General remarks on the competition and on the competitors must, of course, be delayed till all the papers have been sent in and been examined.
1. Did a Queen ever voluntarily lay down the sceptre and retire into private life?
Several competitors left this query unanswered. One girl frankly declared, “I do not think that any woman, once having tasted the sweets of power, would ever give it up!” The most frequent name given erroneously was that of Lady Jane Grey, the unfortunate nine days’ queen. Those girls answered correctly who gave the remarkable abdication of Christina, Queen of Sweden, who of her own free will retired from regal business in 1654, heartily sick of the “splendid slavery of royalty.” The leading incidents of her eccentric career were well given in few words by many competitors.
2. What stone is said to endow whoever kisses it with wonderful powers of speech?
Few had any difficulty about this question, and many gave answers abounding in interesting details. The competitor who simply answered, “The Blarney Stone,” was right enough, but was quite an exception in being sparing of her words. Almost everyone knew that the stone was at Blarney Castle, near Cork. Some explained how to kiss it in the proper manner, and nobody disputed the saying that, when one’s lips have once touched it, the power of persuasive speech is sure to follow.
“There is a stone there
That whoever kisses
Oh! he never misses
To grow eloquent.”