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  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 12/15/1912

    7 Great Percy Street

    Kings Cross Road

    London, England

    c. December 15, 1912

    My Dear Son,

    …Well we have been taking in the museums and as Papa has described them pretty well.…I might say old Queen Victoria's wedding dress looked very old fashioned in these day of very modern ones. It was white satin trimmed with white lace, very full skirt. The evening dress after the wedding was white silk. Then there were others blue and red and lavender that she used on big occasions. Look very old fashioned. Queen Alexander's coronation dress and robe and crown was more up to date. Her dress was a marvel of beauty, gold colored silk, covered with white net and ornamented with diamonds and pearls, diamond necklace and pearls. She is a beautiful figure from the appearance of the dress. It seemed perfect in fit and form. If you saw the diamonds by the thousand you would not think much of the little one you had.

    We saw Queen Victoria's little play things, little dolls she dressed herself, some little common ones with little aprons and hats no better than I had when a girl.

    We saw where they put the condemed men before the execution. In passing through this miserable cell, the first look would make you shudder. There lay the model of a man on a bed of straw, his head against the wall and his hands chained, an old bowl to eat out of and a crude jug to drink out of. He lay in old clothes, the picture of misery and despair. Just behind where he lay there was a rat. You couldn't imagine anything worse for a human being.

    The palace is a poor looking place. Nothing nice about it. I could not begin to describe the many interesting things. It would have to be seen to be appreciated. I enjoyed seeing birds and fowls of all descriptions with nests of eggs and some with their young.

    We like it here, but I like America better.…

    Your loving Mother

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