The Topeka state journal., 1901-01-22
WAITING ZOE pEATH.
Long and SorrowfuI Day Spent by the
Queens Family.

Queens Family
Cowes, Isle of Wight. Jan. 22.-Anoth-
er day in the Victorian era. now so rap
idly drawing to a close, passed without
a great change in the condition of Queen
Victoria. The slight Improvement so
frequently mentioned in the official bull
letins merely indicated postponement
of the inevitable The end may be a
matter of days or only of hours, but
the mem bers of the royal family who
are now dragging out a weary visit at
Osborne house know that the death OF
her majesty is merely question Of q
short time
The most noticeable feature of yester-
day was the satisfactory portion the
queen spent in consciousness, which she
regained early in the afternoon and still
retained at 10 p. m. At that hour she
had not seen Emperor William. local
rumOrS to the contrary Notwithstanding
Royalty at Osborne thus had a chance
to recuperate from the terrible ordeal
undergone during the early hours of
Monday. The correspondent of the As
sociated Press is informed that the
members of the royal family were call
ed to a room adjoining the queens bed
chamber no less than four times -yester-
day morning and were kept in momen-
tary expectation of being summoned to
witness the end up to half past 5. Her
majestyS physicians then had only
vestige of hope that they would be able
to keep the queens feeble life in ex-
istence until the Prince of Wales ar
rived.
To secure this result they resorted to
the frequent use of brandy and cham
payne These stimulants, used to an
extent which only the greatest emer-
gency justified, worked their process,
and when the Prince of Wales and EN-
peror William entered the castle
grounds at 11:30 a. m, they found the
queen a trifie better than they had ex-
pected-
The desperate remedies employed
Monday morning to enable her majesty
to live until her eldest sons arrival will
not be used again to the same extent,
for the doctors are fearful that the rem
edy might be almost worse than the
disease. They trust to prOlOng her life
by a moderate application OF stimu-
lants, combined with as much nourish-
ment as can be assimilated- Such ex-
pedients as were employed during Sun
day evening and Monday morning, are
not considered justifiable.
The queens rally astonished no one
more than her physicians and when at
4 O'Clock Yesterday afternoon she asked !
for chicken broth their amazement al /
most equalled their delight Privately, |
however, they build no false hopes on |
these fading signs of what has been /
one of the strongest constitutions with I
which a woman was ever endowed. De- ]
spite the favorable afternoon, the doc /
tors dreaded greatly the period between /
o'clock and midnight. When that was 4
safely passed they seemed hopeful of 4
her majesty living through another day 4
the memory Of the previous
nights relapse kept their anxiety at
high tension.
The news of the death. when it occurs.
s likely to be publicly announced in
london before it is announced here as
according to the present arrangements
he first telegram is to be presented to
he lord mayor Of London.
There is an enormous telegra phic staff l
n Cowes. and additional facilities Were
installed yesterday at Osborne. Already
he villagers are bewailing the fate that
S likely to befall CoWes fer it is known
hat the Prince Of Wales Will probably |
lever make Osborne house a place Of
esidence.
itement. The town has settled down in
atience and sadness to await the in
vftable. Never has Emperor William
rrived at any place in England with
o little eclat. No salutes were fred, no
heers were given The men of the
er sides. The crowd was equally un-
emonstratlve, the people cOntenting
themselves with barring their heads 1T
ras a greeting given to the grandson
f a dying woman. more than to the
uler Of a great ally.
After lunch at the castle the Prince
f Wales, Emperor William and the
luke OF Connaught strolled around the
rounds ana visited the local sailors
ONE The Bishop Of Winchester. who /
as been at Osborne since Saturday, !
isited the rector Of Whfppinghara /
Ieanwhi most of the ladies at Osborne
ouse snacched a few hours Of sleep.
Then a dull evening dragged into /
light and the uneasy sleepers around
hose royal home the wind hOwled pitt
ssly. got what rest they could in the
ltervals Of a vigil which the whole
orld was keeping in company with {
lem- (