, 1901-01-22
Public Was Hoodwinked,

Public Was Hoodwinked.
The public, however, was hoodwink-
ed by the accounts of her majesty's do
ings and u%tterances given to the ews-
papers by her household.
Unusual care was taken to have her
alleged replies to addresses and other
evidences of mental activity set before
the public. In reality the queen lived
as in a dream.
For instance, she was reported to
have made animated reply to an adj
dress presented to her at the Mount
Anvil convent in Dublin, whereas all
she said was the dazed inquiry:
Where am II"
The Queens Spirits Revived.
This happened not once, but several
times. When she went to BalmOral,
her Highland home, her spirits revived
under the influence of General Rob
erts' brilliant achievements in the
South African war, but the improve
ment was short.
1t had always been a source of won
der to her physicians that, with her
great appetite and physique, she has
escaped an apopleptic stroke, but
about this time there was a falling a.
way of her left side, accompanied by
a loss of power in her left arm AMI left
leg.
These symptoms caused apprehen.
sion of approaching paralysis. So
alarming was her condition that the
royal family abandoned all idea of max
ing a trip to the continent. which, it
had been hoped, would revive the
queen mentally and physically.
Unfavorable war news and reports
CT the acute suffering of her dying
daughter, Empress Frederick, affected
the queen keenly. She suffered with
increasing frequency from fits Of de-
preston and crying. She referred cor
stantly to the death of the Duke of
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Edinburgh. and
expressed a wish to see the duchess.
Change to Osborne OF No Avail.
The change to Osborne just before
Christmas time did not work the bene-
fit that was anticipated.
Accordingly the latter was
ed to Osborne, but at the first inter
view the duchess left the queen pros
trated with grief. In the midst Of these
troubles canine the sudden and uneX-
pected death of her Oldest and dear
est friend. the Dowager Lady Churchill,
senior lady of the bed-chamber. and
member of the royal household for for
ty-siX years.
While the queen has been sleenless
at times she has long had strange fits
Of drowsiness in the day time. When
her mind has been clear the queen has
tried ~valiantly to combat this feeling.
The court officials have also worked
hard to keep her from sleeping at the
wrong time.
The last time she drove outside the
grounds of Osborne the villagers of
East Cowes We're astounded to hear
the clear treble of the son of the Prin-
cess of Battenberg thrilling out popu-
lar songs from the royal carriage.
The boy was singing to keep his
grandmother awake, in obedience to
her wishes. Now and again she dozed,
Weakening to tell the boy to contin lie his
chant, which to the initiated onlooker,
contained a world of pathos.
Fell Asleep on Last Drive.
The queen drove about in her donkey
chaise within the grounds of Osborne
house for the last time Tuesday. The
Duchess of Edinburgh of SaXe-Coburg-
Gotha was her companion.
On her return to the castle the queen
carried to her bed never to raise again.
DR.. Pagenstechter, the German ocu-
list, who was attending Somerset for
an injury to his eyes, was summoned
to Osborne.
She suffered acutely from her eyes
owingto her constant crying. DR.. Pa
g~enstechter made a general eXamina.
ton on Monday and reported that the
queen had nothing organically wrong,
but was suffering with nervous exhaus-
ton.
In her periods Of mental activity
she harped so necessarily upon the war
that Colonial Secretary Chambc,lain
was commanded to go to Osborne to
console her with the reassuring news.
Mr.. Chamberlain led the war party
when the queen favored peace in South
Africa.
1t was not a wise thing, as it turn
ed out for her household to summon
Chamberlain. His efforts to console
the queen were fruitless and she alb
ruptly closed the conference.
Subsequently Lord Roberts was di-
rected to appear at Osborne. He reach
ed there last Tuesday. He did not at
tempt to deceive the queen, but frank
ly explained the difficulties which had
to be overcome before the war in South
Africa could be terminated. The inter.
view lasted some time and it was the
last time that the queen displayed the
wide knowledge INT shrewd common
| sense which nIayad such nm mnnrfonf