The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-21
QUEEN ALEXANDRA.


Correspondence Chicago Post.
The last time 1 saw the Queen she wore
the straight black robes in which she
usually appears in public, for, sadly
enough. during a large part of her life she
has been in mourning for some member of
her family.
The figure that I saw was one of great
charm. She was tall, seemingly much taller
than her portly husband. Although over
fifty years of age. her figure had lost none
of that willowy erectness which really
merits the epithet ''queenly." Her hair
was still as bright, her eyes as lambert.
her skin as pure as. when a girl, all Eng
land had united in hailing her as the most
beautiful woman in the land on the occa-
sion Of her marriage to the Prince Of
Wales.
One Of three sisters. daughters of Chris
tan. afterward King of Denmark. the
Princess Alexandra knew the pinch Of real
poverty. She was brought up in an atmos-
phere OF refinement, all culture. all SIM
plicity. She learned the sweet domestic
arts, she acquired the accomplishments
that adorn the society woman, she was
fond of every healthy sport, of dogs and
horses.
Thus, like the lovely Lady of Shalott,"
she lived apart. But the fame of her beauty
and accomplishments went abroad, till the
heir to the greatest throne of Europe be-
came enamored, II is said, Of her picture,
found that reality did far outrun report"
and led her back with him to share his
throne. All England at once became a COM
mon mouth to shout her praises. The trib-
ute thus accorded her has never been d.
minished. 1t seems not to have been the
~perfunctory offering of patriotism or 10y
atty. but a truly spontaneous outpouring,
called forth by a charm that would be
queenly even were 1t less royal.
Some rumOrS of a nreyiOllS love amafr
followed her to England, rumors that, Of
course, are alluded to in yelled fashion
whenever the subject of the Queens early
life is mentioned. When the talk is OF her
later life, however. no name is mentioned
but the Kings, and every loyal English
man wakes easily indignant at the mere
other.
During the years that Immediately fol-
lowed her marriage the character of Alex
andra received its final stamp. AS Princess
or Wales she was called upon to attend to
many official duties in place of the Queen
herself. She must often have noted the
nnger laid to lip, she must have caught
the echo of court gossip, yet she could
make no sign. 1t was, perhaps, as a result
of those years, during which every British
subject became an apologist, saying, 1.-The
prince is young" those years of intense re-
preston, of quiet devotion to the demands
of her position, that the Queens face ac-
quired that look of aloofness that charac-
terizes it to-day.
SS W. AAh0 ~ WAAA
not to mere perfection of feature alone.
this charm of hers, but even more to that
strange, 1ntentness of expression that
makes her eyes, really a dark blue-gray,
seem actually black at first glance. Al
an age when most women owe their at
tractiveneSS to their STYLE" the Queen
continues to appear in gowns of that fash
ion first named in her honor, 1.-The
princess" and with her hair drawn tight
back at the sides and "frizzed" into a mass
on top, In the manner of twenty years ago.
4 ANhQrhnr this no rolnCcrnoC 81 ~ -,~,of1
ing mode springs from a feeling that she
can afford to disregard Ii. whether from
an innate dislike for such detail, or whether
from a desire to curb by her example any
luxurious tendencies both at court and
among her people at large, 1t were hard to
say. Probably a combination of all these
causes Iostered by the desire of the late
queen, Is responsible.
Whatever the cause the life of the Queer
at S~andringham has been about as festive
as that OF the daughter of a country curate
Her widest excitement has been cross
country riding, and always, by the way. sh,
rides on the right side of her horse. Hel
days have been given over to embroidery
to letter w~riting-she is an indefatigablt
correspondence conversation with a priv.
legged few, to feeding her pet dogs.
FOR many years the Queen moved, II
seemed. almost automatically through hei
days. She appeared at court functions with
the demeanor of a saint in a cathedral win.
dow and went through with ceremonies a:
one who had a duty to perform. She wa.
always serene, always gracious, Away.
beautiful, always unbending. Even the pres
ence of her children could not warm her
Later years have softened her. The com
Ing or her grandchildren seems to hav,
awakened the chords of motherhood within
her. To them she accords the privileges he
own children never knew.
Always the Queen has lived fenced abou
WITH privacy. But two classes of peopl,
have known her. One is the immediat,
members OF the royal household. The othe
is the very poor. The one class knows he
L as a woman whose life has nnf hoon 5000
from sorrow because she would one day B,
Queen The other knows her as a Queer
who pities most divinely because she. too
has lived and suffered.