Gloriana; or, the revolution of 1900Dixie, Florence, Lady
General
Gloriana; or, the revolution of 1900
Dixie, Florence, Lady
Speculative fiction; Utopias -- Fiction; Women's rights -- Fiction
“Buried there! Ah, no!” replies the man almost indignantly. “I thought
all the world knew where Gloria of Ravensdale sleeps. There is a
beautiful grave overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, on the shores of Glenuig
Bay. It is there where Gloria sleeps, by the side of her husband Evelyn,
the good Duke of Ravensdale. It was her wish, and her wish with the
nation was law. Every year the grave is resorted to by thousands, who
lay upon it their tributes of lovely flowers.”
“Is any one else buried there?” again the stranger asks.
“Yes, sir, a great woman, Lady Flora Desmond. She survived Gloria of
Ravensdale for many years, and carried on her noble works of reform. She
was Prime Minister for twenty years, and her last request was to be
buried at the feet of the Duke and Duchess of Ravensdale.”
“The Ravensdales owned immense wealth, and parted with it all, so
history says,” murmurs the stranger.
“Ay, sir, they gave it all to the poor. At least, they spent it on the
poor, and by their noble example induced others to do likewise,” answers
the man. “There is no poverty in this country now, sir. As we pass
across it you will see evidence of peace and contentment, and plenty
everywhere. We owe it all to the glorious reforms of Gloria of
Ravensdale.”
“That is a very lovely garden not far from Westminster Bridge which you
lately pointed out to me,” continued the stranger. “What a glorious
wealth of flowers!”
“Ah! that sir is where Léonie Stanley saved Gloria de Lara from
assassination by a maniac. But she lost her life in doing so. She was
accorded a public funeral, and by the wish of the nation buried where
she fell. The garden was laid out afterwards. It is the nation’s pride
to keep it beautiful. Léonie’s heroic deed will for ever live in the
hearts of a grateful people.”
“And where is the great Lord Estcourt buried?”
“In the National Burial Ground, where only those whom the nation loves
to honour are laid.”
“Yonder splendid building is the Imperial Parliament, is it not?”
pursues the stranger.
“Yes, sir. That is where the representatives of our Federated Empire
watch over its welfare. To Gloria of Ravensdale we owe the triumph of
Imperial Federation. She lived long enough to see England, Ireland,
Scotland, and Wales peacefully attending to their private affairs in
their Local Parliaments, while sending delegates to represent them in
the Imperial Assembly. Ah, sir! that Imperial Assembly is a wonderful
sight. Therein we see gathered together representative men and women
from all parts of our glorious Empire, working hand in hand to spread
its influence amongst the nations of the world, with all of whom we are
at peace.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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