Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-03-08
:2HE' O/'ENIA g. OF THE
ENGLISH P1RL/A MENT.
CURIOUS PROCEEDINGS.

esting TO the reader
lt LONDON, Feb. I9.-This great
world of London felt an anssual
thrill of expectation through its
million hearted bosom last Thurs
day morning, the day set down for
the opening of Parliament. When
the soFereign OF these REALMS dele1s
gates the task of opening Parlia>
rnent to hiin of the wool sack, Lon
don waits without excitement for
the papers to- get out their extras
containing ''the Queens Speech"
and there is the erd Of IT. But "the
Queen viii open Parliament in per
sor, that changes everything
The American curiosity to see a
famous parsonage is a feeling en-.
tirely different to the Englishman's
desire to see the parade of royalty
with therg well-beloved Queen as
| the ceatral figure. 1t calls Up the
stately traditions of centuries, and
in the presence of the fact that Il
Queen and Empress is ahout to
open the session something of the
majestic pageants of olden times
from Norman William through
Plantagenets, Tudors, Stuarts and
Hanorerians floets tacinatingly be
fore the eyes of the Englishnlau,
be she pecress or sewing girl, de-
lights the heart with a picture Of the
pomp Of robes ard coronets, silks,
Jewels and cloth of golt', over which
the romance of the past fiings a
mcllowing sPlendor.
From early morning the people,
old and young of both sexes, gath
cred in swarms, such as only Lon
don can turn out, in the vicinity OF
Westminster ard Charing Gross
and along the Mall in the Park
the route Her Magesty would take
from Buckingham Palace to the
House of Lords. Meantime the
gorgeous Chamber cf the Lords,
warm and rich in color as it always
is with the softened light pouring
in through the stained glass win
dows, the grained and fretted roof
the scrulptured barons OF the Mag
ma Charta frowning solemnly from
! their inches, the great trescoes OF
Machise, Horseiy and Dyce al
either end of the Chamber, were
taking on new aud moro brilliant
t tcnes. By quarter to one O'Clock
the chamber was filled, the peer
, esses and their friends covering tho
/ benches until the floor of the house
! looking from the gallarics resemblet
parterre Of the richest hued flower
that horticulturists ever gatherc'
into single bed, the ladies al
being in tnll dress costumes. Al
hour before the ceremony for whicl
: all were waiting, the diplomatic de
+ pariment was filled with ambassa
: dors in brilliant costumes, thei
: breasts starred with decorations.
i Among the carly arrivals wcr
L Lord Honghton and the Dnke c
:. estminster, in their peers :obe
$ Of scarlet, trimmed with ermine
B Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain
y Lord Aveland, gorgeous in velvc
D embroidered with gold =; the Duk
of Richmond Lord President {
, the Privy Conncii, IN military nm
I !" form, as aide-dc camp of the Queer
the Duchess of Sutherland,
- creamy white satin, elaborated
Z trimmed with antique lace an
f miniver fur. But they came pou
+ inc in SO fast and in stream s
,r brilliant that the eye could scarcel
a identify one celebrity or quccnI
81 beauty before another swept pas
The latest to arrive was the Coun
lie css of Dudley, considered the ham
IS soonest pecress III Great Britain
Sc tall, stately and fair creature
le some thirty summers, with aubul
W hair, delicate features and vio!
er eyes. She swore a robe of viol
l velvet trimmed with Chantilly lat
"a and bracelets of saphires and dis
% monds. Nine. Pierrepoint W;
: noted in a brilliant costume OF We
y vet trimmed with black Chantil
- lace and black and scarlet ell
% broidery, and wearing pearls al
!, diamonds at the neck and fcathc
h of dianopds in the hair.
h The Chinese Embass caused
I'd fiutter as they entered in the
as Oriental costume and vermiliol
ct tipped headgear. The bishops,
ne long sleeves and led velvet gowI
trimmed with white fur, cluster
,e m together near the woolsack. 7
NC *. Judges, in their formidable wi
II and red gowns, entered in proce
'st sion, and were seated in front OF t
er woolsack. /, Next arrived the Lo
is Chancellor (Cairns,l in state a
ga tremendously, an attendant carr
ing before him the mace and eea