Mexico Missouri Message

Has Narrow Escape from Death In Fire in Royal Residence,

The life of Queen Alexandra was imperiled by a fire which broke out Dec. 10 in the royal palace at Sandringham in a room adjoining that in which the Queen was sleeping. Only by a fortunate circumstance was the fire discovered—and her majesty aroused in time to prevent a calamity. As it was Queen Alexandra had an extremely narrow escape, being forced to flee through the smoke from her room in a dressing gown.

The queen's secretary, Miss Knollys, in whose bedroom the fire started, just succeeded in awaking her before the smoke and flames became too thick to form a barrier to their escape.

The queen had barely escaped from her apartment when the floor of the room collapsed, carrying with it her bed.

The fire started in Miss Knollys' bedroom in the chimney flue, where a beam is supposed to have been smoldering for some days. It spread rapidly to the queen's bedroom.

Miss Knollys, awakened by the smoke, rushed at once to Queen Alexandra's bedroom. Groping her way through the smoke and flames which already filled the room, she awakened the queen. Hastily throwing her own dressing gown over her royal mistress she guided her from the room.

The two women had just reached the broad corridor outside when the floor of the queen's room collapsed. Five minutes' delay would have meant almost certain death for both.

Following the fire the greatest excitement prevailed in the house, where a big house party is staying. The fire was confined to the two bedrooms.

The Hon. Charlotte Knollys, lady in waiting to Queen Alexandra and the queen's closest friend, undoubtedly saved the queen's life by her presence of mind during the fire. Miss Knollys' connection with the queen's household began twenty years ago. She is highly esteemed by every member of the royal family, and recently it was reported the king contemplated making her a peeress in her own right.

HON. CHARLOTTE KNOLLYS