, 1870-12-25
Queen v,ctorfn,. 1ndte. ia v.n,,,nr

Queen FlctoTfn's Ladies' IN Waiting.
An EEslish correspondent w1ltes: With
one exception, att Queen victoria'a ttiajies in
waiting ate widows Since Ltr hu=band's
death Ler Majesty Las always selected ladics
similarly be1eAved. They receive $500 year,
which il a very acceptable addition to tho
jointur" Of Al Irish Fecrees. T1oy are alwa.s
wtvcs OF widows Of Tee.a.
iuur 6 ltllee are not Considered eligible as
Nn-atis Of lonor" unless they are grand
dsHgier< q. recz, rot Of lover rank III Al
~ Eatl. They ars almost Invariably selected
iton' tmcng the daughtess Of the dsugh-
tats OF y1urees sols Of Peers. and are
"a rc:nIoa which renders theif aal&tv OF
ls'@ .ccr IN object Tie life Ct mail OF
scrc: I; .lE: CONF, Of Queen Victoria has been
ss he fsti:' :e'aptstion to stoop to folly as
that q Tic souuE ladies' whom VIC read of in
De G1ann,casa sleIaoir= WIS full, and ia
oeMe Jeal irge aEd the other txo charming
snbjecsn Of Lcl,'s pencil. which hava been
banded doWn BY him to posstsitv. would haya
been d1eAdfully bored b. the Windsor Of to-
dar. which. never lively for young indies
au1ins the Present reign. oTcu II the bast Of
times, IL now duller than ever tn. maid, OF
lonor ret.in their title Of honor
able" which they receive On appointment,
after tkey marry, but it is notable that their
FcEtCn is not considered to advance their
prospects OF Iufki1ga good match. and, in
faet, IN xorldls point Of view, they sarnly
Q4Ify WELL
The Queen generally presents : maid Of
honor with . handsome PRESENT IN money, be.
rides the huDd1e guinea. Cas- shmere shlwl
which Ia Her Majesty. almost ,nyariahle gift.
Many of them retain their positions long
after they have reached middle life, and one.
ladr. now retifed, who wss removed. turned
deaf err to repeated intima,iocs shAt her rec
5gpatlon would bo accepted, wks old enough 10
have been Her Aajes:y's mother. There are
a1Earb numerous applicants for ali the posi-
tious about tho court. and 1t the same time
many OF those whom the Queen would pkrtic-
u1efly like to have about her decline, End,
indeed, unless money 10 decided object,
there IL little iuducemcut tn persons in high
poRit1eu to undertake such duties. In former
days close connection existed between court
Z lhcts and Politics, 1rd it is matter OF hia-
toFx that the llte Sir Robert Peel
ut An early period in the prassut
reign declined 10 form government, te-
cause the Queen refused to psrt with csrtsin
membtrH Of her household. "frie nfs Of her
youth, whe se influence Sir Robert considered
would frueasate his o@o- Nov, boweTer, ex-
cept IN the case Of The mistress Of thu 1obes,
which Is regarded ~ high otf1ce OF St1te. q
Minister very rarely raises objection to the
preeeIce OF auE particular lady, although no
coubs, il he did 80 sha would bo obliged to re-
sign.
In London this 1adiss In waiting do not So
tuAlly live at the pal1cs, but aro fetched and
carried accordingly ~ their attendance ia re-
quued, BY r0yl clrIiags placed at their
dispoasl, but the maids OF honor live 1t the
raltca both in town md country. Tho Queon
always shoue kindly recollection Of old sar-
wants dasa,Ting it, whsthe1 OF high OF Low
degree.