Victoria is immensely grown, and her figure is forming. She is changing so much—beginning to leave the child and grow into the girl. I hear she has been good and desirous of doing what is right; and she has more to contend with than Ella, therefore double merit in any thing she overcomes, and any self-sacrifice she makes.
Ernie is very well, and his birthday was a great delight. Sweet little May is enchanting,—“my weet heart,” as she calls me. Aliky is very handsome and dear.
Darmstadt, December 12th.
I see this letter will just arrive on the 14th—day never to be forgotten! How deeply it is graven in my heart—with letters of blood; for the pain of losing him, and of witnessing your grief, was as sharp as any thing any child can go through for its beloved parents. Yet God’s mercy is to be found through all, and one learns to say “Thy will be done,” hard though it is. * * *
[1877].
The health of Prince Charles of Hesse (father of Prince Louis) had for some time past given cause for great anxiety. He had always suffered from violent headaches and a delicate throat. On the evening of the 11th of March he was seized with erysipelas, and died peacefully on the 20th. The Princess shared the grief of her mother-in-law and family most truly; for Prince Charles, though outwardly shy and retiring, was a man of great cultivation and refinement, and had made himself beloved by all who knew him. He was buried in the Mausoleum at the Rosenhöhe on the 24th of March. The Grand Duke, who was deeply affected by his brother’s death, and all the family were present.
A month had scarcely passed since Prince Charles’ death, when the Grand Duke himself was attacked by serious illness at Seeheim, one of his summer residences, near Darmstadt, and died on the 13th of June at the age of seventy-one.
Prince Louis was the next heir, and ascended the throne as Grand Duke Louis IV.
The total change of circumstances, the heavy duties and responsibilities of her new position, came most unexpectedly upon the Princess, and she scarcely felt herself equal to them. With her well-known conscientiousness and high feeling of duty it was not surprising that they weighed heavily upon her, more especially as her health had of late become very delicate. Still, the hope of being able to carry out many a plan for the welfare of her adopted country encouraged her greatly.