Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-01-23
Queen Victoria Passes Away Quietly
and Peacefully,
SURROUNDED BY FAMILY.
The Body Was Embalmed-WiIl Pro-
day-No Funeral Arrangements.


Victoria is dead and Edward VII
reigns.
The greatest event In the memory Of
this generation, the most stupendous
change IN existing conditions that
could possibly be imagined has taken
place quietly, almost gently, upon the
anniversary Of the death Of Queen
Vlctoria's father the Duke Of Kent.
The end Of this career. never equaled
by any woman in the worlds history.
came in a simply-furnished room in
Osborne house. This most respected
Of women, living or dead. lay in a
great four-posted bed, and made a
shrunken atom whose aged face and
figure were a cruel mockery Of the
fair girl who in 1887 began to rule over
England
Around her We're gathered almost
every descendant Of ner line. Well
within view OF her dying eyes there
hung a portrait OF the prince consort.
II was he who designed the room and
every part OF the castle.
In scarcely audible words the white
haired bishop OF. Winchester prayed
besides her as he had often prayed for
the sovereign. tor he was her chaplain
at Windsor With bowed heads the
impeflous ruler OF the German empire.
and the man who Is now king Of Eng
land. the woman who has succeeded to
the title Of queen, the princes and
princesses and those Of less than royal
designation listened to the bishops
ceaseless praying.
Six o'clock passed The bisnUp con-
tinued his intercession. One Of the
younger children asked question in
shrill, childish treble and was imme-
diately slenced The women Of the
royal family sobbed family and the
men shufiied uneasily.
Al exactly half-past Sir James Reid
held up his head, and the people then
knew that England had lost her queen.
The bishop pronounced the benedic-
ton.
The queen passed away quietly and
peacefully. She suffered no pain.
Those who were not mourners went
10 their rooms. few minutes later
the inevitable element Of materialism
stepped into this pathetic chapter OF
International history. for the court la
dies went busily to work ordering their
mourning from London.
The wheels Of the world were Jared
when the announcement came, but In
the palace az OSBORNE everything pur-
sued the usual course. Down In the
kitchen they were cooking a huge din
ner for an assemblaee the like OF " h!ch
has seldom been known in England and
the dinner preparations proceeded just
as II nothing had happened.
The body Of Queen Victoria was en-
balmed and win probably be taken e
Windsor Saturday. The coffin arrived
last evening from London
An Incident Characteristic Of the
queens solicitude for others occurred
two days ago, when In one OF the In
teryals Of consciousness she found
strength 10 suggest TO her dressers
who had been acting as nurses. TO take
the opportunity Of getting some fresh
air. Monday she asked that her little
Pomeranian spaniel be brought TO her
bedroom.
II was thought that the queen was
dying about o'clock in the evening
ana carriages were sent 10 Osborne cot
tage and the rectory 10 bring all the
princes and princesses and the bishop
Of Winchester TO her bedside. II
seemed then very near the end, but
when things looked the worst the
queen had one Of the rallies due TO heI
wonderful constitution. opened hei
eyes and recognized the Prince OF
Wales. the princesses and Emperor
William She asked to see one OF hel
faithful servants, member Of the
household. lie fastened to the room
but before he got there the queen had
passed into a ttful sleep.
-Four o'clock marked the beginning
OF the end. Again the familyl were
summoned and this time the relapse
was not followed by recovery.
The Prince of Wales was very mucS
affected when the doctors at last in
formed him that his mother had
breathed her last Emperor William
was also deeply affected but did his
best TO minister comfort to his sorrow
stricken uncle, whose new dignity he
was the first to acknowledge.
Emperor Williams arrangements
are not settled His yacht viii arrive
here today Wednesday. but IL is be-
lieyed that he will not depart until az
ter the funeral. Several other royaI
personages are likely 10 be present at
the function.
The record Of the last days OF the
reign of Victoria is not easy To tell
The correspondent OF the Associated
Press was the only correspondent ad-
mitted 10 Osborne house, and his in
teryiew with Sir Arthur John Bigge.
private secretary 10 the late queen
was the only official statement that
had been out.
For several weeks the queen had
been failing. on Monday week she
summoned Lord Roberts ana asked
him some very searching questions re-
pardlng the war IN South Africa. On
Tuesday she went FOR drive, but was
vislbly affected, On Wednesday she
suffered a paralytlc stroke, accom-
panied by intense physical weakness
/, was her first illness In all her u
wears and she would not admit II
Then her condition grew so serious
that against her wishes. the family
we're summoned When they arrived
her reason had practically succumbec
ia paralysis and weakness.
The events OF the last days. described
in the bulletins. are too fresh TO need
,DpetItlon. =. the edge gates thG
watchers waited nery0usly. suddenly
along the drive from the house came
A horseman. who cried. "The queen Is
dead" as ne dashed through the
crowds. Then down the hillside rushed
n myriad Of messengers passing the
fateful bulletin from one TO another
soon the surrounding cocptry knew
that a king ruled over Great Britain
The local Inhabitants walked as II IN
a dream through the trees OF Cowes,
but they did not hesitate TO stop Ia
drink the health OF the new monarch:
The news was received WIN the
g.atest sorrow az BalmuIal, Nlndspi
and Eton, where queen victoria was
regarded IN d specially personal man
ner by the inhabitants.
Princess Beatrice telegraphed the
ud,ngs 10 former Empress Eugene at
oh