The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-20
INTERESTING INCIDENTS IN
LIFE OF QUEEN VICTORIA.

| Alexandria Victoria, Queen Of Great
Britain and Ireland and Empress of India.
was born in Kensingto3 Palace May a. 1919
She succeeded to the throre June 20 1897
the day on which William ", her uncle,
died, leaving the succession to the Princess
Victoria, who had just completed her eight
eenth year.
Victoria is the sixth sovereign Of the
Edward. Duke of I Kent. ne fourth Uns esma son OF OF
George I'LL Her father died when she was
| only six months old. Neither George "
ence. had surviving legitimate issue.
Queen Victoria Is the eighth In direct
line irem James 1. the intervening space
is fourteenth in descent from Edward vi,
twenty.eighth In descent from Henry /.
thirty-ffth in descent from Alfred the
Great, OF burned cakes memory; thirty
seventh in descent from Egbert, the first
Of braIchIns lives Connected Ter with dis
tinguished and illustrious personases Of dif-
ferent Municipalities.
Much of Queen victorias kindly. simple
and urpretentious character she derived
from her father. the good and homely Duke
of Kent
Two years after Victoria ascended the
throne her cousin, Prince Albert Of SAKE
Coborg; went to England to ask her to be
his wife 1t was his second visit for that
purpose. He first pleaded his suit shortly
xo,,r 1sr n sccesslon to the throne: but the
than ary one, was sensible and shook her
head. saying that they were both too youth
O
give the longed-for answer at the end of two
or three years
VICTORIA ASKED
ALBERT TO MARRY HER.
There are several amusing little stories OF
how the Queen finally asked the Prince to
marry G her. for IT is the edlct Of royalty that
Queen must signify her pleasure In the
matter OF a choice OF a husband, and of
course the girl Queen conformed TO this
rule before the betrothal was announced.
Victoria rP
married in the Chapel Royal, St. Jamess
Palace, in 1sD. and the marriage was a
devoted to each other. and no breath of
scandal ever touched the reputation Of
either s Prince Albert was circumspect in
tempted to interfere in the politics Of the
country. He was strictly nonpartisan. and
Of s n the
nc politics. though she always took an
active interest in the foreign policy Of the
The Queen is the mother Of nine chill
dren. five daughters and four sons; Victoria.
powases Empress Of Germany: Albert Ed,
schfeswis- -Hclstein: Louise. MarcSioness
atrice Princess M Ssh Henry A Of i Bstten6ers: Prin-
cess Alice. Grand Duchess Of Hesse-Darm-
stadt .iS Gdisd in 1873: and Leopold. Duke Of
In her young married life. while the
Queen never neglected her duty as SOW
erelSn. there Is no question tnat she lived
only for her husband and children The
nation at large enjoyed the spectacle Of a
hcme-loving ruler, and every father ard
mother participated in the happiness o: the
royal family.
The Queen mother was smiling and active
In those days; and her presence at public
functions awoke the enthusiasm OF every
patriotic Englishman-
WASHINGTON IRvING's
DESCRIPTION OF THE QUEEN.
In 1912 Washington Irving, then on a visit |
to England. attended one OF the QueeE's
levees. and in a letter to his sister Mrs
Paris gave the following description Of her
Matesty's appearance at that time: '.She
is certainly quite low in stature but we'll |
formed and well rounded. Her countenance |
though not decidedly handsome, is agree |
with light eyelashes. and her mouth gener- |
ally little open. so that you can see her
teeth. She acouits herself in her receptions |
with great grace, and even dignity. Prince /
formed young man. with handsome prepos- |
sessing countenance- He Is said TO he 4
frank. manly, intelligent and accomplished:
10 be fond OF his little wife, who in turn.
throne" VI
The great sorrow Of Queen Victoria. M.
was the death Of her husband. which oc-
In her declining years she clung almost
jealousy 20 the memories Of the happy
days Of her young wifehood and mother.
Queen Victoria holds place in the hearts
OF tne people OF all nations mainly be-
cause she was good Queen. but partly ne
cause she was a good woman
IT was O'Clock In the morning of luna !
~. lSi. when the Archbishop Of Canter-
bury and three oficers Of the Priv Coun-