St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-11
vICToRIA's DAILYLIFE.
A Peep at the Inner Scenes of
the Queen of England's House
hold


Mrs. Alexander, in Philadelphia Times.
The inner life of the court has little
in it to tempt a Sybarlte-simplicity
dutifulneSs, conscientious performance
of work are its characteristics. At 9
her majesty breakfasts alone, unless
some of her children, grandchildren or
personal friends are staying at the pal
ace, and she is rarely without them. In
summer, at Osborne, Windsor or Bal
moral, this meal is generally served out
OF doors, in some alcOve, tent OF sum-
mer house, after which the queen either
drives in small pony carriage, accom-
panied by one of the princesses, OF she
walks, attended by a lady-ln-waiting or
maid of honor, with whom she con-
verses with friendly ease, and followed
by two Highland servants and some
favorite dogs.
Luncheon is served at 2, the convives
being her maihSty's family or royal
guests. Until this hour, from her short
after-breakfast exercise. the queen is
diligently occupied with official cor
responaenee and business of various
kinds. Long training has made her a
politician of no mean ability and
breadth of view, her natural common
sense forming an admirable basis for
such superStructure. 1t assists, too,
in enabling her to choose her friends
well and wisely, though the court sur
r0undlngs are not calculated to help
royal persOnageS in forming just
judgment of character. Human nature
puts on somewhat too angelic gulSe,
where everything may be won by amia-
bility and nothing by the reverse.
In the mornings the maids of honor
(they are nine in alD in waiting for the
time are with the princesses, reading or
practIcing On the piano, singing or
playing lawn tennis with them, as any
young lad les, companions together
might. The lady-in-waiting accom-
panies the queen in her afternoon drives
and visits, which are most frequently to
the poor and to humble workers, often
to simple gentry, or any one IN trouble.
Afterward this lady reads aloud to her
majesty in her private sitting room.
The royal dinner hour is $50, and
that meal is shared by those of the
royal family then residing with the
queen, by distinguished visitors and
some of the household in rotation, viz:
lord and ladies in waiting, maids of
honor, equerres and grooms-in-wait-
Ing, this latter official holding a cOnsid-
SioOiJ AONSi NOOitiOil OictA ttiC CduS1iyS
though to the uninStructed it sounds
like distinction without difference.
The queen is woman of strict bust
ness habits and steady application. The
amount of correspondence she gets
through is enormous. In the private
portion of this correspondence her
majesty is assisted by her private secre-
tary, a lady-in-waiting, and a maid of
honor. especially the DOwager Mar
chioneSs of Ely, one of the ladies, who
is a valued friend.
When the court is at Windsor the
members of the household in attendance
are one waiting these ladies are
always peereSSeS), two maids of honor,
a lord-in-waiting, two equerries, one
groom-in- waiting, also the keeper of the
privy purse, the private secretary, as
sistants in both departments and the
master of the household. The attend
ance is the same at Osborne and Bal
moral, with the exception of the lOrd-ln
waiting.
To attend to her majesty's toilet and
wardrobe there are five maids, viz,
three dressers and two wardrobe
women. The senior dresser, who has
been many years with her majesty, is
specially charged with the task of con-
veying orders to different tradespeOple
jewellers, diapers, dressmakers, etc., !;
one dresser and one wardrobe woman
are in constant attendance on the
queen, taking alternate days.
Dress is matter in which, even in
her young days, her majesty does not
appear to have taken much interest.
At present her perpetual mourning al
lows of no crude color combinations.
Some of us elders have pleasant, If
vague, recollection of Victoria regina a
good many years ago. say forty OF forty
three, in very simple and becoming
bonnet tied beneath the chin, wreath
of wild roses under the brIm, framing
sweet, kindly young face. All, me! sor-
row and experience have writ their
thpn