Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-11-22
AMERICAN MINISTER'S FAMILY.

AMERICAN MINISTER'S FAMILY.
Harriet Taylor Upton, in Nov. Wide Awake.
The boys drove about London to their
hearts content and made it a business
to see the fine sights, the great institu-
tions, the noted pictures and famous
persons. They became acquainted too,
as few children ever do, with the hollow
ness of grand society; for often the
Adams household was conyulsed to its
center with mighty questions concern
ing invitations and clothes and manners,
and the boys heard it said that the "En-
glish Court did not understand their
own rules of etiquette" and it was
amusing to them when the foreign min
listers would consult with their father
whether or not it was proper to wear
this or that suit on this or that occasion,
and sometimes these solemn dignitaries
would guess right but oftener would
guess wrong.
Frequently, owing to court misman-
agement, the invitations would fail to
arrive at all; and then again the Ameri-
can minister would not be included
when his wife was invited, and oice
oerSa. The servants of great people
would forget to announce that the
Adams carriage was waiting, and the
luckless pair might have to stay wearily
about until after midnight, and perhaps
sally forth then to find overcoats, hats
and wraps stolen from the coach.
There ives a very miserable delay
about the presentation at court; the let
ters and notices did not come to hand
duly, and at the very last, after all the
coaching" and practicing and dressing,
Lady Castlereagh, who was to present
Mrs. Adams, was too late at the palace,
and.another nOblewoman had to take the |
American lady III charge; and then, at
er all, the Queen and the Princesses
were plain and awkward and stiff and |
stupid-not nearly so charming and in
teresting as Grandmother Adams and |
Aunt Abigail Smith-the boys heard
all such farces talked about at luncheon
next day, and they laughed at their faith |
er because the Royal Highnesses invari-
ably asked him the same questions
how the climate affected his health, and |
how he had enjoyed his residence in Rus
sia.
The boys had some of the wedding |
cake when the Princess Mary was mar
ried; and we may suppose there was |
jolly laugh over that too, when they we're |
told that big slice rolled up in paper |
was handed to each person to take home
as the company passed down the grand
staircase.
When the Queen had her birthday |
drawing room Mr.. Adams was invited, |
and Mrs. Adams was not; but she and |
John went with him, to sit in the car
riage and see the show. Mr.. Adams ar
rived too late, and so did some of the
great Peers in their robes, and they all
drove up and down Parliament street, |
and at last John saw the state coach, |
drawn by eight cream colored horses |
with golden harnesses and sky-blue silk |
ribbon bows, and he heard the Prince |
Regent hissed and saw him pelted with |
mud balls by the populace and his car
riage finally broken by bullets and stones |
from the rabble.
This life where court cards and clothes |
might at any moment become matters
of infinite importance was pleasing to |
neither Mr.. nor Mrs. Adams, and they |
were glad when the time came to return |
into Republic with their children.