The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-04-29
ENGLAND'S QUEEN A
WRETCHED WOMAN
BY HARRY q. FARMER

LONDON, April 29.-The leopard
does not change its spots nor King
Edward the ways of his youth. AS
the prince of Wales he was the
greatest roue in Europe; as king OF
England the old paths appeal most
to him.
In his declining years his neglect
of Queen Alexandra is but an EN-.
phasis of his wanton disregard Of
her in his earlier career. when his
utter lack of consideration spoiled
her life and drew the gossip of all
Europe.
The king goes travelling on the
continent several titmes year.
and nearly always without the
queen. He is always the center OF
brilliant group of the sort he
most cultivates. The lure of pleas
ure is as strong as ever; his sense
of the proprieties just as blunted.
The queen enters little into his
thoughts; less into his life. Were
he aught but Edward VII the world
would dub him brutal, selfish
prig.
Here in London the queen lives
her pitiful, embittered life. Discon-
tented, growing deafer and more ir.
ritable every day, she has ended
her career as the youngest Oil lady
of Europe. She Is rapidly becom.
ing the terror of her husbands pal.
aces because of her sharp tongue.
With the aid of cosmetics and
wig King Edwards 60 year old con.
MT vofh
cessfully for years. Now these
weapons are no longer able to con-
ceal from her subjects the fact that
Alexandra has stepped over the
borderlanj and Is at last an old
woman.
Since Edward mounted the
throne, Alexandra has been leading
a secluded life. Edward sees as
little of her as possible. He travels
about tEngland and the continent,
possible
leaving her alone at home, to while
away, as best she can, the tedium
of being queen with nothing to do
and with no home companionship.
She kills time by opening charity.
bazars, visiting hospitals and going
TO the theater. She is an inveterate
playgoer and sometimes attends
three or four performances week.
Usually she is accompanied by
one of her two only intimates, her
daughter, Princess Victoria, and
her sister, the dowager empress OF
Russia. The three are close chums
AMI are insperarable. There is
common bond among them, for the
dowager empress and Alexandra
have not led happy married lives,
and the Princess Victoria is 40
years old and has not caught hus-
band.
When with her laughter or sister
Alexandra has no difi1culty in over
coming her deafness. They carry
an American instrument for trans
hitting sound that is easily con-
cealed, and acts when two persons.
are in contact. Alexandra, by link.
ing arms with Princess Victoria or
the dowager empress, can hear dis
tinctly. With other people she can
not link arms and she consequently
feels her infirmity keenly. At
| home wire arranged round table
supplies the necessary contact for
conversation. The queen, with one
of the instruments in her dress
and her hand on the table wire,
can hear anybody talking who also
has an instrument and connects
with the wire.
Queen Alexandra's real home is
not in England, but in Norway.
where her other daughter, Maud. is
queen. Whenever she can Alex
andra goes to Christiania and joins
the dowager empress at a small
house the two jointly own at BygI
do, just outside Christiania forth.
There the royal sisters forget their
troubles, and lead the life of two
girls on summer holiday. They go
for long walks, unaccompanied:'
the play billiards; they study their
art collections ami paint. Alex.
andra, particularly, is very fair
artist, and her water color work
ranks high among amateurs. Alex
andra likes to photograph. and ae
Bygdo she has huge collection OF
| her press-the-button work.
Alexandra is very popular among
the English. due, not only to her
constant visits to charitable works,
but to the keen sympathy felt for
her because of her domestic unhap.
piness.
England knows the trials Alex.
andra has had to suffer since her
marriage to the first rouc of Europe
and England overlooks the irritable
temper the queen has developed in
| consequence.