Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-30
PLAYMATE OF QUEEN.
Mrs S. O. Young, 100 Years of Age, Lived Near Kensington Palace

Lived Near Kensington Palace.
 Judge William E. Cullen of spo- kane, Wash, contributes the follow ing sketch of remarkable woman who has lived at Elk City, Idaho, for the past forty-three years, to the Spokesman Review:
 Living well up toward the head of Miami street. in Elk City, Idaho, which, by the way, is about the only street in that bustling little mining camp, resides remarkable woman. She is Mrs s. c. Young. She lives with her husband in a house con- structed partly of logs and partly of boards. overlooking the busiest DOT ton of Elk City, as well as the beau- tiful Elk valley. She and her hus- band have quite a large ranch adjoin- ing the town, on which they raise a considerable tonnage of hay, more than is needed to feed their rather large herd of cattle, a number of which are milch cows. For this hay, and for their milk and butter, there is a ready sale at Elk City and among l the numerous miners in that vicinity. Mrs Young has resided at Elk City and its vicinity for forty-two years, and, as says herself. is now nearly l 100 years old. She was born in the | early years of the last century at l Taunton, England. Tn her early girl l hood her father. who was q farmer, resided on a piece of land which was separated from Kensington palace only by brook, and she says: II l have frequently played with the late | Queen Victoria when she was child, l trundling the hoop for her and skip l ping the rope with her on the lawn l at the palace.'' She says the little l princess was most loving and ami i able child. and always. treated her l playmates kindly, and they were all 1 sincerely attached to her. She re- members with distinction the corona ton of the queen and her subsequent marriage to Prince Albert, and she 1 says: 'T have more than once held the present King of England and dandled 1 him on my knee. knew him as 8 child until he was about four years 1 of age. He was a handsome, we'll l dispositioned child. and if his reign l shall be as wise and just as that of l his sainted mother, England will be I blessed indeed"
 After she was grown she was lady's l maid to Lady Noll. the former wife l of Lord Byron, to whom she was l greatly attached. She tells with much gusto of tho marriage of Lady Noll's daughter. Charlotte, to Lord | Wellman.
 1 It seems that Lady Noll, travelling with her two daughters, Charlotte and Julia, stopped all night at. Lord l Wellman's beautiful mansion. Lord Wellman. who was seventy-four and had never been married, fell in love with Charlotte. who was eighteen proposed for her hand in marriage was accepted and they were after. I ward married
 "Did they live happily together? 2? was asked her.
 "Oh, yes,' she replied, 'Lord Well man was very wealthy. He gave hel everything she wanted or that was necessary to make her happy. He had son and heir by her. and she was. indeed an old mans darling.
 The old lady seems to have beer much attached to Charlotte. and vii talk by the hour about this wedding the details Of which she recalls witt remarkable distinctness.
 Mrs Young's maiden name was Eliza Bond. and she was married al Christ hospital in London, when she was about twenty-five years of age to John Mearston. a bookbinder by occupation. By him she had two sons both of whom died in infancy, tht last one living to be three or foul years old.
 l Work at his trade becoming some what slack in London, MT Mearstor and his wife came to New York il search of employment. A year ol two after their arrival the gold ex citement in California broke out, anf MT Mearston joined the argonauts tC that land of promise, going by th' way of the isthmus. He left his wife in New York with very slender means of support. She did not hear iron her husband for many months afte his departure
 Finding herself in straitened cir cumstances. she advertised in the New York newspapers for position al
 lady's maid. Lady Napier. widow O the celebrated Lord Napier having been ordered by her physicians t take a sea voyage. had come to New York, and. finding the change of eli
 mate beneficial to her health, re mained there for considerabI, length of time. Chancing to see Mr. Mearston's modest advertisement, sh, l sent for her and took her into her ser vice. She was in Lady Napier's ser vice for considerable time. and wa! about starting with her to France and the continent when MT Mearsto1 unexpectedly returned 10 New York With much regret Ladv Napier whc had regained her health in T great de gree by her residence on our shores