West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-11-13
a STATELY CEREMONY.
How the Doors OF the Famous Lond
Flower" Are Locked.

now the Doors OF the Famous London
Are Locked.
Excess of ceremony was the old ex-
pedient for making power venerable.
In these more practical days it oftener
makes power ridiculous. A good deal
OF form and etiquette, however, are
doubtless necessary in official places;
at all events there is likely to be a good
deal, especially under Imperial govern
ments-and the poor fellows who hold
the places, and whose duties are chiefly
traditional, must do SOmeLhing to earn
their salary. Ii is no very great affair
Tor a smart man or boy TO lock the
doors of a building, but the Government
OF England makes a very solemn and
deliberate job OF it. Large bodies move
slowly.
Few persons are aware of the strict
ness with which the Tower of London is
guarded from foes without and from
treachery within. The of
shutting it up every night continues to
be as solemn and as rigidly precaution-
airy as if the French invasion were ac-
tually afoOt. Immediately after tat
o o all strangers are expelled, and the
gates nee closed, nothing short of
such imperative necessity as fire or sud
den illness a procure their being re-
opened till the appointed hour the next
morning. The ceremony of locking up
is very ancient, curious and stately. A
few minutes before the clock strikes the
hour OF eleven-on Tuesdays and Fri
days twelve the head warden (yeoman
porter, clothed in "A long red cloak,
bearing in his hand a huge bunch of
keys, and attended by a brOther-warden
carrying a gigantic lantern, appears in
front of the main guard-house and calls
out, in a loud voice:
Escort keys!'
AT these words the Sergeant of the
Guard. with five or six men, turns out,
and follows him TO the Spur" an outer
gate, each sentry challenging, as they
pass the post:
Who goes there?"
Keys"
The gates being carefully locked and
barred-the warden wearing as solemn
an aspect and making as much noise rs
possible the procession returns, the
sentries eXacting the same explanation
and receiving the same answer as be-
fore.
Arrived once more in front of he
main g~uard-house. yhe sentry there gives
a loud stamp with his foot, and the fol-
lowing conversation takes place be-
tween him and the approaching party:
Who goes therop'
''Keys."
"Whose keys?'
Queen Viotoria's keys"
Advance, Queen Victoria's keys,
and alls WE'LL
The Yeoman porter her exclaims:
God bless Queen YictOriai''
The main guard d%evoutly respond:
Amen
The officer on duty gives the word:
Present armsu'
The frelocks rattle; the officer kisses
the hilt OF his sword; the escort fall in
among their companions, and the yeo.
man porter marches maiestically across
the parade alone, TO deposit the keys in
the L~ieutenant's lodgings. The cere.
lnony over, not only is all egress and
ingress totally p%recludcd, but even
within the walls no one can stir without
being furnished with the countersign.
and any one who, unhappily forgetfll.
ventures from his quarters unprOyided
with his talisman, is sure 3 o be- made
the prey OF the first sentinel whose post
he crosses. All Of which is pleasantly
absurd, and reminds o. Of the stately
manner in which the crOvn was car
ried about when the White Tower wos
on ire Iotah's Companion