Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/128

 WORLD OF WOMEN /o8 the names of Victoria Mary Augusta Louisa Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes. Her mother, however, bestowed upon her the pretty abbreviation of " May." Nothing could have been more suitable to the English taste, and as " Princess May " she was always affectionately referred to by the public until her marriage. Queen marp's Cbildbood Although born under the happiest of circumstances, and tended by a' devoted mother, it seemed at one time that death would take the bonnie little girl, for shortly after the christening Princess May suffered an ill- ness which, though short, was severe, and was the cause of much anxiety. It was then thought advis- able to remove the little Prin- cess from Ken- sington, and White Lodge, Richmond — the property of Queen Victoria by inheritance — was lent to the Duke and Duchess for life by her late Majesty. Here the future Queen spent her child- hood and youth, with her brothers as companions, quietly and simply — for the Duchess of Teck did not believe in much visiting and gaiety. " A child has quite enough to do," she said on one occasion, "to learn obedience, to attend to her lessons, and to grow, without too many parties and late hours, which take the fresh- ness of childhood away, and the brightness and beauty from girlhood. There are too many grown-up children in the present day." Like other girls who have the companion- ship of several brothers, httle Princess May became somewhat " tomboyish," and a vivacious description of her high spirits and fondness for fun and frolic has been given by one of the gamekeepers of Richmond Park. "My word, what a bonnie girl she was," he says ; "as full of fun as a young kitten ! Many's the time she played rounders and hide-and-seek with my httle kiddies, who are grown men and women now. She was no end of a romp. She'd fence with a bit of stick broken off from a tree, and whistle a tune as well as her brothers. I'll tell you another secret. She used to play cricket. ♦ B______ ■ w igs£-i^^i^„ Ja?=) ->> princess IHarp La/ay ette. Ltd She'd hrst of all watch our boys play, and laugh and shout over the game ; and when they'd gone, she'd bring her brothers along and get them to bowl to her. ' ' She made great pets of two of my dogs — a brown retriever, called Venus, and another one, called Bob, with four white legs. She could make them do anything. I wonder if she remembers them now ? " Dogs were always the favourite pets of Queen Mary, but she liked dolls equally as well. She became, under the guidance of her mother, an accom- plished needle- woman, and took the keenest delight in mak- ing garments for the inhabitants other dolls'- house; and more than once she exhibited ex- amples of em- broidery and cross- stitching at the Exhibi- tions of the Home Arts and Industries at the Royal Albert Hall. Gardening, too, she became very fond of, and a little corner of the ground of White Lodge w^as handed over to her special care. Here she cultivated flowe rs, and great was her delight when her father wore one of her blos- soms in his coat, and her mother allowed her to provide some for the table decorations. The Duchess personally superintended and took the greatest interest in the education of her children. Indeed, her diary contains such entries as, " Heard May say her dates " ; " Had May down to read the Psalms " ; " Had tea in the nursery, and played geographical lotto," and so on. Rer rnotber's Secretary The sharp intellect of Princess May, therefore, quickly developed, and, without becoming precocious, the child made rapid strides in her education. At the age of eight she understood German and music (she was very musical) ; she studied under Signor (now Sir) Paolo Tosti. Her voice was a sweet soprano, though not powerful, and often she sang in the drawing-room of White Lodge. The Duchess allowed Princess May, as she grew up, to act as her secretary. To be coiiiiniied in Part 2 Every. Encyclopedia Woman's