Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-06-12
AN ENGLISH sE0W.

fusion, and who love liberty mo,
than they love monarchy, the folio,
ing, from Harper's Bazaar, giving a
account of tho ceromony of present,
Lion to tho Queen, will be amusing:
] 10 be presented to tho Queen Is th
,oast of English womon and mer
The presentation rooms arc on tn
ccond story, and occupy the cntir
quadrangle of st. James Palace
opcuing Que into the other through
the whole suite.
About six levecs are held year
It takes a hundred men three week
to prepare the rooms. Every thing il
measured by the inexorablo law o
etiquette. The dress is prescribed
tho material, the lcngth Of trains
the modo of dressing the hair, and
tho style Of tho garments. Tho
doors would bo shut in the faco OF
the highest lady in tho land if she
departed in the slightest dcgrec from
the we'll known law. The dress Of
the ladies must be velvet, satin, silk
laco or tullo. Brides arc allowed to
wear whito tulle, and widows black
tullc; but each muet be trimmed with
roses or variegated ribbons. Peers,
ambassadors, and military officers
wear thclr full uniform. Judges wear
wigs, and lawyers appear in gowns of
scarlet and black, according to their
rank. Bishops and clergy who have
the run Of the Court come out in full
clerical costume. Tho Court dress of
the "gentlemen," is black dress coat
and pants, and. white vest, which
must be open, and white cravat. The
Master of Ceremonies prcscribes the
order for dressing the hair. Court
hair dressers arc tow. They arc en-
gagged not only hours, but days before
before the Presentation, and do their
sleeping in sitting posture.
The Throne Room Is a right royal
room. There is not seat in it cx-
ccpt the throne and the gi!dcd chair
ut the foot. On platform reached
by three stops, and on q crimson car
pot spattercd with gold, stands gilt
Gothic chair surmounted by q cross.
This is tho Throne 1t is covered
with canopy of crimson velvet,
trimmed with heavy golden lace. On
tho top Of the canopy is q golden
cushion, on which rests q larger gold
crown. The Throne Room is very
long, nearly two hundred feet. Run
n,ng tho whole lcngth is a heavy iron
fence, full five feet high, capped with
crimson velvet. Between it and the
wall is narrow passage leading from
tho entrance to the TLronc, through
which but ono person can pass at q
time. The great throng below, at a
given signal, como mp tho stairway,
which is covered with cocoa mating
and worn crimson carpoting. They
enter the great Audience Room that
opens into tho Throne Room.
The Audience Room is very gor-
geous with satin hangings, rauian,
with vermillion and gold, but it is all
cut up into little catLlc-pens, made of
iron ratings very high and strong
They open one into another the whole
length of the great chamber, making
zigzag passages from tho entrance tc
tie Throne Room. These pens arc
seharatep by heavy iron gates, guard
cd by officials, through which eacl,
person has to pass. Precedence is
everything. When the signal is Civ
en- below, then tho rush commences
The fine ladies become a disordcrly
mob. They crowd on each other
rend laces, trample vclvcts and satin:
undor foot; and with all these guards
to keep them orderly, they often ap
pear in the "Presence," as it is called
all tattered and torn, and in q state O.
general dilapidatien.
Back of tho Throne is the Queen,
Closet. 1t is dilapidated-lookinf
room, low studded, scanty furnished
but old, which is the greatest attrac
tion. Her Majesty is painfully prompt
At tho exact moment she comes out O
her Royal Closet and takes her stant
on the lower stop of the Throne
On the signal being given, ..Hor Maj
esty's Ministers, with the Foreigr
ambassadors, enter from the privat,
door file singly before the Queen, bow
and take their seats in the centre. O
the room, whore they remain. Th
crowd is admitted ono by one, passin,
through all the pens till they approach
the Throne. TO manage the train i
! no easy matter. Lessons are given il
this art as on horseback riding. eac]
lady bas to take care of her trai,
herself. She throws it over her arm
andin tho carriage the huge pile tow
ors over her head. She carries it n
tho afairuov fo ,Lo