The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-08-22
ENGlAND's QUEEN
Has She Leanings Toward the
Catholic Church?
Indications Which Point in That
Direction.

per. recently produced the following
article in regard to Queen Alexandria
religion:
Rumors that the Queen of England
has leanings toward the Catholic
Church have long been rife among
those who know her. Others of he,
friends have emphatically denied that
there was any truth in these rumors
asserting that no more can truthfully
be said of her than that she is an ex-
trenely High Church woman. Those
maintain discreet silence when the
subject is brought up.
The furnishing of the Queens bed
room is pointed to as evidence of
Alexandra's leanings toward Catholic
ism. A woman's bedroom reflects her
tastes and her character more than
any other room in a house can; this
is even more true of queen than of
an ordinary woman, for her bedroom
is the one place on earth to which n
queen can retire and he absolutely
free from all convention. the one
place on earth that she can call her
The central place in this rather
crowded room is occupied by her Maj
esty's bed, beautiful piece of furni-
ture of the Louis XVI period with an
elaborate canopy and curtains of rich
old brocade. The only note expressive
of royalty is an Imperial crown en-
broidered in gold upon the white COW
erlet.
The first object that strikes the eye
is crucfiX, the figure of Christ, life
size, beautifully carved in ivory. This
significant object is hung at the head
of the royal bed, under the canopy,
just where it would be hung by the
Mother Superior of convent.
TO the right of the bed is a collec-
ton of religious objects to which those
who assert that the Queen is leaning
toward Rome point as evidence of the
truth of their assertion. High on the
wall hangs a lovely sixteenth century
painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary in
Its original frame, with wonderfully
chased and pierced brass DOORS Over
the head of this picture and set in the
framework is reliquary or box, in
tended to contain relic of some saint
who is the object of special devotion
by the owner.
Debaters point out that the little
holy water font, of the same period,
placed underneath this picture, is lust
where it would be placed by pious
Catholic, who, on going to he'd and ris-
ing. blesses herself with fingers which
have been immersed in the font.
To the left of the sixteenth century
picture of the Madonna containing the
reliquary is very fine copy of the
famous Dresden Madonna. On a line
with this again to the left is another
sixteenth century corner trypitch con-
tanning another beautiful painting of
the Blessed Virgin. with st. Joseph
and st. Elizabeth on the wings. This
is also a wonderfully valuable work
OF art in perfect state of preserva.
tlon. not having sustained the faintest
injury in the 300 years of it's existence.
Underneath this is very fine marble
statuette of Christ preaching the Ser
mon on the Mount; also reproduc.
ton of famous masterpiece.
Underneath the Dresden Madonna is
a. water color showing the Shepherds
being led to the stables at Bethlehem
and underneath this again is a repro.
duction of Guido Rents wonderful
Head of Christ, with the Grown of
Thorns--that well-known example IF
what is called by the purists meretri.
clous art. for when you gaze on 1t the
eyes seem sometimes to be closed and
a moment later to be dimly omen and
full of inexpressible sorrow and suf-
fering.
The whole room presents. indeed
more the appearance of shrine than
bedroom-at least, so far as the
character of the artistic objects imme.
diately around the bed is concerned.
OF the secular objects in this most
interesting room, one of the most
prominent is the large photograph of
Sir Dighton Probyn. standing !. the
circular table. Sir Dighton was for
many years the private secretary and
major-domo of the Queen when she
was Princess Of Wales. She was deep
1y attached to him. and no crowned
head ever had more faithful and val.
liable servant.
The large screen near the bed con-
tains on the leaf nearest the bed a
series of photographs of the King at
various ages. The top row is composed
entirely of photos of his Majesty,
while underneath is similar series of