Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-21
SHE WANTED TO GOSSIP
QUEENS ARE LIKE THE REST OF
woMANKIND.
Her Majesty Of England Likes Tea
and Few Remarks to Go
With It.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Here is a brand-new story of her majesty,
Alexandra, soon to be crowned queen and
empress. 1t was told with quiet glee by
the other actor in it to various and sundry
American friends. The other actor is the
wife of a famous ship owner and head of
a firm of shipbuilders. Thus she had been
for years the heart and soul of various
noble charities connected with England's
merchant marine She is further credited
with having Influenced her husband in af
fairs of fairly international Importance.
Altogether she is near to being a per-
sonage a long purse, a clear head a
warm heart and charming social tact can
make one in the home of hereditary dis
tinctions, the British Isles.
One of the latest charities is a great
seamen's hospital. Royalty deigned to lay
the corner stone of it, and afterward to
express great interest in its success 1t
began to be limited that peerage would
reward the people who had built and en-
dowed it. That was an agreeable if dis
tant prospect 1t seemed to grow suddenly
nearer and clearer when the lady found
herself abruptly commanded to the
queen'-and that within the brief space
of an hour
What did think of first?" she said in
telling it: why, that 1 had not a single
absolutely new rag to appear in. Clothes?
Oh. Yes-plenty, and fine enough for court
wear, but then one wants special things for
special occasions. What made matters
worse was l myself had luncheon on hand
we were, in fact, Just sitting down to the
table when the royal message reached me.
l dare say l turned all colors as l read,
but, luckily, nobody noticed. Instantly /
sent word to my maid to get other clothes
ready, then went on entertaining my guests
as best 1 might, through the first courses.
L knew to fraction OF second how long
it would take to dress and drive from my
own home to Buckingham Palace. 1 knew
also that while the queen herself is never
very punctual 1t would not do at al for
me to be late. and still less to be early.
You can fancy my state of mind, lunching
against the clock both ways. Presently 1
left my sister to explain my going, and was
soon rolling off to see the queen.
of course, L thought of many things on
must be that which had caused the queen
to send for me. Then foolishly l let my
mind stray to a schoolmate, one Mary E
who it happens had been girl friend of
the queen in the days when King Christian
was not king at all, only a poor Danish
prince, and glad to increase his income of
twelve hundred dollars a year by giving
lessons in drawing to the pupils of a girls
school. Mary had told me many stories of
her friend Alexandra. / knew also that in
the annual gatherings at Freidensborg the
two nearly always met. l wondered little
if they had met this last year. 1t had
brought changes to both-a crown to Alex
andra and a second husband to Mary, who
had for years been widow and thought to
pc neonsoiable But my mind did not
linger on her very longAmy concerns-our
concerns. Indeed, were so much more i'm
mediate and living. had a fair general
idea of how such private audiences went
off. but was hazy as to whether / should
kneel or merely courtesy and kiss hands
The palace authorities coached me the
least bit. A lady in waiting met me, took
me up stairs and along passages, and at
last left me to myself after telling me that
the queen though uIite deaf h9 ted of all
things to have voices raised in speaking to
her. l must speak rather slowly and very
distinctly-her own quick intelligence
would do the rest AS to department. l
must follow her indications-stand or sit
or retire. at what 1 judged to be her will.
But she would make it easy for me-this 1
was assured-she made everything easy as
far as court etiquette permitted.
Before l had time to get nervous
lackey whisked me into the presence.
There stood the queen. looking very sweet
and unroyal smiling, holding out her hand
and murmuring my name. After our for
NAL informal greeting she led me to a
chair little at one side, and sat down her
self in another almost touching it. And
then she said, with a yet more engaging
smile:
81 am so glad you have come 1 want
to talk with you over Mary Us second
marriage. She has told. me often how
much You were her friend. Do You think
she can possibly be happy with a man so
unlike her first choice?
And that was, 1 found out absolute
truth. For at least half an hour we Cos
siped, talking our friends affairs with
the most bourgeoise interest. Afterward-
well, her majesty said kind things of us
my husband and myself and especially
kind ones of our hospital project. But that
was wholly incidental-she had sent for me
to talk over Mary's marriage
Which goes to prove how well Kipling
knew womankind when he wrote:
THE colonels lady and Judy OGrady
Are SiSters-under their SKINS