The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-13
QUEEN vICToRIA's DAILY LIFE.
How She Lodges, Feeds and Receives Her
Guests-Her Hours for Business.

dav of her departure from Windsor. she unex-
pectedly postponed it. Such swerving from
all established precedent was as startling as it
was new, and gave rise to the most conflicting
conjectures. 1t was promptly ascertained that
the delay was not caused by the health OF the
Duchess of Albany, and willie speculation was
still rife, the reason became suddenly apparent
Her Majesty would not leave the castle before
personally visiting Lockwood, recently en-
gagged footman. in the privacy of his home at
St Marks place, in the royal borough, and con
doing with him and his family on an accident
that had happened to his little child In the
same way the return of of the Queen from Bal
moral did not take place till Thursday last, de-
spite the severity of the season. because she had
to attend the funeral of Mr.. Willie Blair. her
Highland fiddler. This parsonage was nine
ty years old, and besides moderate
musical talent and the enviable fact of
being the most ancient inhabitant of the
village he does not appear to have been
distinguished by any quality or achievement
to have career of such particular usefd'
ness as to justify his entombment IN Cralthle
r churchyard This graceful compliment must
therefore. be viewed by the country at large
merely as a proof that the sovereign can occa-
sionally withdraw herself from her mournful
retirement, if not to associate with the mobiles
of her great empire, to grace public ceremonies
or delight her capital with her august presence
at least to honor servants, shepherds and gilies
with attentions all the more hattering that they
are so exclusive.
The habitual precautions for isolating the
Queen from the curiosity and demonstrations of
her subject, and making the transit from one
royal residence to another monastlcally Sc
Guided were perhaps even tenshed during the
tourney of Friday last. With solitary ex
ception the stations were virtually unaPproach-
able while the Queens special train was in sight
Once only, at Ferry Hill station, the Great
Northern Company issued tickets enabling some
privileged individuals to enter the sacred pre-
cincts and to feast their eyes, at respectful
distance, on the midnight pageant. These tickets
were only obtainable with great difficulty, and
after searching investigation into the postuIants
antecedents 1t is not said whether gate money
was taken and who benefited by the pro
ceeds
At Windsor in broad daylight. when the train
arrived from Scotland. guard OF the Third Bat
TALON of Grenader Guards lined the Castle Hill
road the whole constabuary force of the Dor
ough patrolled the way between the Great West
ern station and the palace, detachment of the
metropolitan police had been additionally sent
from Paddington, and the companys staff jeal-
ously guarded the station, rails and viaduct
arches, so that. at rough computation, it was
estimated that the number of officers employed
to protect the Queen against her loyal subjects
exceeded the gathered spectators by not in
considerable figure.
Apropos of the journeys of the royal family of
England it is not, perhaps generally known
that its members, although endowed with con
siderable civil lists, do not bear the expenses of
their continental excursions, in so far that the
budget is charged to the amount OF 94O for every
Jl1p across tine Cnalneli paIaole 10 llle steamer
that has carried them Last year the
Prince of Wales and his sons crossed seven
times, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburg five
times, the Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg
three the Duke and Duchess of Connaught the
same the Princess Imperial of Germany twice.
the Duchess of Teck, the Duke of Cambridge,
and Princess Beatrice respectively once running
UP bill of 1920, betrayed by ongsuhering but
Disconnected rate-payers
The dull. regular, uninterestng routine of her
Maiestys daily life. so trying even to the endur
ing patience of her last remaining daughter has
once more begun unrelieved save by the homely,
almost lowly, incidents recorded above, and
which constitute the only communion between
the nation and herself Time was even after
the castle had been virtually closed for all fes-
tivities. that guests we're hidden to 1t for the
three days visit so dear to the British heart
and during their stay enjoyed the privilege of
revealing in the priceless accumulation of pict-
ures, tapestries, objects of art, rare books rarer
engravings and uErivaled specimens Of china
one little table with rose Dubarry medalons
alone being estimated at e25000. Now the invi-
tations rarely extend evening and
night, and although they are to all intents and
purposes commands. sometimes only reach the
recipients few hours before the time when
their attendance is required.
fast train brings you down from Paddington
station in forty minutes. AS no carriages are
habitualy sent 10 meet you, you have to trust
yourself and servants to flies cabs to reach
the castle. Pages of the Queen, lads belonging
to the best families in the kingdom take charge
Of Won, ana. consulting q written nSt, conduct
you to the apartments set aside for your
These consist of a complete suite Of. rooms the
only fault being that i'll winter they apt to
be insutfciently warmed, as the Queen is con
stitutionally averse TO heat Shortly after the
arrival of guest, he receives the visit of the
master of the household, Sir j. G. Cowell, who
brings him invitation to have tea with one or
other of the ladies in waiting
Full court dress is de rigueur for the dinner
AS early as o'clock the guests assemble in the
great gallery which runs around the quadrangle
and which forms immense picture gallery
never opened to the general public even at those
periods when admittanee to the state apart
ments is allowed during the Queens absence
from Windsor AT half-past s. accompanied by
the Princess Beatrice her Majesty makes her
appearance and, with few brief words to the
company. leads the way to the dining room If
there are sixteen 10 dinner it is served in that
apartment one side of which is a broad window,
opening OH the central court The walls are
hung with tapestry. and two paintings only
, adorn the rpartment-a portrait Of the Queen
by Angel and one of the Duchess of Edinburg
When en- famle the Queen dimes in one of the
octagonai towers where each of the eight win
dows frames perfect view of the park
There is little or no conversation at these state
repasts. The Queen not unfrequentiy leans for
ward to whisper a remark to her daughter in a
fashion which. to say the least, is dico IMPOSING
TO the unnitiated. The menu besides the
names of the dishes, gives that of the chef who
has cOncocted them. The innumerable foot
men are all in gala livery, buffers and pages in
4 costume and the so-called clerks of the kitch
en-" in black coats and knee breeches stand at
the sideboards to carve.
After the dinner, which is short, the Queen
setires with the ladies-a mere Formally for
the men follow three minutes later The mem
bers Of the court and household have also fin
ished their meal taken in the great hall open
ing out of the first of the three great saloons
. and which is used by the Queen only when
her party exceeds thirty. Sir j. c. Cowen
pres!des at the table. The post prandial cere
monies promptly gone through, her Majesty
exchanges a few sentences with each of her
guests, who remain standing the whole time and
at the end of half an hour, at the outside, with
draws to her private rooms which are ALWAYS
brilliantly lighted, and where she finishes the
evening conversing with her daughter reading