The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-06-06
Our Olio.
How Queen Victoria Entertains.

need not tell you how simple, plain
and perfectly English and womanly are
the habits and tastes of the Queen. The
Priace of Wales, socially, is nothing more
than rich, sporting, pleasure-loving
squire. The style of entertainment at the
palace, for example, is qnite like that you
would receive at the house of the Duke Of
Sutherland or the Duke of Westminster
Nay, | have even heard the complaint
limited that when the Queen entertains of
ficials at dinner the viands are not various
or as well served as at any ordinary aris.
tocratic gentleman's house. The Queen
certainly sets an example of economy to
her upper class subjects. When she comes
to London for the early Parliamentary sea
son, her fayorite method of dispensing
hospitality is to give garden parties and
breakfasts in Buckingham Palace gar
dens, or in the private garden of Windsor
Castle. Invitations to these are, of course,
very much sought for, because they are
the most select there you come directly
in contact with royalty, and see it more
nearly and familiarly than if you dined
with the Queen in the castle.
When you are conducted to the garden
by one of the scarlet Aunkies Of majesty,
said Aunky is about the only visible hint
of its being royal party. You see pretty
tents and canvass pavilions disposed here
and there under the oaks, on the velvet
lawn, or by the side of the pretty minia-
ture lake. If this is in the Buckingham
Palace garden, which is in the very CEN
tire of fashionable West End London, the
moment you have passed behind the high
wall which shuts it out from St. James
park on the one side and Grosvener square
on the other, you would never guess that
you were in the midst of the city. The
surroundings are exquisite and most illu-
sorily rural. You see a number of gen.
tlemen and ladies elegantly dressed stand
ing about in groups partaking of the by
no-means sumptuous fare that is being
served without ceremony in the tents
The scene is cheerful, elegant bon ton,
easy aud unrestrained. You catch a
glimpse of the Queen, dressed in black,
with here and there relief of rich white
lace, but with no suspicion of tinsel or
gaudiness about her plain lady, of sub
stantial proportions, in the prime of life,
the centre Of respectful but by no means
awed or abashed circle, receiving those
whom she recognizes with a slight smile
and a pleasant word, and the presentation
of those she does not know with slight
bow. There are faces here familiar to you
in the windows of the print shops-noble-
men, statesmen, ministers, ambassadors,
leaders of society and court fashion but
there is little or no prctention of manner
or carriage.
You are surprised above all at the sim
plicity, the elegant commonplaces, of the
whole thing. You may jostle Wales or
the Russian Ambassador or the Lord Chief
Justice without being in the least aware
Of the fact. The gentleman who, seeing
you are a stranger, asks you if you will
not have sandwich and cup of coffee, may
be fashionable artist or provincial may
or, and may be the Duke of Teck. If,
perchance, you have been at tste cham
Petre ut some great country house-say
at Chatsworth or Belvoir-you say to
yourself that this differs in no striking
respect from it, unless, indeed, it differs
by its lesser brilliancy and its more sug-
gestive simplicity London Correspondent
Boston Post