Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-02-09

sAN@ aktA ~ HCE aE0RACs
She Has Never Committed q Faux
Pas--Her philanthropy.
Alexandra Of Denmark. who has be
come queen of Great Britain and EN-
press Of India, is one OF the most fasci-
mating and popular women in the whole
of her husbands vast dominions.
which embrace one-quarter of the en-
tire population of the known world
True. there are many women in Eng
lish society who are infinitely more
beautiful, whose figures conform far
more closely to the ideal of the artist,
and above all there are many who pos
sess a greater degree of brilliancy, of
dash and of wit Notwithstanding all
OF this. wherever the gracious lady
who has now become queen appears
not ooly does sAe become the cynosure
of all eyes, bun more than that. the
loneliness of every other woman pres
ent seems to pale. This. too. In spite Of
the fact that she is the grandmother of
some six little ones and nearer 90 years
of age than 10.
True. she remains amazingly youth
full in appearance. thanks not 80 much
to those vulgar devices known as
making up" as to those judicious
cares that are entirely legitimate.
For instance, daily massage has been
employed to help nature In warding
of wrinkles from the fair face, while
the elasticity and elegance of the figure
have been retained by means OF exer-
else, moderation and diet, to the same
phenomenal degree as In the case Of
the late empress OF Austria at the time
of her ASA ssination. The hair Is dress
ed in precisely the same quiet and char
acteristic manner Of % years ago. the
head retains the same dainty poise on
4 neck 20 graceful that 1t conveys the
impression OF a slender stalk support
Ing a flower, while the eyes assuredly
have neither dimnrsd nor changed,
flashing as In days of yore with fun
or mischief or else sweetly appealing
in that sort Of pathetic manner pecul-
lar to people who are hard of hearing.
But 1t 10 not this that makes the new
queen OF England so fascinating-tha
renders her so much more attractive
than people If UNNECESSARILY superior
beauty. Nor can 1t be described as
magnetism, for magnetism implies
something thai is violent and against
which one would be inclined TO resist.
But 1t Is the sweet. gracious and kindly
manner that converts every man who
sets eyes upon her into her sworn ad-
mirer and that even disarms the
Jealousy of women, transforming them
into her devoted friends.
1t has sometimes been alleged that
the consort of Great Britains new
king IL deficient In cleverness. In fact
have seen it stated in print-manifestly
by people who had never been brought
within the radius Of her charms-that
she 10 actually duh. True, she is not
intellectual In the sense Of her sister
in-law, Empress Frederick. and 1t Ia
difficult to imagine her In the role Of q
politician. But from the time OF her
marriage, eight and thirty years ago,
she has lived almost increasingly ex-
posed to that full glare Of publicity
which beats about thrones. occupying
queen the role of the first lady in the
land, at any rate In "A social sense.
And throughout that entire period she
has not made one single mistake. She
has known in her own friendly and
calm manner the people whom 1t was
desirable that she should know. She
has steered clear OF all those acquaint-
ances which might have given rise to
i'll natured comment. She has never
lost her head, never rendered herself
guilty Of anything that could be con-
strued as partaking Of the nature of
faux pas. and has by means of the
atmosphere of ideal refinement which
she seems to diffuse around her kept
within bounds the tendency of modern
society to exuberance and vulgarity
and. perfect in tact has presented
her married life picture of
the most unruffled domestic happiness.
Finally. in an age where calumny is
SO ripe and all prevalent that not even
an angel descended from heaven would
be permitted to retain the celestial gar
ments unsullied and the wings unruf-
ned. no breath of scandal has ever tar
nished even for fieeting moment the
fair name OF Englands new queen.
Surely, when one considers all the
of one kind and another to
which woman In the position OF the
royal lady who has until now borne the
title of Princess of Wales is exposed,
every one intent on fiattering her and
many endeavoring In vain to poison
her mind against those whom they
wish to GUST from her favor, the fact
that she could be without single mis-
take in her record indicates that. far
from being dull or foolish person. she
must be possessed of extraordinary
Equally mistaken Is the impression
which prevails that she has taken no
part whatsoever in public life. 1t was
estimated the other day that through
her personal influence and direct ac-
ton she has during the nearly four dec