Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-24
Before Royalty.
A DEBUTANTE AT THE QUEENS DRAWING

"A Al QC6ENS DhAW
From the London Daily News.
Again another move, and by slow stages we
reach the throne room as the clock strikes four.
WEAKNESS gives place TO excitement. The de-
butantes look pale, and my heart begins to beat
faster Only one more room. Across the space
l see ladies passing out one by one and the
motion OF the pages wand spreading out their
trains. Aunt Julia Is calm.
Remember to go close up to the Queen, !" she
whispers, that she may not be troubled to
bend toward YOU.
Only a few ladies are in front of us. Now we
stand at the very door and see the trains sweep
along the ground as they pass into the throne
room in stately procession. l tremble. Shall
disgrace myself? 1 may trip over my gown
Now 1t Is Aunt Julia's turn. She sails on. shrink
back, but there Is no retreat. drop my train
the pages spread it while it drugs heavily
is a chamber filed with uniforms and dazzling
colors, and four yards from me there stands n
stout lady in black, with diamond crown and
a long white veil. 1t is the queen. Aunt Julia
is courtesying to the ground. advance NV
name is shouted The lord chamberlain is saw
ing something about "presentation' in her mai
estys ear. She smiles gracious and kindly
smile at me, as il she were glad had come. I
have a confused sense that she is a mother and
has once been young l am kissing white,
plump hand. \ strange feeling OF loyalty rises
in my heart. l had sort OF idea that the
queen was IL stiff and uninteresting old lady
was wrong. take heart. 1 bend low as She
does her graceful part in the matter OF saiu-
tatiOn.
Next the queen stand the Princess Beatrice
courtesying ladies with cherries bows The
Duke of Cambridge is dropping me a cheerv
nod, but am no longer occupying public atteiI-
ton. Another lady is before the queen The
pages rake up my train, throw it over nv arm
and 1 vanish. The whole thing Is over in -
flash. There Is no time to see what royalties
wear or even who are present. Aunt Julia
awaits me smiling, says did we'll and refoId !:
my crumpled train. Anxiety is ut end. We
pass INTO the picture gallery, where We stay to
fore seeking our carriage. observe at my ease
"a scene full of exquisite detail. One dress I
notice of red brown tulIe, with q velvet train tn
match. This makes an exquisite harmony
with a huge bunch of wallt1owers Another
dress of gray satin shows in pleasing contrast
full foreigner. AT the far end Of the gallery it
is possible to catch passing glimpse of the la
dies as they enter the throne room, but we can
not approach them. AT q distance the extend.
ed train aff1icts one with a sense of disprOpor-
tiOnate length. l see some quite short dresses
elegant and provoke much adverse Criticism T
hear one man telling another how the end of
one train caught upon nail just as its wearer
advance, and the court wondered and the queen
laughed while the tail was uniastened The
rSyaities are generally considered to be poor
sadly missed. But absence of celebrities in the
throne-room deprives this drawing-roon OF bril-
lance. Every one is talking OF Lady Wolse-
ley's wonderful attire, designed by Morris. It is
satin of INDISPENSABLE Grosvenor gallery hne
yellow shot with green, worn with a train OF
brocaded flowers, the colors of which are ex-
actly matched by u bouquet of yellow and
green orchids. Lady Randolph Churchill. in
orange velvet, is making sensation. see her
sister, Lady Fanny Majoribanks, who is also in
orange, and looks Wen. A few Judges and
queens counsel, in long wigs and gowns. inter.
est me. Inc part men play in these pageants is
women care to bring their husbands here. and
the few who come look i'll at ease But court
officials are plentiful, and add much to the
beauty OF the scene by their rich dresses. But
as l gaze the bright crowd is melting away.
ALREADY a,'e the gallery looks empty. Aunt Julia
where people are cloaking and where We ,a a
yet TO lace the ordeal of nearly an hour of wait
Ing before we get our carriage. AS we drive off
waving In the icy wind pi"ines
"Weil, never expected SO many in this cold
It's the sunshine as brings 'em outy' were The
/ a beefeater "SAS euo Wolus Oh