The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-31

and pounds is not illiberal recompense.
The Office is not q laborious one, all her
majesty's needs being provided for un.
der other heads in the grants for the
various departments of the household.
This sixty Thousand pounds year Is
understood to be transferred pretty
much in lump sum to those stsavings"
for which Queen Victoria rightly or
wrongly receives credit from the popu-
lar mind.
In this same department ranks the
Mistress of the Robes, who receives five
hundred pounds year;a Groom Of
the Robes, who has eight hundred
pounds, and Ladies of the Bed-chamber;
Of whom there are eight. at a salary of
five hundred pounds year each. These
ladies rarely rank under Duchess,
and always belong to the highest fami-
lies.
An arrangement is made by which
Ladies of the Bed-chamber are in at.
tendance for fortnight at a time.
They settle the turns among themselves,
and usually get three year. The
Maids of Honor, of whom there are
likewise eight; receive salary of three
hundred pounds year each, and are in
attendance in couples for month at q
time.
Formely both Maids of Honor and
Bed-chamber Women were under strict
discipline and really did some work for
their wages. The Countess of Suffolk
in her correspondence lifts the veil and
allows us to peep at majesty served by
its Bed-chamber women.
"The Bed-chambcr Women came in
to waiting before the Queens prayers, {"
writes the Duchess, (which was before
she was dressed. ***
"When the Queen washed her hands,
the Page of the Back Stairs brought
and set down on sile-table the basin
and ever. Then the Bedchamber Wom-
an set it before the Queen and knelt on
the other side of the table, over against
the Queen, the Bed-chamber Lady only
looking on. The Bed chamber Woman
poured the water out of the ever upon
the Queens hand. The Bed-chamber
Woman pulled on the Queens gloves
when she could not do it herself. The
Page of the Backs Stairs was called in
to put on the Queens shoes. When
the Queen dined in public the Page
reached the glass to tho Bed-chamber
Woman and she to the Lady in Waiting.
The Bed-chambei Woman brought the
chocolate and gave it without kneeling." {"
Services of this kind is not confined
to women. There are Lords in Wait
ing who do about as much as Ladies in
Waiting. These receive the oddly pre-
else sum of 97O2 year. OF flower
rank are the Grooms in Waiting, who
receive s335. 1876 per annum apiece.
There are four Gentleman Ushers of
the Privy Chamber, at E2OO per annum |;
four Daily Walters, at ESQ, and four
Grooms Of the Privy Chamber, at the
modest recompense of e73 per annum.
But though the income is small, these
Offices are eagerly competed for, and
are held by Vice-Admirals, Colonels
and other distinguished personages.
There are five Pages of tho Back
stairs-not lofty description, but the
salary is fair, reaching E4O0 per annum.
These gentlemen really have work to
do. They wait at the royal dinner table.
and one is always in attendance at the
door of Her Majesty's apartment from
8 in the morning until she retires for the
night.
There are six pages of the Presence,
so-called, apparently, because they do
not actually dwell in the Presence, their
duties being to attend upon the lords.
ladies and maids of honor, and upon any
of her majesty's visitors. For this they
\.
= year.
There are nine housekeepers and up
wards of sixty housemaids. The house,
hold has its ecclesiastical staff. The
Bishop of London is always Dean of the
Chapel royal, and draws for his service
q salary Of two hundred pounds year.
There is complete sanitary establish
Meat at cost to the taxpayer of two
thousand seven hundred pounds q year.
This consists of two physicians in orlin-
ary, four physicians extraordinary, four
apotllecaries for the Queen herself, and
two for the combined household, one
dentist, an aurist, an oculist, and a sur
geon- -chiropolist.
There is also Poet Laureate, at the
present time Lord Ternyson, who re-
ceives, sum that seems insignificant
beside the income Of one of the Pages
of the Back stairs. The sister-art of
painting is even more shabbily treated,
the painter in ordinary receiving only
fifty pounds a year.
More clearly pertaining to the house,
hold, in the ordinary acceptation of the
word. is the department Of the Lord
Steward. Like the Lord Chamberlain,
he is peer of the realm, o friend Of
the Government of the day, and the
recipient of two Thousand pounds a
year. His functions are defined in the
same precision as those of the Lord
Chancellor or the Commander-in-chief
It is written that 'sthe estate of the
Queens household is entirely committed
to the Lord Steward to be ruled and
governed according to his discretion.
All his rules and commands in court
are to be obeycd." His authority
reaches over all the officers and ser.
wants of the Queens household, except.
ing those of the Queens chamber, sta.
BILE and chapel.
He has authority to hold courts fol
administering justice and settling dis.
putes among the domestic servants o.
the Queen. He is assisted by treas
urer and controller of the household
who each receives 9904 per annum
The master of the household has 81.
1883 year and practically does the worl
Of the Lord steward.
There is q clerk of the kitchen, whaD
Importance is indicated by his salary O
4, f7O0 year. The chief cook draw
the same sum. There are four Maste
cooks who have salary Of E6 weel
with the privilege Of taking fsur On