Year: 1867

London is the center Of England. Th'
Queen is the center Of London. Her pres
ence is the light Of tho aristocracy-her ab
scncc their sorrow. Her going out ant
coming in-her down sitting and uprising


when and where shc walks or rides-hov


she drcsscs-to whom she speaks-who at


tends hcr-arc carefully noted and greedily


read. After thirty years Of model domes


tic life, with her domestic famc travelling
round the globe, and herself the idol Of the


British public, an American is astonished tc
find the London atmosphere full Of scandal


the name Of the highest lady in the land
connected with one Of her lowest subjects
the names Of the Queen and Mr.. Brown
on the lips Of all classes, from the rag-pick.
er in the streets to the peer in the realm
The Queen is seldom seen in London. She
fits back and forth from Windsor Castle
only to meet the duties Of State. She sell
dom sleeps at Buckingham Palace, her own
town residence. She likes the retreat ut
Windsor, and lives near the room where
the Prince Consort breathed his last. The
solitude of the Isle Of Wight is q lavoritc
with her, for she can ride twenty miles in
her own dominion without being sccn
Among the Highlands at Balmoral she lays
of the Queen and plays the woman. Driv-
ing around in low wheeled carriage to
which is attached q runt Of pony, she Wis
its the sick, the inirm, and the poor Her
carriage is loaded with comforts which she
distributes with her own hand. Her COM
ing to any house is a benediction. All this
the Londoners dislike. They pay for the
pomp and the show Of royalty, and they
want it. They give the Queenlive thousand
dollars day in gold. They furnish the
palace, her state carriages and her hundred
horses, the plate for royal banqucts, and
also pay for the entertainment of all royal
guests. Her refusal to join in the gayetiesof
life-the closing of the palaces and her re-
fusal to play the Queen deeply offend the
Londoners. 1t harms trade, they say, and
the suffcrings Of the poor for the want Of
employment are laid at the Queens door.
Her ministers have pleaded with her to
meet the public demand. Punch has lam
pooned her with his most effective sarcasm.
A less worthy retirement is now attributed
to the Queen than grief for the Prince Con-
sort. In print and in speech she is accused
of being in love with Mr.. Brown. 1t is
openly said that she has transferred her af.
fcction for the Prince Consort to this gentle
man.


WHO IS Mr.. BROwN2


Mr.. Brown is the Queens confidential ser
want. Her majesty found him at Balmoral.
On visit to that castle after she became wild
ow she found servant silent, sad and obsequi-
Gus, very attentive, very efficient, a man
who seldom spoke word. On inquiry she
found that the man had been servant long
in the employ of Prince Albert. He en-
joyed the confidence Of the Prince. His
mourning for his late master was the talk Of
the castle. The Queen took him at once
into her employ, and it IS said into her af.
fection. Being Highlander, he came into
the presence Of Her Majesty in full custome,
that is, with bare legs, to the great scandal
of the full dressed lackeys Of the palace.
From step to step Brown went up till he
has become the prime minister Of the
Queens household. All her orders 60
through him. His body-guard are High
landcrs also, and the old feud between the
Scotch and the English is revived in the
Queens presence. All sorts Of stories were
started and are still in circulation. At one
time it was reported that she would marry
Brown if she had to abdicate. The Queen
is known to be spiritualist, upon which it
is said that she believes the spirit Of Prince
Albert to be in this man. All possible in.
fuenccs have been brought to bear to re-
move him from the Queens service. She
is well aware Of the scandal connecting her
name with Browns, but she will not yield
one jot To the impassioned expostulation
Of her ministers she replied byau i,nperious
wave Of her hand, which induced the minis
ters to back out and depart.


HOW BROWN LOOKS.


Wherever you will find the Queen there
you will find Brown. He is shrewd
Scotchman, who knows that there is no
power behind the throne that can touch him.
He is coarse, common looking sort Of
fellow with iron-grey hair. He is about
fifty years Of age, nervous and wiry, with
quite stoop in his gait; coarse, hard fea-
lures, which make him look like collier or
ditchcr dressed up, and quite uncomfortable
in his nice clothes. He is about as unat
tractive-looking person as any day-laborer
about our warvcs. He is nervous, busy,
meddlesome, buthe attends strictly to his
duties. He seems to know nothing, and
certainly seems to care nothing for the de.
testation in which he is held by the servants
of the Queen, and the nation at large.


THE QUEEN AND BROWN ON CANVAS.


The opening Of the Royal Academy at
London for the season is great event. The
aristocracy attend tho opening. An extra
charge is made the first day, and all London
o,oos baco,,ue there ia n lam Al the omen.