Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-23
QUEEN ELIZABETHs LOWER
IIMRS
What Olive Logan in Her London Letter
Has to Saw Ahnnt Them

What OLIVE Logan in Her London Letter
Has to Say About Them.
Pointing 10 a case which contained the
famous stockings, the clerk said: 81 tried
hard to make Her Majesty have a better
shape to her, but couldn't, and shemust
have been a spook, for those stockings
were made to fit her." Sure enough, the
famous hose of deep yellow or old gold
openwork We're of one size without the
variation of a stitch from ankle to knee.
The feet were long and narrow, and
shaped much as the knitted stocking OF
to-day. 1t is said that these were made
by Mrs. Montague, who presented them
to her royal mistress, begging that she
would at least give them a trial. The
: Queen had up to this time worn cloth
rose, and, being with her councillors,
Leicester and Burleigh, at the time she
received the gift, she asked them what
they thought of this new idea in stock
ings. Leicester, the flatterer, looked at
them and, when Her Majesty said, ''They
seem but fit for a fairy" replied: "If
that be so they must suit our Queen, who
is the farest of the earth and a fairy
Queen indeed" The maiden sovereign,
ever amenable to flattery, was much
y :
but seeing frown on Burleigh's face she
said: what has my Lord Burleigh to
sayW ard was not Overpleased to hear
that bluff but upright statesman reply
that he thought ''goOd honest cloth hose
was well enough for any one, and that
Her Majesty's wearing such things as
silk hose would upset the cloth hose
trade" This remark, although unpleas-
ant to the Queen, was not without effect:
q c al hnrGplf a ma 10 trio sum
tuary laws in which the people were pro-
hibited expensive and unnecessary en-
bellishments IN dress, etc.
If the Minister had stopped there knit
ted stockings might have been another
century unknown, but, DESTROYS of clinch-
ing his wise remark by another, he con-
tinued, as he looked at the narrow, fra
gile things: "Besides these things could
not by any possibility tit-ft-fit@' Here
the great Burleigh stammered and could
say no more upon so delicate a subject.
Now Lord Leicester saw his opportunity,
and advancing to his royal mistress said,
''MOst gracious lady, deign to try.' The
Queen with dignity then observed that
"inasmuch as one noble gentleman saith
the stockings would and the other would
not fit she was moved by curiosity to try
them on withal," and turning to her own
apartment directed the two nOblemen to
await her return. Her Majesty was lit
tie more than an hour struggling with
the new stockings, during which time
the two statesmen, who were at swords
points, walked up and down glazing at
each other.
When the Royal mistriss did reappear it
was with face whose smiles plainly an
nOunced the triumph of vanity over pru-
dence. "Gentlemen," said the Queen,
''the silken hose do fit me right well, and
like them very much, because they are
pleasant, fine and delicate; and hence
forth | Will wear no more cloth stock
ings." This was not altogether cheerful
news for Mrs. Montague, although she
had reached the summit Of her ambition,
for stockings were not the affair of a few
minutes, but the labor of weeks in those
days. She had, however, been teaching
some young ladies the art, and by setting
them all diligently to work, which they
did night and day, the Queens orders were
obeyed.
All this interesting gossip gained from
the gOOd-tempered attendant have before
alluded to-, who assured me it was strictly
true in every particular.