The Washington herald., 1911-12-08
COMMENT ON
TIMELY TOPICS
CCopy1ght, 1911. by Court Gossip syndiate)

Copyright 1911. by Court Gossip SyndiCatel
As chaplain-in- ordinary to three sue
cessive British Sovereigns, Canon Teign-
mouth Shore, who for many years was
the incumbent Of the old Berkeley Chapel
in Mayfair. in his recollections. has a
good deal to say OF the religious side
OF the English court. giving the impress
sion that a very sincere and simple feel
ing toward religion Is a strong charac-
tcristlc Of most of the members Of the
royal family.
OF his first visit to Sandringham. in
1879 he writes: There were always fam
ily prayers in the great hall at 9 o'clock
each morning read by the domestic chap
lain The household and the visitors
breakfasted in the dining-room. the
Prince and Princess of Wales not appear
ing until later. After luncheon. at which
both were present, with their guests,
there was of a Sunday afternoon a stroll
around the stables. where the princess
always gave the horses something to eat
She seemed to know each horse, and It
appeared that every horse knew her. too.
After the stables, the kennels were visit
ed, where great varieties Of dogs Were
to be found, and they all went wild with
delight when the princess approached
them. Horses and dogs have a keen in
stinct as to who really likes them. and
Queen Alexandra certainly is a lover of
animals.
The canon had a long interview with
Princess Alice in Darmstadt few months
before her death. and not long after that
sad event he was commanded to Osborne
to read the service when the widowed
Duke of Hesse and his children had come
over to visit Queen Victoria. He de-
scribes the scene as very pathetic.
The Queen leaned forward on q little
table set before her on which were her
cI,u CerI.iCa byYuD hOOk and
gagged In private prayer. ] could see that
she was deeply moved, even to tears,
and evidently did not wish at present to
raise her bowed head. 1t was in this
very room that the marriage Of the grand
duke with Princess Lice had taken place
years ago. I thought It better not to
wait, but to commence the service as II
I were not conscious OF anything in par
ticular The Queen afterward told me
that she was pleased at my doing
so.
About 5 o'clock in the evening I was
conducted to one of the Queens private
apartments to have the honor of an inter-
view. I think It must have been the
late prince consorts room, for in It
were a number of memorials Of him. The
Queen entered the room very soon, and
received me with that graciousness which
seemed 10 be her very nature. She spoke
about the late Princess Alice, and said
how pleased she was with a little memo
randum describing my visit to Darn
stadt. which. as before mentioned, / had
written at the suggestion of the Dean OF
Winsor. and which he had given TO the
Queen"
At the conclusion OF the audience,
which had lasted half an hour, the
Queen gave the canon a great proof OF
her consideration by handing him a large
envelope containing the letters from the
Grand Duchess of Hessc during her III
ness ct Darmstadt. Including the last
one she had ever written. saying:
Il will give you these sacred letters
OF my dear child to read, you appreciated
her so much. will trust you with
them; you can reiurn them to me to-
morrow
OF his stay at Marlborough House,
where he instructed the children of the
Prince OF Wales, among them the pres
ent King, the canon writes:
The princess often came in herself