Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-04-05

the subject on which | called. She
took me to another room, with a
polished floor and pier glasses
round the walls.
81 am afraid that ! shall want
lot of coaching before l am grace
full enough to suit your ideas
"Dont be afraid. You vii! learn
as quickly as many country girls l
have taught. OF course, l can't
say how many lessons you will
want until see your style. Some
ladies need only two or three.
Others are obliged to have half a
dOzen.r
care all your pupils girls y
asked Mrs. R
"Oh, no. have married ladies
here occasionally. The sister of
the Earl of A took presenta-
ton lessons a little while ago, and
her husband said they enabled her
to carry herself much more grace
fully when walking out"
Aren't the girls very nervous
when they first 60 to court y
eyes those whose ignorance
forbOdes failure" answered Mrs.
R. She had full faith IN her
own powers of training, however,
for she said: "Several of my pu-
pills have told me they were more
at home with the Queen than with
ne. The Queen likes all young
girls and debutantes to look at her
we'll in the face. You must look at
her thoroughly without iinching.'
sis she particular about deport-
ment ?"
"Keenly particular. She notices
movement, and nothing annOys her
so terribly as a careless, negligent
carriage. Her own department has
always been irreproachable. Don't
you admire her as young Queen
in her pictures She notices in a
moment if you have prepared for
the drawing room, and if she sees
you have she smiles benigDly.'
Next to the Queen as a model of
court carriage stands the Duchess
of Teck. Mrs. R told me this
in soft, motherly way. Then she
suddenly turned practical and fixed
her eyes keeDly and critically and
said "But, come, taSe your hat
off, and we will haYe a lesson.
Place this on your head" She
handed me a disc Of wood about the
size of a tea plate. "There, put
that on your head. This ribbon
prevents its falling off Now walk
up to me-" said madame. "Keep
your head up. Don't walk" she
cried. "YOu mustn't venture to
walk. Your feet must slide over
the floor. Hold your shoulders up.
Keep your chm high. Now, try
again "
wouldn't be a maiden of the
sunny South. We are told that
the cause of their erect bearing is
long practice with a water pitcher
on their heads. A platter of wood
convinced me that the maidens of
the sunny South deserve all the
erect carriage they can get. Have
you ever tried to walk with your
head up with a bit Of wood bal.
anciug on the top of your skullf l
tried again. You must not lift
your toes warningly said madame.
'sNOw walk with me-" did so,
and balanced the piece Of wood
with ease.
snow, will be the Queen pro
TEN. Glide up to me.' She re.
tired TO the end of the room. "YOu
must regulate your steps, aud
count two between each step for
ward. Take anObe step, and then
courtesy"
obeyed. twas very unsteady
one. "Try again, and 90 down
very slowly. Slower, slower, slow
err" she said, stretching out her
hand, which kissed. "YOu mustn't
try to grab the Queens hand. You
must sweep your hand round sO"-
and she made a graceful curve in
the alr-"and be careful your nose
doesn't touch the Queens hand.
Any time can be given to the court
esy to the Queen. Then you must
courtesy to each member Of the
royal family. The Empress Fred
erick may he next the Queen.
Make a deep courtesy to her, and
a shorter one to each Of the others,
according TO their distance from
the Queen. The regulation num-
Der of cOurtesies is six. That is
what / train my pupils for. Having
finished saluting each member of
the royal family you back out
swiftly-still with a gliding motion
to allow the other ladies to come
up. This backing out is really a
succession of courtesies with first
the right foot ard then the left for
ward. You kick your skirts away
all the time.D