The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-28

former minister, was, therefore, placed above
the daughters of the actual envoy. The Queen
spoke of this to Mrs. Grant She said she was
fond of the young ladies, but the rule was rigor-
Gus. believe there were some heartburnings;
but Mrs. Sanford is known as one of the most
famous beauties Of her time. She was then at
the very zenith of her charms, and no American
could be unwilling to accept such representa-
tive.
had myself not very long before been APP
pointed minister to this very court, and had even
visited Brussels with my credentials, prepared,
if chose. to present my letter to the King; so
that looked upon these ceremonies with more
curious eye than if had been an ordinary stran-
ger, and thought of the different part might
have borne on this occasion But / had pre-
ferred lesser rank at more important place.
and remained as consul-general at London rather
than take the post of minister to Brussels. /
went In to dinner lower down in the line, but l
lived at the core of the world instead of on the
outside; for Brussels and Belgium exist only by
permission OF the greater powers. This suffer
ance, however. according to European theory,
detracts in no negree from the ceremonial i'm
portance of the sovereign In fact at many of
the smaller courts the etiquette is more exact
than that which surrounds imperial potentates
AT Brussels there seemed a happy mingltng of
that regard for forms which. in the Old World.
is still considered essential, with courtesy
which it cannot be said that every palace
breeds.
There was music during dinner, far enough off
not to interrupt conversation, and as the twi-
light faded the great chandelier, with its hun
dreds of candles, that hung over the table, was
lighted by peculiar contrivance. sort OF
thread of slowmatc connected the candelabra,
and the fire was seen to travel from one to
another till all were illuminated. When the
dinner was over the party rose in continental
fashion. The King took out Mrs. Grant, and
General Grant the Queen. The others followed
with their dinner partners. and the separation
that Is common in, England and often here, did
not occur. The men all accompanied the ladies
to the drawing rooms, and remained there
Again, neither the royal hosts nor their guests
were seated The company stood in circle, and
the King and Queen passed around within
It, as before. The conversation now
still there was a certain formality
The courtiers did not move freely about
In the presence of the sovereigns All the guests
were presented to both General and Mrs. Grant
At about half an hour after dinner the King and
the Queen retired, taking especial leave of the
ex President and his party, whom they were not
to meet again.
General Grant left Immediately afterward he
was accompanied to his hotel by q royal equerry,
and went, as before, in a royal carriage. The
careful courtesy that marked every circumstance
of the evening was In striking contrast with the
offensive etiquette Of Marlborough House, or
even the strained ceremonial Of Windsor. The
King of the Belgians is Bourbon lust as blue
rules of precedence, just as much of a sovereign
as any named in the Almanach de Gotha; but he
did not fear to lessen his dignity disturb his
throne by treating an ex-President of the United
States with the same courtesy he would have Of
fered to Isabella of Spain or Bomba of Naples.
The next head of State by whom General
Grant was entertained was the President Of the
Swiss Republic, and. although the courtesy could
be no more marked than that displayed by the
King of the Belgians, was struck with the dem
ocTatic simplicity coming 80 soon after regal
parade. A fortnight after the dinner In Brussels
General Grant arrived in Berne. 1t was under
stood that the President preferred to receive the
first visit, and therefore promptly ascertained
when the chief magistrate would be at home to
his democratic compeer. The visit was more
formal than many that had been paid to General
Grant in Washington; in fact it hardly differed
from the ordinary reception of one private gen.
tleman by another. The President referred to
the sittings OF the Council Of Arbitration at
Geneva, Of which Swiss statesman had been a
member He declared that Switzerland felt
complimented at the selection Of Mr.. Sclopis,
and applauded General Grant upon the adoption
of the principle of arbitration during his presi
dency. Then the representatives of the small
est and the greatest Of republics exchanged sal
utations, and General Grant withdrew. The
visit was returned within half an hour.
The same night the President gave dinner
to nine gentlemen In General Grants honor. He
was unmarried, and therefore did not extend the
invitation to Mrs. Grant The company in
cluded Mr.. Sclopis, the Swiss arbitrator and
several members of the government. The ETH
quette was extremely simple, like the service;
indeed, neither differed from those at the houses
of private gentlemen In America, unless in
their greater simplicity But the taste that
reigned was exquisite; the conversation was
animated and intensely interesting, and the
dinner was equal in ali essentials Of courtesy
and refinement to any ever given to General
Grant 1t confirmed me in my democratic pref
erence for the reality of hospitable but unas-
Stunning elegance to all the forms. and shows Of
a ceremony which so often tranples upon cour-
tesy. For courtly paraphernalia and parade,
have discovered, may be the symbols of an in
science just as vulgar when it is royal as if
republican. ADAM BADEAU.