Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-02

How the Mobility and Gentry Behave
at . Court Rail-.

Adam Badean In the n. Y SUM-
A court or royal ball Is very much like other
balls. The dresses OF the men are more snowy
than AT private party in America; but those
Of the women not so brilliant, except that finer
Jewelry is worn. Court trains are not pre-
scribed, nor are feathers Indispensable though
the men are not admitted except In uniform
or court dress. once saw an exception to this
rule. The emperor OF Brazil wore q black coat
and trowsers and heavy boots at one of these
balls. But his imperial majesty constantly vio-
lated not only etiquette, but good breeding as
well. He was above the rules.
Every one is supposed to be in the room
before the entrance of royalty, and at about 10
O'CLOCK God Save the Queen is struck up.
and the Princess OF Wales with her ladies
neaos the procession. Afterward come the
Prince of Wales, his brothers, and their at
tenoants; for in all court ceremonies the wo-
men OF equal rank precede the men. 1 was
press, where the Prince OF Wales entered first,
preceding even the emperor, because he walked
with the empress.
Alter a few moments the first auadrille is
formed In which no one joins hut royalty. or
those whom royalty invites; afterward dane
ing becomes general, but the upper part OF
the room is appropriated to the court and per-
sons of very high rank. Ii princess wishes
TO dance with nobleman or gentleman, she
sehus MIN word by an equerry, for no one not
royal can ask her. So also ii a prince desires
partner OF lower degree, his lord-n-waiting
signifes the princely pleasure, though the
ana Invite in person the lady with whom they
deign to dance. Needless to say, they are
never refused
The ball room is oblong in shape, and show
NY, rather than splendidly decorated. according
10 the taste OF the prince consort, which was
always heavy and gaudy I'm art. At the top OF
tue room, and running nearly across ii, is a
dais, with chairs of state for the royal person
ages; aud on each side of this, but at right an
gies are several tiers of seats, those one side
reserved for the diplomatic corps, on the other
for peereSseS; the bench next the floor for
oucheSses, the next for marchionesses, and so
on, and II Is amusing to observe how scrupu-
ious these noblewomen are to take exactly the
place to which they consider themselves en-
utie1. The court has never recognized the
right OF the duchesses to the seats they claim;
but every duchess insists upon her bench, and
royalty winks at the usurpation.
After the first quadrille it used to be the Gus
TOM when first went to court Dit is different
now for the greatest personages to pass in line
before the princes, who TO receive this homage
The Sn themselves standing along the dais
ieaolng the way; then the men of the corps,
according to their rank and the seniority OF
tnelr standing at the English court. Afterward
the duchesSes advanced. The dais was so high
that as they made their courtesies the heads of
the ladies were brought about to the knees Of
the princes. Some OF these peeresses were OF
lineage as ancient as that of the royal family,
ana descended from as many kings; Others
were The wives and daughters Of men whose
estates are larger than German principalities,
and whose incomes transcend those of all the
children OF the queen while, for public service
ana character, their names will live when the
world has forgotten whether Victoria was ever
married. But the prostration went on, and
those who performed it seemed as satisfied as
At midnight supper is served and of course
royalty precedes. The doors of the supper
room are at the sides OF the dais, and the great
Ioik who usually surround royalty are already
near these doors. And now comes one OF the
most extraordinary OF all the scenes in court
lie. only the most distinguished in rank are
fn no.
room. The doors are very soon closed and the
struggle among duchesses and ambassadors
tals In time is something more ridiculous and
unreIned than Is ordinarily supposed TO occur
In palaces. You can see nothing worse in any
parvenu house in the fifth avenue.
once in, the aristocracy smooths its ruffled
piumage, and places itself i'm two parallel
lines, TO watch the royal hosts at their repast,
for no guest can be served till the princes are
appeased. There are three tables lining three
sides OF the room and the royal family advance
TO the center one where they stand with their
backs 10 the company, looking for all the world
like ordinary people at an ordinary table AT an
ordinary ball. Alter the hosts have satisfied
themselves they turn to their guests and mass
leisurely down the room toward the entrance
while the magnates OF England in rank and 30,
lltlcal power and territorial importance press
glance and perform the genuf1exion again
sometimes scion of royalty feels desire to
stop and exchange a word with an individual
OF su1nclent consequence, and then the favored
one bends deferentially forward, the object of
envy all along the line. When the prince or
princess thinks the colloquy has been suffi-
GENTLY prolonged a little signal makes the par.
ticipant aware that this high honor and han
piness is over; another profound obeisance and
the man or woman whom royalty has recog-
nlzed sinks back into the crowd, beaming with
reflected radiance
At other times the princes walk steadily by,
conversing with each other, and ignoring every
high-bred effort to attract their notice and
then the lines OF courtiers on both sides all bow
together very low, like the chorus i'm the onera
bouffe OF "Barbe Bleue," and pretend not to be
disappointed; but when the children of the
queen have passed along their lieges fall TO
discussing their faults as vigorously as IN the
hosts We're mortal, like themselves. In all these
assessments L never noticed that the ultra
radicals who go TO court were any less supple
than the most ardent tories, while the last
manufacturer who had entered the govern
ment craned his neck for recognition as eagerly
as the American minister or the oldest groom
OF the stole.