The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-25
NO COURT READERS
Queen Alexandra Dislikes to Have
Books Read Aloud. --~
SHE PREFERS HER MAIDS TO TALK
cutiOn1st and Gave Her Read
ers Many Hints.

Queen Alexandra differs in one interesting
respect from Queen Victoria in that she
takes little pleasure in having books and
newspapers read aloud in her hearing. This
is the reason why there is no longer any
place at the court for Miss Bauer and Mdlle.
Norele, according to Modern Society. These
excellent readers were Of very great utility
to- Queen Victoria The duty Of reading,
however, was not limited to these ladies, be-
cause 1t was one of the chief requisites of
candidates for the post of maid of honor
that they should possess good voices and
trained power OF elocution. Very few high
bred girls can read aloud in manner that
would commend itself to the critical of
the venerable sovereign, who hated nothing
more than the false emphasis which seems
to sprawl over the reading style Of the Or
dinary finishing governess
Quee Victoria was herself a practiced elo-
cutionist, and she often gave kindly hints
to her young maids. Her late majesty in
sisted first of all upon the clear pronuncia-
ton Of every consonant, and the clipping of
the final letters of words was repugnant to
her keen sense of hearing. In the next place
she always pointed out to her maids that
reading Is not acting, and that gesture is
out OF place when the intention is merely
to convey the words of a writer to the listen
or. Z Then, again, she would require the
voice to be sustained evenly from first to
last, and the words to be read slowly, and
it was one Of her rules that the reader should
sit in straight-backed chair, with the head
erect. so that the muscles Of the throat
should not be compressed, as they are when
the book is rested upon the lap.
Sometimes a reader would fancy that her
royal hearer was dropping off to sleep, but
woe betide her II she took advantage Of this
supposition to relax in her task. The queen
used to sit for hour with the eyelids
closed, for the purpose of resting the eyes
But now and again she would interpolate q
word Of appreciation, and it often happened
| that the reading was broken off for an inter
esting chat upon the sentiments of the book
It was usual for a chapter to be finished al
every reading, and before the next chapter
was begun upon the following day it Nigh
| become necessary for the reader to give tt
her mistress a summary of the preceding
chapters, in order to refresh her memory.
| Since the elevation of Queen Alexandra tt
the supreme place this episode in the daily
| life Of the court has vanished utterly. Queer
| Alexandra delights more in conversation thar
| in being read to, and she engages in a cha
| with charming eagerness to learn the opin
| ions of her intimates, so that to be included
among her guests after dinner, when she de
| sres the privacy of her own apartments, il
| a very real pleasure to the fortunate girl
| who receive invitations to accompany her.
! There is one important exception in tn
| case Of Miss Charlotte Knollys. Her ma
jesty's confidante has sometimes to perform
the duty Of reading documents to her, bu
| these are for the most part matters connected
| with the social duties of her station, sucl
as lists Of ladies included in the royal par
! ties, or plans for the arrangement of tn
duties Of the court, and on these occasions
| it is less a reading exercise than conver
sation, in which the experienced lady il
privileged to break off at any point in orde
to make any explanation that may seen
! necessary.