The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-01-22
WOES OF SOUTH AFRICAN WAR
HAVE WROUGHT THE QUEENS
rHYsICAL UNDoING.
She Mover Eorgnvc nutlcr for His
Optimistic Predictions. and rrac-
iicaiiy Snnbbcd Chamberlain.

New York. January GA dispatch TO
the World from London says: Your
| correspondent has obtained from source
within court circles the first comprehen-
| sivc and actual account Of the queens
Illness that has heen given out. The
facts given place the illness Of the queen
in a startling and pathetic light. They
I show that hor mind hiss been failing for
many months, even before her visit TO
Ireland. She had been a mental wrccl,
FOR months Whenever it was officially
announced that she made felcitous re-
sponses to speeches al public functions,
it is matter Of cold fact that the poor
old queen was in such q daze that all
she could say to her companions was
"Where am ~"
Several times when she has appeared
in public during the past six or eight
months she has fallen asleep.
Had it heen any one else but the
queen of England. it would have 0een
plain long ago that the mllady was Sc
nile decay. And that truthtully is what
afficts Victoria.
But for her physical breaking up OF
the past week, an attack OF paralysis in
the soft side, II would have been posi-
BILE for the court and the royal household
10 have kept from the British people
knowledge of her mental decay for an
indefinite period. For tine queen had
lapses Of intellectual vigor. but these
were more eneiwating 10 her than her
periods Of mental density.
When her brain WAS clear she imme-
diately reverted TO the horrors Of the
war In South Africa. Again and again
she harped on the war. This war. which
she stroye wi d all power to avert, made
the last hours OF England's queen, VINO
Teigned happily longer than most men
live, most wretched aud miserable In
her lucid intervals II haunted her In
cessautly. The queens strong consti-
tuition manifested the first signs OF serl-
GUS decay during the stay Of the court
at Windsor in November and December
CT 1893. when evil tldings Of the South
African war which began the previous
October began 10 arrive in rapid sue
cession. The queen did not look for
any serious disaster to her army. She
expected nothing but series OF quick.
easy victories. Instead, disaster follow
ed disaster every few days.
General Butler, before leavxsg England
for the South African campaign, assured
| the queen mat the war NDul1 DO an
fieult Dur not dangerous"
In consequence the news Of the many
reYerses dame to her with added sever
Hy. She felt that she had been deceived
and never forgave Builder When his
name was submitted 70 her for a visit
to Windsor after his return from .5o1th
Africa she stroked u through with her
Pen.
1t was at this time that the queen bad
FITS OF crying IN an aggravated form,
which Immediately preceded her pres
ent critical illness,
The assassination q the king Of Italy
last July shocked her deeply Toe news
OF the illness OF her eldest child, Em
press Frederick q Germany. added great
ly TO her distress and the fact hat she
was physically unable to visit the eni-
press and see her before ether died made
her Nervous and exeitable.
Later came the death OF her soIoid
son. the duke OF Saxe-Coburg- Gotha.
tEdinburg) which In few weeks was
followed. by the Heath OF her grandson,
Prince Christian VISITOR son OF her
daughter Helena wife o. Prince Chris
tian Of Schieswlg fiolstein-
The prospect OF AN Indefinite prolonga-
fion Of the war wss trial under which
her heaita again began 10 sink IN Mo-