, 1874-09-05
FAMILIAR TALK.
PAGES.

AtEEuAt Pt4bOAAl hkttiAhAtV AFoA uOfO4tibua
and mobiles WAS III oxistonce at All carly poriod
among tho porsians. and Was introduced into
Europo In Tho middle ages, under tho usages Of
Chiva1ry and Foudaliam. Tho name pago, which
comes from the Crock word for boy, was glvon
to tho youth who thus actod In what waa eateonl-
cd tho honorable capacity OF q servant 10 a
Royal aud titlod maBtor. l1o was oligible ut
tho ago Of 7 for the position. and occupied It
until fitted by years. aud trimming for promotion
to tho rank OF Esquire aud Knight. Even Tho
sons Of Kings did not ncorn to fulfill tho Office Of
Page and In tho retinue OF distinguished man
Of birth, wealth. and ability, receive tho benefit
OF . thorough discipline in tho arts Of war,
diplomacy. and craftsmanship. Edward tho
black Prince performed no moro graceful sor-
vico In llia brave mud brilliant career than whon
Ito stood behind tho unfortunate King John Of
Franco whilo ho sat at table captive III tho tent
Of tho Princes fAthes, and with deterrent oourtesy
lillod hls cup with vino aud banded him Lis mp
kin.
Tie noble Daysrl. tho Chcyalier sans ,,eur Ct
sahs reprocht, was III Ills youth page in tho
house Of the bishop Of Grenoble. rhere 10
waited ut table, ra1i OF crrauuB, carried 1estOrs
and 1nos1ages aud brought buck answers, and
otherwise did his nnbtnr'a Kidding. From tho
serylco Of tic Dinl.op Of Gronobo. Dayard pasaed
&o TINT Of tho Duke Of Savoy, where so added to
LILO TDl1f5lOAH uhOltH HlEpH1T q Kn0HGunG.
aud practice Of attna. Lassela tails story Of
Charles, tho wnrfike Duke Of Durgunty Which
indicates TINT tho ministry of tile Pige wns
sometimes rewarded with sayaRe cruelty. In tho
famona light Of aiuret, III which tho Duke was
worstcd, liz was compelled to swim laKo 1nilos
III width OH tue back of Ills Atso. III ostior to es-
cape from tho oncroaciling enemy. His young
Page, III tho saino desperate case, but with
out horse to helr him across the wator, loaped
up behind bis nlLstor. aud 30 reaclicd
Is, L., ttn is1o rnt1 Jt,,A
when tho Duke lls1d landed. full Of ragn at his
mortirYins flight md tho peril ha Ind incurred,
ho fclt hs iro increase ut tho thought chat his
Pago had retarded his urogrosa toward n covert
by adding to tho incunbrance on his horse. and,
poignartlcd tho boy on tho spot. ''poor priuco,"
adds Lassels, ~ thou miE!iteut llnyo given MI
other offering Of thanksgiving to God for thy
t,acape thnn thla."
Tic institution OF pagedom passed nwny with
tho osa Of CIvulry yoL ho1l,o rol'o Of it remains
to tho praaatlt tnr. George the Third waB the
latoat Englial, sovereign who oyor performed
the office. Whom hls parents. tho princo
Ata Princess OF Wnlea, wero ut dinner, Prince
George and his brother Edward uHod to stand
mart mud wnit upon tho august pair, who talked
and 1oked with tho boys meanwhile, in exactly
the lusllion tlat n Lord and Lady OF tho olden
time woned discourse with a couple Of Pages in
waiting, wtu woro to l,o instructed by tho Quo
iii tho school Of arInH mud by tue other in the
Acllool of love. When George tho Fourth eont
the Duke Of Northumberland to represent him
at tho coronation Of Oharloa the Tonth, ho was
accompanied by two lAndaonlo, ligh-born En-
gliah 14orls M his Pages: At thc coronation.
tho fill robcs OF Tho Ordcr of tile Garter.
Ono uf tho paEos, the Hon. George Murray.
afterwards Duke OF Athoo, WIS dressed In
fancy huBhar uniform OF light blno. Tho other.
tho Hon. James Dnmnoiid, W0ro a HighEautt
costume. -Four Pages Of l1onor form part. of
the state OF Queen fictoria'a Court. Thoir i,,-
coma il -E2u9 each, and, nt the oioHo Of their
Pngnhood, they receive q commission in tho
Foot Guards without purchase.
~ France. tlo nlllela! organization of Pagos
monnrcl ttloro wern l53 Pages Of ttio Cl1ambor
uni Of tho Gfoat Stables. every ono OF whom
cnnld provo noble descent OF at luast two cen-
tl1rica. Thoy ooenpicd ifty ygay chambers on tho
food, light. mud fire, cost tho treasuryof tho King
the sun of 8D,uDn francs auntally. They clotlcd
lhclnsclves snlnpt,tonsly ouL Of the pockot-
money, amounting 10 GOO liyrcs per yoar, fur
nishca to eact' pasa BY bis parentn. Their state
Uniform Of gold. embroidered crimson volvet,
with plun,cl l,at., cost co pounds sterling AMI
their scarlet cloth 11ndrosa rich and fancl-
ful ~ gold aud eil2er lace could make It. Their
duties wero to attend continually npcn tho mcm-
bors Of tho lloya! family; to wait upon tho King
to accompany him to tho tleatro; to go with
him hunting, nnd load and hand him lis gun,
md rocord iu their books tho number OF
head OF game ho bagged; to rido by tic cnrriago
when tho prtMcesgoa took MI afring or walk near
them whom they ohoao to 20 OH foot f; in short,
to come and go 1T tho book OF their masters, oil
all sorts Of light sot lncquoy-liko services.
Where = crowd OF young rotninera wero thus
brought together under no yory strict aurYci-
lance. thoY naturally learned Bomo ylcos along
with tho yistnos. Their master was their model
md, good OF bad. they stroyo to initiate him.
From nssocialion with the lalieE aboye them
they gni!,od the arts OF Eallantry, which they
rraotced in honor asld purity, or not 10. accord
conner among eatablis,,ol Pages for a
limo hnd n hard lito OF ii. ma waH
1uado q sort Of fas, aud forced to whit Oh tho
rout until, by his pluck and spirit, he compelled
hip prosecutors to ren1or him The roHpoot thoy
gnvo each other. This rough experience deyel-
opel tho mottlo in tho boy aud toughonoa his
narvo, and III thaso respects was undoubtedly
good for him. Tho book~oducation OF the pages
torH, ind study IN tho nttic Of Versailles.
When Louis XVI catao to grief. his ragos did
not 3eHort him. Thoy citing. to the nlauter whom
thoy loyo' ~ "oll as s"rvod. until Ills owl aes-
tiny reaohod 'ta fatal termination. .'Tlsy
rsyely bss,Sy and unhonatfuly." After tho Roysl
honseGo'u was broken up, the most Of thom
were sacrificed to tllo fanatio spirit OF tho ieyo-
luton, 'rl!oY were murdered by tho mobB, or
niartyrod on tito hoafrold. or thoy foil in open
fight for what was to them q sacrod calso. Ono
or two Of thoin appeared again as Pages In tho
household Of tile Emperor. few, bocamo dis
tinguiBAol III tho army, aud 4 few laid aside tho
privileges of nobility aNd ionsd s!,o Ereat ,nul-
utudo who oarn tl,oir broad, Two or tlroo took
to the Btago, and unttor pHnldouytnn gained CO.
lobrlty. Ia Tie restored House Of Bourbon thote
was no lau's of Pages, hut tho otignnl institution
could not be Hall to exist, aud With Charlea x
f1,n nut frunG4 of IT. nnrishn1