.
This singular capacity of saying very.
very little and exacting implicit obedience
are the princess highest talents, and while
Sandrngham is splendidly literally, but
strictly managed household, the princess
wardrobe Is no less carefully directed. AS
nearly as any outsider knows $4,000 Is the
dress allowance the princes wife enjoys.
this indeed, not quite the half of 1t, her
wardrobe is as superb as If she lavished, in
Partisan sewing rooms alone. twice the
amount.
comparably clever mother, the princess
learned on limited allowance all of the
art of dress that any genius could have
taught her. Today, when the corps Of
seamstresses at Sandringham have done
over the gowns, renovated her hats and
touched up her wraps. until the possibili-
ties OF any further effective reincarnations
are exhausted, she has the garments pulled
to pieces and the portions of them worth
preserving are used as foundations and
decorations for new costumes. Princess AS
she Is, becoming and still untarnished
dress or coat will be worn for two seasons
or more; and she is proud of the fact that
today, with her own fingers she could our
do the accomplishments of any seamstress
in her employ.
Maternal Discipline
In the wardrobes Of her daughters the
princess taught this same sensible economy
and her children were instructed to initiate
their mothers wise thrift and equally wise
discretion in speech. By the good old-fash
ioned regulations for tie raising of princes
were her boys and girls brought up Plain
living. high thinking and little talking, were
the guiding rules by which they grew I'D.
and though their mother was absolutely
Just, devoted and ambitious for their future
and eager to see them endowed with health
nigh morals and every accomplishment she
was reserved and according to modern
IDEAS stern parent A barrier of rigid etf-
quetle was always maintained between
them.
After her three daughters were present.
ed at court they were much under their
motherS control as ever. She decided all
questions of dress, reading and recreation
for them; they never appeared in the shops
to make their purchases, entertained or
encouraged young friends, honored with
their presence very few save the most for
NAL court functions and We're a trio Of
rather stiffiy silent. plainly gowned and
seemingly Indifferent girls. Exquisitely
ordered as the home in Yorkshire and The
London palace was, the royal damses
must have found life cruelty dull, until
their father plumply proposed that his eld-
est girl should be married to his prosper
Gus and handsome young friend. the Duke
of Fife.
The Same Old Grandmamma
The princess disapproved of the Fife
marriage. but the husband had his way
and the gossips say that there was much
secret bitterness felt by the mother over
her daughters willingness to marry
mere English peer; a bitterness that last
ed until the first grandchild came, and then