Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-28


All the men, with one or two exceptions in
levee dress, were IN uniforms of various
colors and much gold braids. The ladies'
dresses were magnificent, and diamonds In
brooches, sprays, pendants and tiaras
sparkled everywhere.
The royal family were in the pews at the
right and left of the altar, ani back of the
group formed by her majesty and the
Princes OF Wales the gentlemen in
waiting formed a brilliant semi circle. The
most conspicuous figure in all the brilliant
picture was the queens Indian attendant,
standing back and impassive behind her
her chair in dark blue, with gold chased
shoulder belt, white duck trousers and patent
leather shoes. There were several more In
dian attendants.
Now comes the bridegroom, the Earl of
Fife. He had been waiting in the new
luncheon room with NJ. Hora.e Farquhar,
his best man. and thther the vice chancellor
went to bring him in. AS he appeared in the
vestibuleTannhauser's march began to sound,
and husband-to-be walked dignifedly up the
narrow aisle. He is a tall and slenderly built
man Of forty, of dark complexion, with dark
brown moustache. He wore the blue and
white uniform of a colonel of the First Bouff
artillery. 1t is not handsome uniform, and
LORD Fife would have been handsomer in
something else. He took his place at the
right of the opening in the altar
rail, and M. Farquhar, placing himself
on his right, was unfortunately put IN a state
of eclipse by the large alabaster pulpit.
Lord Fife was no more nervous than bride
grooms are won't to be, but he was no less so.
The reputation naturel to so important an
casion did not leave him during the cere-
4, ,A0 0nI tlnr La, ,eta
from the bride, whose responses were much
more clearly audible than his.
It was not until the ceremony had
come to an end and the almost
ocstatic Joy Of the queen over the
first marriage among her grand
daughters had subsided, that the earl, now
Duke of Fife, seemed quite at ease. Every
body was now in place except that most i'm
portant part of a wedding programme-the
bride. The bridal party was assembled in
the library. Eight beautiful bridesmaids, in
exquisite dresses awaited there for Princess
Louise. They were in themselves a wedding
innovation, due to the fact that two of them
were sisters of the bride. II has been the
custom hitherto in royal marriages that the
bride shall have for her attendant maidens
daughters of officers of England,
two of them being princesses Of
the blood royal. On this occasion all had to
he princesses of the blood royal, and 50 it
happened that they were Princess Maude,
of Wales; Princess Victoria, of Wales;
Princess Louise, of Schlesswig-H -Holstein;
Princess Victoria, of Schlesswig Holstein;
Countess Fedora Sleichen; Princess Victoria
Mary. Of Treck; Countess Victoria Slei
chen and Countess Helena Sechen. The
bridesmaids were in beautiful gowns of
pale pink Siciliehne and China crepe. They
were open in v-backs and front and folds of
crepe and silk, arranged to cross over the
sleeves came to the elbow and were finished
with loops of crepe that looked as If they
would just cover the point. The skirts,
though plain, were elegant, and contained
rather more silk than Grape. Each
bridesmaid Wore single row of
pearls round her throat and a
gold bracelet, with the initials of the bride
and bridegroom in brilliants, with their re-
spective coronets. These were the gift of
Lord Fife. Each wore in her hair on the
left side Il spray of red rosebuds.
The bridal party were escorted to the
chapel by the vice chamberlain and lord
steward. Princess Louise was on the arm
of her father. the Prince of Wales, the
bridesmaids following in the order named.
IuSi COHiiuS was NY Uuc
"Lohengrin" march on the organ, and Just
as it was swelling into the ensemble the
prince and his daughter appeared at
the door. The prince was in field
marshal's uniform of scharlet, with white
gloves. All eyes, however, were turned
upon the bride. She wore very ricn dress
of white satin.
The procession advanced up the aisle to
the altar rail. There the Prince of Wales
left his daughter and took a position on the
left. the bride and bridegroom standing in
center, and the BRIDES maids in pairs behind.
The Archbishop Of Canterbury conducted
the whole service, none of the other
clergymen assisting him. 1t was
the usual marriage ceremony of
the Anglican church, and lasted thirty-ive
minutes. happy omen presently appeared
in the shape of flood of sunshine, bathing
the bride and bridegroom and lighting and
intensfying the combination of brilliant
colors in the chapel. This camc just as the
service began The Prince of Wales
gave away his daughter genially
and royalty, and with the benedc-
tion came a few moments of joyful
excitement, which broke through the stiff
ness of the pompous ceremonial and showed
that hearts beat quite as warmly under
crowns and coronets as under fustian caps.
Her majesty the queen rose rather hastily
considering her lameness aud kissed her
newly married granddaughter on both
cheeks She turned to the Earl of Fife and
extended him her hand to kiss, which he did
bent on his right knee. After that her
majesty shook hands with him. The Prin-
cess of Wales also extended her
hand which Lord Fife also bent and
kissed, and there were few moments of
what in any other place than the royal chapel
would have been called a happy confusion.
During this the bridal anthem was sung,
and then to the music of Mendelssohn's
'Wedding March" the procession left the
chapel. 1t was headed by the bride and
bridegroom, after whicn came the brides
maids and then her majesty, escorted
by the grand duke of Hesse. After these
came the suites and guests.
The bridal party went first TO
the lower drawing room, where
the register was signed by the
bride and groom, and witnessed by her mai
esty the queen and the Prince and Princess
of Wales 1t was duly attested by Secretary
OF State Matthews. Then the party pro-
coeded up the grand staircase, and this was
one of the most impressive pictures of the