The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1907-06-27

In all the countries of the civilized
world there prevailed a spirit of sym
pathetic sadness. Over every city,
town and hamlet in England, Scotland
and Wales there hung a cloud. In
great, rich, ancient London people
walked the streets with grave faces.
Festivities were postponed. social
plans we're altered. In the old church
es prayers were offered. One closing
anthem was played with sorrowful
softness which made it prayer in it.
self and those who heard passed out
into the air with tears. This because
one woman---one aged woman-lay dy-
ing.
1t was "a years after night on
which a girl--a mere child creature in
her teens-was awakened from her
sleep to be told that she was the
queen of England. There is a popular
picture of the incident, in which she
stands, touchingly young and grave
holding out a hand that an old man
who kneels before her may kiss it in
doing homage to his sovereign.
Her sense of the responsibility of
her position was a thing like genius.
In all things touching it she was al
ways grave, always sagacioas and
beautifully earnest. A young girl
even a young woman-might have
been forgiven many things for which
the nation this young creature was
born to rule was never called upon to
forgive her.
One very interesting feature of her
life was that people made no habit of
speaking of her as a brilliant woman.
il has krru accepted that she was
intelligent but comparatively little
stress has been laid upon her brain
power. Yet there has been no other
queen in the history of the world
whose reian was SO marked by for
ward movement and who herself so
moved with her time and so strongly
influenced IL. She had a genius for
rectitude, a genius of the conscience.
and, it may be added. the genius of
a great heart. But she possessed also |
n foresight that was extraordinary. |
One truth is surely fiXed--that in the !
future no record of statecraft, politics |
or social ethics can point to an act of |
Victoria of England which was either |
unjust, ignoble or careless. To each |
thing she did she brought all that the |
gods gave her of the reasoning of |
both heart and brain. All her use of |
power tended to the development of
public good, to the aiding of humane |
ends, To the broadening of the ways
for the Nielligent, the striving and |
the sane NJ ambition.
The time has gone by when for a
woman To be virtuous was all that
was demanded of her This time
passed in Victoria's day Its passing
was the inevitable result of the de.
velopment of the race and of the in
crease of its mental desires--but it
would not have passed with such ease
and rapidity in England il the woman
who sat upon the throne had been
merely collection of moralities. how.
soever excellent and necessary 10 so.
cial safety. England-conservat
obstinate, pugnaciously self-centered
lis singulHly large portion OF the
world. Its observation-disclosures is
sufficiently powerful to be far-reach.
ing. Tk- bearing and methods of its
ruler al of significance and weight
The great Victorian era was marked
by the advance of all things intellectu-
al-by the elevation and fostering of
the arts, by the adoption and encour.
agement OF intentionally the inteli.
gent CO liberation OF ethics. This
woman w the nineteenth century. who
was born TO WELD a scepter, was a
reader of great works and
small. learner OF languages. 4 con