The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-01

most fainting with fatigue and excitement
in the arms Of the Queen.
On the marriage morn-two days later
the bride looked pale in her white satin
and orange blossoms as she drove with
her father TO St. Georges Chapel She
walked with timid grace. very slowly up
the nave-'a maiden" wrote Thackeray,
ION the bridegroom's threshold. a princess
led UP to the steps of a throne" Famous
pens have described the historic scene.
Seldom indeed, has a wedding called forth
so many glowing accounts. or been the sub
ject OF so much verse and song, as than
Of the King and Queen. From Tennyson,
Dickens and Thackeray to the humblest
versifers and scribes, all combined to
trumpet the magnifcence of the occasion
the moving sight Of the widowed Queen
viewing the scene from the royal pew over
looking the altar; the interesting figure of
the almost boyish bridegroom in the long
blue velvet robe of the Garter, and the
surprising loveliness Of the bride. After
a brief honeymoon. spent at Osborne, the
Prince and Princess of Wales returned TO
London. TO take up the arduous social and
philanthropic role which they were des-
tined to discharge with so much tact and
industry for the unprecedented period of
thlrty-eight years.
EARLY MARRIED LIFE.
1t was at a reception at St. James's
Palace, on the evening of March 20, 1868,
that the prince formally presented his bride
to the aristocracy. The impression which
she created was most favorable and the
extravagant expectations which had her
aided her coming were quite fulfilled. The
more people saw of her the more popular
she became. and 1t apparent, as the
weeks of the brilliant season passed by,
in which she held the drawing rooms on
behalf of the widowed Queen visited the
city in state, accompanied the prince to
numerous functions, including the famous
guards ball and the unwilling of the AL
bert memorial, that she was, TO quote the
Spectator. rapidly becoming 1.-The pet of
the nation" Marlborough House, the town
abode of the prince and princess, soon be-
came a gay social center. At Sandring-
ham they enjoyed the freedom of country
life, and established the cordial relations
with the county of Norfolk which remain
to-day. There in the village church of
ST. Mary Magdalene, the princess took her
first sacrament according to the rites of
after her marriage. 1t was administered by
Dean Stanley.
Frogmore, in the grounds of Windsor
Castle, was also used by the prince and
princess as a country home, and there, on
jan s, 1864, a son was born to them. the
lamented Duke of Clarence. The princess
had been in sleigh on the ice watching
the prince and his friends skating only a
event had not been expected until March,
and elaborate preparations had been made
for it at Marlborough House. Lady Mac
clesfeld, an experienced mother, was fortu-
nately in attendance on the princess at
Frogmore, and she wrapped the infant
prince in her petticoat until the swathing
flannel could be procured from the nearest
diapers. The happy parents chose the
anniversary of their wedding day for the
christening of their heir, which took place
in the presence of Queen Victoria at Buck
ingham Palace. He received the names Of
Albert Victor Christian Edward. In June
of the following year another son was
added to the royal nursery, being George,
now Prince of Wales.
1t was very pretty to see the Queen in
those days going about the lanes at Sand
bingham, or at Abergeldie, where she went
with the prince for the shooting season,
walking besides the pony which carried her
treasures" one on either side in a basket
pannier. She a devoted mother. and
often would slip away from her guests and
go to the nursery to give Eddy" or
George" his bath, putting a large
apron over her costly dress. There is little
doubt that the King and queen have been
indulgent parents, hut that their rule has
also been wise is demonstrated in the per-
feet domestic love which has prevailed in
their family. Even marriage has not alien
ated the present Prince of Wales from the
companionship of his sisters. Unselfsh-
ness was the lesson which the Queen most
strictly enforced on her children. The
story is related by a visitor at Sandring-
ham that at luncheon one day, which the
young princes and princesses always took
with their parents, the youngest of the
group, who had a chair by her mother, had
received dainty morsel. The visitor. in
fun, said, Wont you give that to me?''
The little one looked at her plate. then up
at her mother and finally said. half-regret-
fully, "You may have it if you like" The
lady was about to decline the proffered
| piece, Wne0 the Princess OIL W. Sdlu,
! please take it; she must learn to be un-
! selfish"
TO THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS.
! In 1860 the King and Queen made a
! long tour in the East, visiting Alexandria
| Cairo, the cataracts of the Nile the pyra-
mids and returning by way of CONSTANT
nople, the Crimea and Athens. 1t ranks as
| the longest and most interesting holiday
which they have even undertaken to-
| gether. 1t planned with a view To
re-establishing the health and spirits OF
| the Princess of Wales after the protracted
| illness from acute rheumatism in the knee
/ joint from which she had been suffering
| At Cairo the royal travellers stayed at the
beautiful palace of Esbekieh prepared
| for them by the Viceroy of Egypt and fur
nished with every device of Oriental lux
ury. The bedsteads were of massive silver
! The accounts of their life there read like
| a chapter from the Arabian Nights. "
Slaves in picturesque dress attended their
| slightest wish The princess, with great
! tact and no little quiet merriment con-
| formed to the exigencies of the occasion
slipping her black coffee after dinner and
pretending to use the long jeweled pipe
! prepared for her. She dined in state with
| the ladies of the harem on two occasions
| sitting gracefully upon the floor and eat.