New-York tribune., 1901-01-23

table of the royal line After puzzllng for long
time over the upper branches Of the tree. she
looked up with earnest surprised face. II
cannot see she said, who is 10 come after
Uncle William unless ii is myself" The Baron
ess explained briefly that her pupil was heir to
the Throne 1T is very solemn thing" said
the child. There is much splendor. but there Is
much responsibility. But I will be good" The
Baroness many years after wrote out the story
for the sovereign. The Queen added on the mar
gin Of the page simple additional remnscence:
Il cried much hearingit.
The Prncess's girlhood from that moment was
sobered by thoughts of coming events When six
years afterward. having passed her eighteenth
birthday, she received at o'clock in the morn
ing the news of the Kings death. she was ma
ture in thought, self-possessed in manner and
had mind of her own. 1t was the morning OF
June %, 1897. The Princess had been hurredly
awakened from a sound sleep There was no
time for ceremony. She entered the drawing
room clad in nightdress and shawl, her feet
in slippers and her hair hanging. The Arch
bishop Of Canterbury, the Lord Chamberlain and
the Royal Physician, who formed her first depu-
tation, were greatly impressed with her dignihed
bearing, her scompOsure and her womanliness
under these trying circumstances. A few hours
afterward. when she received the members OF
her first Council, with Viscount Melbourne at
their head. this favorable impression was greatly
strengthened. The Duke Of Wellington remarked
that if she had been his daughter she could not
have been cooler. These veterans of the public
service perceived that it was no giddy or Ill
disciplined girl who had succeeded to the Eng
lish Throne. but a princess of genuine force of
character, swayed by sense Of responsibility.
Born within the brick walls Of Kensington Pal
ace, on May "A, 1919. Victoria, the future Queen.
was English from her first breath Her father.
the Duke Of Kent, the fourth son of George III
died when she was only few months old, leav-
ing her mother, the daughter of the Duke of
Saxe-Coburg, alone in strange country and un-
provided for The Regent, who was to become
George ~ in the course of a few months had
not been kind to his brother and the Duchess
of Kent, now widow for the second time in her
young life, was in stratened circumstances.
Her brother, Prince Leopold. hastened to her In
her distress, and encouraged her to remain in
England. The Duchess had the calculating judg-
ment and good sense of the Coburg blood. She
determined to remain where her daughter could
receive an English education. Settling down in
the old palace of Kensington, she paid frequent
visits to Claremont. where Prince Leopold had
lived since the death of the lamented Princess
Charlotte The Prince watched over the early
training of the Princess Victoria. and even while
she In her cradle planned a future match
with another baby. Prince Albert, of the DucaI
Court at Saxe-Coburg.
GIRLHOOD AND EDUCATION
The Princess was brought up to know the
worth Of a sxpence. She had very little pocket
money, and was taught that she must never run
into debt. Hers natural but rather de-
mure girlhood.
Sir Walter Scott, who visited Kensngton Pal
ace bore testimony to the painstaking care with
which the little Princess was educated Miss
prim anecdotes about her childhood which read
like pages cut from Sanford and Merton" The
routine of governesss lessons in Latin and Eng
lish was varied by expeditions to cathedrals and
historic towns in England. Wherever the little
maiden went she was watched with curiosity by
sympathetic crowds. The Duchess of Kent was
censured by capricious Court for allowing the
child to see something of her country and for
bringing her into contact with an inquisitive
public. The King also took offence at the wise
restraint under which the Princess was brought
up in seclusion That incorrigible gossip. Mr.
Greville tells of painful scene at court when
the King scoided the mother and brought tears
10 the child's eyes by his structures. The
court or that day was not wholesome place for
modest unaffected girl and the Duchess acted
with rare discretion in keeping her daughter in
seclusion and uncontaminated by it's influences
When the Princess was seventeen she met the
uncle Prince Leopold. had selected as her future
husband almost as she was born The
young cousins were nearly of an age. had blue