The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-21

Then we waited for an answer. I suppose
such message had never been sent to her
Majesty before since her coronation If the
Queen had been illtempered or lacking In taste
or tact there might have been an unpleasant
complication 1t was possible that the entire in
vtation might be withdrawn. or message might
be sent that would make it impossible for Ger.
Grant to remain. and thus nscessitate the return
of the whole party to London. Even interna
tional feeling might be aroused. But General
Grant had been assured that he should be treat
ed as an ex-sovereign, and it seemed to him,
with his democratic notions that he was not
treated as a private gentleman. Certainly no
private gentlemen hidden with his to the
White House would have expected that son to
dine at different table and in different room
from himself.
abide camp and could not complain because I
was to dine with the aides de-camp of her Maj
esty. Still felt that had been invited by a
lady. and on arriving at her house was requested
to sit at a different table from that to which |
had been asked This might be royal etiquette.
but it was not good breeding, and it never hap
pened to me at any other court However. was
determined that no question affecting me should
complicate the affair or interfere with General
Grants success Besides this was a public
officer, accredited to the Queen, and bound,
perhaps, to accept her decisions in the etiquette
of her own palace. So no question whatever was
made about me-
Finally we all dressed for dinner to be ready
for whatever might happen. Before returned
to General Grants drawing room the Master of
the Household came to me and said he had deliv-
cred the Generals message. and her Majesty
commanded him to say that she would be happy
to have Mr.. Jesse dine at her table. So the diff
fculty was obviated by the good sense and good
breeding of the Queen.
The party that diEed with her Majesty were
all assembled before she entered the room. After
speaking with each guest separately the Queen
took the arm of her SOD, Prince Leopold. after
ward Duke of Albany, and General Grant was
asked to give his arm to the Princess Christian.
The General and the Princess followed the
Queen, and the Prince Christian with the Prin-
cess Beatrice followed them. Thus General
Grant preceded the Queens own daughter and
her son-in law, which was a distinct concession
to him of rank equal to royalty, and as different
as possible from the etiquette observed by the
Prince of Wales. Mrs Grant, however, did not
receive the same recognition; two duchesses pre-
coded her and she went in with the Earl of
Derby Jesse was placed nearly at the tail. The
idea seemed to be to give General Grant a
place that should indicate extraordinary def
erence according to royal rules, but not
to recognize his democratic family further than
courtesy required. The Queen was gracious,
however, to all, and the dinner passed pleasantly
At table General Grant was not placed next her
Majesty. She had Prince Leopold on one side
and Prince Christian on the other; then the two
princesses General Grant was next to the Pr1n-
cess Christian, which brought him below all the
royal family and two places from the Queen.
His conversation with her Majesty was, there
fore, not animated.
l went to dinner with the household I re-
member that Sir John Cowell, Lady Ely, Lady
Susan Melville and others of the Queens ladies
and gentlemen were present My companions
were extremely affable, and I thought they
seemed to wish to make up for my disappoint-
ment so far as they could. Almost Immediately
after We rose Sir John disappeared, but came
back at once. and announced that | was to be
taken in and presented to the Queen l had gone
through the forms of presentation at levees and
drawing rooms, but had never exchanged
word with her Majesty.
She was standing with her dinner company at
one end of long gallery when was led up to
her. She bowed with extreme graciousness, and
said Immediately that she mad to thank me for a
book had once sent her This was the first
volume Of my History of General Grant"
which Dean and Lady Augusta Stanley had pre-
sented to the Queen for me seven years before.
1t had been acknowledged at the time by cour-
teous note, but with the royal faculty the cir
cumstance was remembered now or course
was struck with the intended courtesy and
thanked her Majesty for recollecting my present
after so many years. The Queen then went on
to ask me how General Grant was enjoying his
visit to England. This gave me an opportunity
to speak of his reception throughout tho country,
which l was c0urtier enough to say eliminates
to night" At this the Majesty of England posi-
lively dropped me curtsey aud was evidently
gratihed, so that we were equal on one point at
least. / think she felt sorry that she had left
me out and wanted to atone; at any rate she
made me feel very pleasant for moment or two
III spite of my disappointment.
General Grant had since his arrival at Wind
sor, received a telegram from the Grand Army
of the Republic, which was holding its annual
reunion on that day, and had sent Its congratula-
tions to Its ancient chiof. took the opportu-
nifty to speak of this as indicating the satisfaction
which a million Americans felt at the compli-
ment the Queen was paying to their represent
ative and the royal features beamed again.
There is indeed charm of expression win
ming smile that comes over her Majesty's counte-
nance, grace of demeanor when she means to
be gracious, which is more than ordinary 1t
was not because she was a Queen, for have
been we'll received by other queens; and at this
moment as may be supposed, | was not alto
gether IN the mood to admire; but the plain
little woman conquered me with sweetness of
look and smile which l had heard of before but
had never seen at court. 1t is Of no imaginable
consequence, but forgave her my dinner.
She remained in the room only few moments
longer / remember that she talked with Mrs
Grant, who told me afterward of good thing
she said to her Majesty. Considering the Ell.
quette of the dining room, it seemed to me a
perfectly fair reminder between the two women
The Queen said something about her own labors
or duties, and Mrs. Grant replied: Yes I can
imagine them. l too have been the wife OF a
great ruler" Mrs. Grant was not to be put down
and was glad sho said it.
AS for jesse he did not say to his father as the
newspapers declared: ''Pa. introduce her." but
behaved with propriety and like young gentle
man. He had held out for his point of etiquette
as well as the royalties, and had won. He could
afford to be polite
After while the Queen looked around and
two duchesses approached aud threw lace shawl
across her shoulders. Her Majesty courtesied,
everyone else bowed or coIrtesled very low,
two doors behind her opened, and the
Queen of England and her daughters vanished
The remainder of the party were now scat
tered in two or three of the great drawing
rooms. There was music in the distance ac-
cording to a printed programme. Some of the
company, General Grant among them, played at
cards; others talked; and at IL the ladies re-
tired, with some of the men. Prince Leopold