The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-05-04
Opening Of Parliament.

Mr.. III. Jennings writes very inter-
estng letter to the World on the opening
of Parliament. Referring to the appear
ance Of the crowd of ladies present, he
says:
On this occasion the ladies overlooked
the House. Early as it still was, the
floor was covered with them-large
blocks of the benches were occupied and
the galleries were crowded. All these
ladies were in evening toilets, the peer
esses wearing coronets of diamonds
most of them being fairly ablaze with
diamonds on head and neck. If the day
light was not favorable to the shoulders
or mplexions of some of these noble
DANES, the gorgeousness Of their cos
tunes and the glitter of their precious
stones served to divert attention from the
defects of nature or the ravages OF time.
The dresses we're, in many instances, SUI
perb, covered with lace or gold, aud cut
with that eye to liberal display which is
now deemed Indispensable to any woman
of fashion. 1t is perhaps not quite fair
to mention names, but when Lady
Dudley entered, "a friend Of mine whispered,
''She has absolutely nothing on but dia-
monds." Aud it did look very like it.,
until her husband went away and pres
emily returned with an ermine cloak,
which she put over her shoulders. There
were many others, however, of whom it
might almost be said that they had more
clothing off than on. This is delicate
subject, but it is not my fault; did not
make the fashions. An assemblage of
ladies such as that which was gathered
in the House of Lords to-day is a startling
sight to look upon. l wonder what Ia
dies would say if actresses in theatre or
singers at an opera were to dress, or un-
dress, in the same style9 How they can
consent to send their daughters out into
''society" almost destitute of raiment is
even more mysterious than their readiness
to gaze on their own abundant charms. If
the fashionable milliner goes much fur
Their in the present direction, we may ex-
pect to see the stock in her rooms and
windows limited to an ELEGANT assort-
ment" of fig leaves.
Speaking of the Queens entrance, he
says: In few moments there slowly en-
tered and, to my eyes, a stately process
sion--pursuivants and heralds in the mag
niticent costumes of their craft, bright
gold and scarlet, dressed most quaint
and picturesque, but impossible to de-
scribe. Then followed great officers of
State-the Duke of Richmond, the Duke
of Norfolk earl MarshaD, and many
more, all bowling low to the throne as
they passed, and toward the House. Then
came lady in a very long dress, dark in
color, but with lace plentifully scattered
over it, and with ribbons and orders and
diamonds innumerable upon it. This
was the Queen. She advanced in dead
silence, took up her position in the chair,
and sat perfectly still while one could
have counted ten. Her face, if truth is no
disrespect when l compare it to the face
of somewhat elderly cook who has been
hard at work over the kitchen fire. But
the diamonds upon her head and neck
fairly dazzled the eye, even in the day
light, and no wonder, for she wore the
far-famed Koh-i-noor as brooch, a crown
of diamonds on her head, and necklaces
and other adOrnments of matchless
beauty and priceless value. Who could
venture to estimate the value of the jew
els worn by the Queen this afternoons
They made bright white light on her
dark dress, and took off almost all appear
ance of her being in mourning Every
time she moved rays of prismatic hues
seemed to dart from her in all directions"
An Englishman may take liberties with
his Queen, but when he describes her as
looking like red-faced, frowsy old cook,
it is little too much.