The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-22


AIDS Office to trace their origin to some one
of the before mentioned twenty thousand
Norman adventures. A rage for titles ex-
lists and where the title of woman is high
er than that of her husband, it is not dropped
but paraded ever afterwardsin contrast witt
his, which Is construed, show wonderfully
have condescended to marry him.
In every paper you see, during the season
such announcements as the following taker
from the Times: Frances, Countess Wal
dergrave and the Right Hon. Chichester
Fortesque, NJ, P. cher fourth husband
her title being derived from her first
received a select party at dinner on
yesterday" and "The Countess OF Guilford
and Mr.. Elliot will leave town On Wednes
day next for the Continent"
II they chance to belong to an order oil
Knighthood, they never forget to sign aftel
their names letters by which they are
known, as John Bull, G. B., meaning Com.
panion of the Bath, and Richard Rot. X. g.,
Knight Of the Garter.
A country gentleman informed us that il
was common in the rural districts for wives OIL
Members of Parliament to have engraved
upon their cards, "W. NJ. P, meaning wife
of Member of Parliament, but as no case
of the kind came under our observation
we must presume that he was engaged
in chatting us. A dingy looking deal
er in milk and cheese opposite our lodg'
ings sent US bis card which ran as follows
sHarry Patmore, P. A. Il. F." Not under.
standing the meaning Of these letters, and
presuming that he could hardly belong to
a learned society or the most recent batch OF
new creations, we had recourse to our land.
lady whs solved the mystery by explain ing
that the title he bore was "Purveyor of Asses
Milk to the Royal Family"
The daily papers chronicle the most triiing
incidents connected with the Royal family so
that they may be said to live constantly in
the full gaze of the public-to have no pri-
vate life whatever. If the Prince of Wales
should come to town for a day from his
country seat, Sandringham, the details are
gathered by the penny liners and Jenkin-
SEES of the press, and all the circumstances OF
the journey to and fro are infinitely detailed,
as il the route he took to the railway station.
and the persons by whom he was attended,
were matters Of the greatest public impors
lance. The public is informed that his car
riages were close and not open ones; that the
carriages on arriving at the station did rot
draw up at the public entrance, but passed on
to the Queens private waiting room; that
there was platform, and moreover platform
covered with crimson cloth, land that the Roy
al party alighted on said platform-that the
Prince and Princess appeared in excellent
health and spirits, and that instead OF pass
Ing on from the platform to the waiting
room without condescending to notice the
spectators, they actually showed very graz
ciously to the bystanders. The dress Of
the Princess is described with the minute
ness and particularly of mantuamaker, and
the Prince, we are told, wore wide-awake
instead of his usual chimney-pot hat. The
names of the officials who received the Roy
al party on the crimson cloth platform and
escorted it therefrom are duly recorded, and
before the perilous journey is commenced
the farther additional information is vouch-
safed that the Estate saloon was placed in
the centre of the passenger train," and that
these tremendous prepare
lions, sthe train left at the usual hour, "and
travelling by certain stations with its Illus
tirous inmates--the only stations by which it
could pass-arrived at the usual hour at the
London terminus, where we are further told,
every preparation was made by the railway
authorities for the reception of the Royal
party, who are said to have stood the fatig-
ueing journey of two hours remarkably well.
Every incident is now again detailed OF how
they left the train, what carriages they en-
tered through what streets they passed.;
how bis Royal Highness, seeing chimney
on fire, expressed the opinion that the public
health required that all families residing in
the Metropolis should adopt the Derby pat
ent for consuming their own smoke; how the
public assembled in front of Marlborough
House to catch glimpse of the future king
and queen, and how they were disappointed
by the Royal party which turned up Piccadil-
ly and down Constitution Hill and alighted
at Buckingham Palace.
In extenuation of this snobbery, the stran-
ger is told that these published details are
by the newspaper reporters from
footmen, buffers and kitchen maids, and are
not communicated by the ''noble lords and
ladies' themselves; that he must not fall in
to the error of making them responsible for
the prying curiosity and vulgar weakness
of the Jenkinses of the journals who believe
that the human race is divided into men,
women and the British peerage. An expla-
nation doubtless true in the main, as we re-
gret to see in our country similar system
of espionage growing up, and the private
gatherings at our houses published to the
world, and the remarks even Of our guests
not unfrequently passed in review in some
sheet which lives on the profits Of what is
styled in the phraseology of the day, sensa-
tional journalism.
Whatever truth there may be in the Brit
ons' explanation of these peculiarities, the
stranger cannot be long in the country with
out observing that there is an extravagant
homage paid to rank and title. 1t is the
weak point in the English character. What
ever they may say, the fact is undeniable,
they love a lord. During our protracted res
idence in Britain we have rarely known
public meeting of any kind without lord in
the chair. One of the sacred animals is,after
the customs of certain eastern people, always
placed in the van. Even the Scientific So
cieties insist upon having lord Cor Presi-
dent. The Royal Geographical had Lord
Ashburton for its presiding officer for years.
It does not matter to them whether he has
or has not attainments-he has a title
that's what they want, not the BOBBY who
sports 1t. Science does not prostitute itself
to ignorance, only to rank. No institution
of learning-school or colleges founded
without having titled patrons or visitors
to satisfy the popular requirements. These
are selected from among the aristocracy,