San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-13
QUEENS DRAWING ROOM.
A SCHOOL FOR TRAINING LADIES
TO COURTESY PROPERLY.

Appearing Before Royalty without Awk-
wardness or Confusion-Models of Court
Dignity-Lessons in Carriage and Grace
full Statutes.
Dread subject for the debutante before the
eyes of the queen! Country girls have been
known to faint at the idea of the ordeal they
have to pass through when they go before the
row of royalties in Buckingham palace. De-
pertinent, in fact, forms the most important
feature at a drawing room, the regulation
dress being put out of the question. OF
course, a debutante must be dressed properly
or there is no entrance for her. But she may
be weak or strong upon department. Some
fOOlhardy women do not take any lessons at
all as to the manner in which they shall adj
vance and retreat before the queen. A
Budget representative thought it would be a
humane action to emphasize the unwisdom of
this course, and waited upon a lady who
trains the girlish idea how to shine in these
stately ceremonies to have a lesson. She
writes:
VISIT TO THE TEACHER.
A trim maid opened the door when !
knocked and rang at the portals of the mis-
tress of department. / was shown into
drawing room rather luxuriously furnished
Presently Mrs. R. entered She was a
pleasant faced lady, full of the subject on
which had called She took me to an other
room, with polished floor and pier glasses
round the walls.
II am afraid shall want a lot of coaching
before | am graceful enough to suit your
ideas"
Don't be afraid. You will learn as quick
ly as many country girls 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 dozen"
Are all your pupils girlsf' asked Mrs
R.
"Oh, no. I have married ladies here occa-
sionaly. The sister Of the Earl of A
took presentation lessons little while ago,
and her husband said they enabled her to
carry herself much more gracefully when
walking out"
Aren't the girls very nervous when they
first go to courtp
Yes; those whose ignorance forbodes fail.
ure," answered Nine. R. She had full
faith in her own powers of training, however,
for she said: Several of my pupils have told
me they were more at home with the queen
than with me- The queen likes all young
girls and debutantes to look at her well in the
face. You must look at her thoroughly
without hinching"
is she particular about deportment?"
"Keenly particular She notices move
ment, and nothing annoys her so terribly as
careless, negligent carriage. Her own de,
pertinent has always been irreproachable
Don't you admire her as young queen in
her pictures2 She notices in q moment if
you have prepared for the drawing room,
and if she sees you have she smiles benignly.r
Next to the queen as a model of court car,
riage stands the Duchess of Teck. Mrs.
R told me this in a soft, motherly way
Then she suddenly turned practical, and fixed
her eyes keenly and critically and said But,
come take your hat off, and we will have q
lesson Place this on your head" She hand.
ed me disc of wood about the size of a tea
plate. There, put that on your head This
ribbon prevents its falling off. Now walk I'D
to mel" said madame. Keep your head up.
Don't walk" she cried. you mustn't ven
ture to walk Your feet must slide over the
floor Hold your shoulders up. Keep your
chin high. Now, try again!"
PRACTICING THE WALK AND BOW
wouldn't be maiden of the sunny south
We are told that the cause of their erect bear
ing is long practice with g water pitcher CD
their heads. A liter of wood convinced
me that the n'c.dens of the sunny south de-
serve all the erect carriage they can get.
Have you ever tried to walk with your head
up with bit Of wood balancing on the top of
your slIull3 tried again. "You must not
lift. your toes" wa-uingly said cladGge