Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-12-13
SnubDinG Gen. Grant.

-'''S
which the Prince of Wales happened 20 he
playing with bis two noys. The olhel
guests had not arrived. aud the prince nav
not have expected to be il this Aail whau
Gen. Grant came in; or be may possibly
have planned the accidental rccantinn tio
came forward at once, ike aay other gen
tleman iu his Gwn house, and gave
his hand to Gen, Grant, who rrt scutel is:2
Grant, and mentioned my nAu.c, which lie
prince had kuown before Th.a The nrince
called up bis sons, lads al thG: time Of 10 q
y, and said he wishe,; them 10 ka5w Gen,
Grant. He was extremely oeDiai and af.
fable. After this he disappeared throue b
side door, and Oh eqGer!y u~hcrsA tho
party into Il long waiting !oom W., Ic
mained nearly hafaD hour.
The dinner party was large; | shoulG
think there were thirty isnp!a present. in
Guiding several dukes and du"hcsscs eud
other nobility; the Brazilian minister and
| hls wife were assSd, doubtless out Of coin
plmonl 20 the ciDperiOr, i;jr whom the ,::i.-
ner WGs given, after 4 while gentleman
! ID waiting appeared ami sait; TIC princess
desired that the ladies should arrange them
| selyes on one side Of tho roUru and the men
On the other, so Gen. and Mis-. Grant iook
fiSiSSS IVA - - II VIE lStt vi nc
| line. After apparently .r:I minutes fGr,ha.
waiting in this position, al a,anoigg. for no
| one had been seated or h2eu aakrG T. iii:
since We entered, lie greg. doo.a - HE
| top OF the line Oh ihe right ware thgowu
| open and the empress OF Brazil caIa3 in on
tho arm CT the Prince Of Walts. Next
| came tine princess %i!E !ho empcro..
They passed directly between The iWo
lines 10 tho dining room, which
was opposite The apartment from
which they entered the empress Of Brazil
however, had known Mrs. Grant in Ameri-
ca when the ladies had each been the wife Of
great ruler, and she stopped short when she
came to Mrs. Grant and greeted her, but
the ether royal and imperial personages il
Guiding the hostess, passed in without re
ccgnizing anybody. Then q number CT
dukes and lesser mobiles were told off 10
their partners and followed The empress and
the prince. After every noble person pre-
sent was thus assigned Gen. Grant vas re-
quested to go in with Mrs. Pierrepont, and
Mrs. Grant with the Brazilian minister,
whom the emperor of Brazil looked upon as
his servant.
The British government had agreed with
Mr.. Pierrepont that the exopfesdent of he
United States should have precedence OF
dukes, but the Prince Of Wales deliberately
pa; him as nearly as possible to the foe; Of
the table. There was no English person cf
noble rank who followed Gen. Grant He
sat within three or four feet of the comp
troiier Of the household, who was g. the
extreme foot the prince and princess were
at the middle with the emperor ard en-
press. The Duke Of Cambridge, the Duke
and Duchess of Manchester the Earl and
Countess of Derby, the Earl Of Dudley,
were all placed higher than Gen. Gran.
When the ladies left the table every one
rose Of course, and the empress and princess
passed out, and Mrs. Grant was left 10 find
her way like any other person of insignit-
cauce. Then the Prince of Wales changed
his owl seat, according to the English Gus
tom, and took that by the side of the en-
peror, which the princess IS had vacated. In
moment or two he sent au euuerry or Il
footman, forget which, TO ask Gen. Grant
10 sit by the other side of him in his now
place, and Gen. Grant left his seat and
walked around the t.ble and accepted this
high honor, just as any other private gen
tleman might have done. The prince thea
was very gracious in his talk and manner.
After 81 while the gentlem en- rejoined the
ladies in the order in which they had come
in, the dukes and earls taking care TO assert
their rights of precedence. In one OF the
drawing rooms there was music; here the
princess and empress sat apart and listened
or talked and the emperor remained near
them. Neither General nor Mrs. Grant was
invited to join this select company. The
prince came out Of it once or twice and
talked with some of his guests, among others
with Gen. Grant; but he said no word to
Mrs. Grant, and neither the General nor
Mrs. Grant was presented to the prjncely
hostess. The prince presented Gen. Grant
to the Earl OF Dudley, one of the worst
bred men in ny.conpany in any country !;
and his lordship was worthy Of his reputs-
| tation on this occasion, for he almost turned
on his heel. He did not offer his hand, but
simply acknowledg the princes introduc.
ton with slight how, almost nod, and
not one word, and left the group. 1t was
by far the most marked impertineGce Gen.
Grant had received in sixteen years.
When the empress had heard enough OF
the music she and the princess arose and
bowed to the company. Everybody else
made profound salaams, and the whole i'm
perial and royal party disappeared aud did
not return. Mrs. Grant now desired also &c
leave, but the ladies in waiting assured hei
that the princess would return They ap
peared to appreciate the behavior of thei,
mistress and to think it could not possibly
be carried further. Mrs. Grant, there
fore, delayed four of five minutes longer
Then, finding that her hosts had no idea
OF continuing their hospitality. she sooas
General Grants arm and retired.
followed them After we had reached tht
ante room and were moving toward I'll;
cloaking rooms, one Of the courtiers came Vi