Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-23
THE EVENING STAR.
DNDAY. ,bruary 23, 1850.


Mr. G. W. Smalley writes to the y. Y. T'fo't''t
graphic description of the ceremo,' lies wnich
attended the recent opening OF Parliars mt by
the Queen, from which the following is take:
Her Majesty acknowledges the grave greeting
OF her heges by scarcely more than glance OF
the eye. The head bent slightly perhaps but /
am not sure. She, too, walks slowly; there Is
no vulgar hurry about any part OF the business.
AS she rounds the corner Of the dais, her face is
ness Of courtiers to say that the Queen looks
Always wei. For my part, / thought she had
grown gray since last I saw her, and that the
lines OF the temples and about the mouth were
cut sad deeper than ever: 1t can never have been
more than comely face, and there is nothing,
slrlctiy speaking, in its contour, and nothing In
1 nn6,e asure; which can be called beautiful or
air OF authority and the air OF stern sincerity
which sits upon this royal brow, and marks the
least gesture of the Queen. The sadness of the
Which the a he dga5y with NTH
oen-of her life Is borne, appeals to your
respect. She is here, they say, to mark once
me more ner sympathy with the First Minister of
the Crown; and with the party which, under
his guidance, has been leading this country so
strange dance these three years past. But
politics are forgotten in such presence; and
any criticism one has to offer is put decently
aside so long as the woman and the Queen Is
here.
When she had seated herself upon the royal
robes spread over the throne-which she might
have worn, one would think-therc Is again
pause almost solemn and there is time 10 OBJ
serve the gown which the Majesty of England
has on. The Majesty and the Beauty OF Eng
land are face to face for the Princess sits nearly
opposite; and as the Princess is perhaps the
pest dressed woman In the room, so IS the
vet, with broad longitudinal streaks of miniver
or ermine running down the skirt, and horizon
tai trimmings to match about the body. But
you need not stop to look at 1t; the KOh-i-nOOr
CLOVIS In her corsage, and miniature crown of
diamonds shines above the stony head. The
Princess Beatrice in blue velvet stands by her
mothers side, with traces Of the womaniy at
tracttveneSS which belongs to her sister Louise
now Teigning over the hearts of our Canadian
Irlends.; There was some man9uvring with
Queens veil had to be extricated from the net
ted work OF the throne. Then the Queen said
pray be seated" and once more came silence
and pause.
For once, the silence was rudely broken A
messenger had gone to summon the commons,
and soon there came sound as of the rushing
OF mighty wind, and then appeared the Speak
er with his chaplain and sergeant-at-armS the
three borne forward quite 1rresistibly by the
crowd behind, and vainly striving to preserve
an air of repose. They walked as If that mighty
wind were thrusting them on-you have seen
men in that attitude of being helped forward
raster than they like Behind them waved the
audience room as If they would takeit by storm.
But there Is barrier beyond which they cannot
pass. They rage against it, but it holds firm. In
fact, to-day as always, Her MajeSty'S faithful
further end of the room, holding perhaps third
OF their number, all standing. They and the
members OF the fourth estate In the gallery
above are the only persons who venture into the
presence of the sovereign In morning dress.
When the storm had subsidized and stiffness
had come again, the Lord Chancellor turned to
the Queen, knelt, and offered her roll of paper,
which she put aside. Obedient to her gesture,
he rose and unrolled it, and it proved to be Her
Majesty's speech, which he read slowly and
clearly. When 1t had been read through, the
Queen, with only a moments delay, rose and
walked out. The ceremony was over. Parlia-
ment had been opened by the queen in person.
The throng broke up. AS we passed out 1 met
member OF Parliament OF much distinction who
remarked: Its comfort to think what Jolly
smash we shall make some day OF this Japanese
mummery,"