Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-11-09
BADEAU AT A BALL.
HIS OBSERVATIONS ON THE Polite
NESS OF ENGLISH SOCIETY"
The Great People Have Very Little
Grace-A Typical Incidcnt-An Amer
lean LaAy's success-The Example set
by the Queen.

Mrs. Norton and Lord Houghton knew
most of the quests, and pointed cut the nota-
he o.es, ard nearly every one was notable
Vet there were crowds of people whom appar-
entity neither host nor hosts Icnew by si.ht,
and doubtless many wnc,n they hated or
desrised For certain people have a right to
be invited, as they have right to go to court
1t is not society without lem: and the great
est maynates, when the open their houses,
want them filed with IT, world" Pcrhars
that is why so little courtesy is shown the
,u:s,ts after they arrive.
The duchess, ! learned, was in a rage that
l. '"'it, fer her mother had recently died, and
si'e had been unwilling to lay aside her
mourning, but the duke had some business re-
lGhons in ETvpt with the khedive-lshnlal
Fdsha, the wicked one-and it was important
to his grace to be civil to tire African poten.
tate, so he forced the duchess TO open her
house for the ball, and she could hardly lie
courteous to her principal guests, far less the
inferior ones.
| found this out for myself, for later in the
evening. when royalty had left, Mrs Motley
| saw the duchess apparently disclGaScd, and
| took me up TO her After my name and posi-
| comparison of English lalls with American
complimentary to my hostess, but although
there was no ono else claiming he;' attention
she turned deliberately away from both Mrs
| lotlcy and myself in tho midst of my sch
| tenCc and left u to ourselves Then Mrs
| Motley explained that the grief of her grace
| Ind been disturbed and that we were the
| sufferers. | hold mvsclf at liberty to relate
this incident because it is typical
The great people had very little grace
| They saluted each other in the coolest Gnd
| most Indifferent way; Offering n hand it is
| truo but with no show of cordiality. ana
| without bow or the slightest inclination Of
| the head, hardly recognition il the glance
| The most intimate friend, said How dc do
| and How lie do" back again, and passed on
| The superior always makes the advance, fol
| tie inferior must not presume. There is nc
| more equality in society than Mt court, anc
| those Who wish to make Themselves acceptable
| must be careful To wait for their bcttcrs tC
notice them; otherwise the rrluT is certain
We have no rank. and the English can nd
| Amply to us tie rules which they enforce &
| vigorously among themselves \ disposition
| also increasing to recognize the fact tina
| distinctions rIay exist in other countries
| IL FercGt from those 50 highly priced
| England, and. 2bovc all, Americans havt
| lat " become the fashion, Still, remember
| Il C"untrywoman who had a great success
| s:hN stayed ct sores of country houses anG
vas as generally received as anybody il
| E05 and She told me it was all very wei.
TIL It came to dinner, and then she always
| hG.i to 60 ii with the Doctor
| have seen the great English people snubbed
very hard by those still higher than themselves
in thesecialscalc The queen sets the example
| and i dif5raccfully rude TO any subject whom
| =le wishes to punish for a faucied mis,ic,
r.'anor, &c hardly recognized her former
| f3vcrlta, the Baroness Rurlctt -CouttS. whcr
| she came to court, because that lady married
| to please herself instead of her sovereign In
| the same spirit stupid dukes look down on the
| greatest authors and soldiers and the most
| famous politicians rs people whom their notice
raizCS and On whom their disfavor inflicts q
| positive harm. The curious part of it is that
the other people concur IN The opinion. Adam
| E-lcaus Letter.