Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-10-05
VICTORIA AT HOME.
Something About the inner Life of the
English Court.

English Court.
The inner life of the court has little
in it to tempt a Sybarite implicitly.
dutifulness, conscientious performance
of work are its characteristics. At
nine o'clock Her Majesty breakfasts
alone, unless some of her children.
grandchildren or personal friends are
stay ing in the palace. and she is rarely
without them. In summer, at Osborne,
Windsor or Balmoral, this meal is gen.
orally served out of doors. in some al
cove, tent or summer house, after which
the Queen either drives in small pony
carriage, accompanied by one of the
princesses, or she walks, attended by
lady-in-waiting or maid of honor.
with whoN she converses with friendly
ease, and followed by two Highland
servants and some favorite dogs.
Luncheon is served at two o'clock,
the convives being Her Majesty's fam
ily or royal guests. Until this hour,
from her short after-breakfast eXer-
else, the Queen is diligently occupied
with official correspondence and bust
ness of various kinds. Long training
has made her politician of no mean
ability and breadth of view, her natu-
raj common sense forming an admira-
BILE basis for such a superstructure. 1t
assists. too, in enabling her to choose
her friends well and wisely, though
the court surroundings are not calcu-
lated to help royal personages in form
ing a just judgment of character. HUI
man nature puts on a somewhat too
angelic guise, where every thing may
be won by amiability 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 read.
ing or practicing on the piano, sing
ing or playing lawn tennis with them,
as any young ladies, companions to
gether, might. The ladyin-waiting
accompanies the Queen in her after
noon 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 pri-
vate sitting room.
The royal dinner hour in $3.50. 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. ::
lords and ladies-in- waiting, maids of
honor, equerries and grOOms-in-wait-
ing, this latter official holding a con-
siderably lower position than the
equerry, though TO the uninstructed it
sounds like distinction without a diff
ference
The Queen is woman of strict
business habits and steady applica-
ton. The amount Of correspondence
she gets through is enormous. In the
private portion of this correspondence
Her Majesty is assisted by her private
secretary. a dy-in-waiting and q
maid OF honor, especially the Dowager
MarchiOness of Ely, one of the ladies.
VINO Is Il FuluGu lEIcuu.
When the court is at Windsor the
members of the household in attend
ance are one lady-in-waiting (these
ladies are always peeresses), two maids
of honor, lord-in- waiting, also the
keeper of the privy purse, the private
secretary, assistants in both depart
uents and the master Of the house
hold. The attendance is the same at
Osborne and Balmoral. with the ex-
ception of the lord-in-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
charged specially with the task of
conveying orders to trades people
jewelers. diapers. dressmakers, etc. !;
one dresser and one wardrobe woman
are in constant attendance on the
Queen, taking alternate days.
Dress is "a matter in which, even in
her young days, Her Majesty does not
appear to have taken much interest.
At present her perpetual morning al
lows of no crude color combination.
Some of us elders have a pleasant, if
vague, recollection of Victoria Regina
Il good many years ago, say forty or
forty-three, in very simple and be
coming bonnet tied beneath the chin,
wreath of wild roses under the brim.
framing sweet. kindly young face.
All. me! sorrow and experience have
writ their cruel marks on hers and
ours since then.-Mrs. Alexander, in
Philadelphia Times.