The Republican., 1890-06-14
THE QUEENS HOUSEHOLD.
The Daily Routine in the Royal Palace o
of England.


The Daily Routine in the Royal palace o.
of England.
Of all the principal courts of Europe
that of England is the simplest, and yet
the household maintained by the Queer
consists of over 1000 persons. The dis
cipline is strict and admirably carried
out. The Queen pays the highest sala-
ries paid at any court, and in return ex'
acts the most answering integrity, the
greatest discretion and most faithful!
service. For her household expenses
the Queen receives yearly grant OF
&45O,OOO
Her habits are quiet and unostenta-
tious. She rises at eight a. M. and her
breakfast consists of dish of oatmeal,
some fish and cup of cocoa. The lords
and ladies in waiting, thirty-fve in
number, breakfast in the most sumptu-
GUS style, and it is principally for these
important personages that the following
kitchen staff is maintained: one kitchen
clerk, chef, six cooks, and fourteen
helpers and storekeepers.
At ten o'clock her Majesty receives
her letters and news. In accordance
with strict court etiquette the Queen is
not expected to handle single news
paper, magazine or periodical; neither
does she receive any written comunica-
ton except family Letters The news
papers are read through by one of the
secretaries to the private secretary, who
makes cuttings of any nws likely to
interest her Majesty, aIfthsss are
fastened to piece of silk aDdGGd upon
the table.
1t is strictly forbidden to any member
of the royal family or to any one in the
household to convey any newspaperor
periodical to her Majesty, or to direct
her attention to any news in the daily
papers. No political news is clipped
from the dailies.
The principal attendants upon the
Queen are six Pages of the Back Stairs
whose Offices have certainly not an hon
orable name, but who receive the tol
cradle salary of $500 year apiece
One Of them is in constant attendance
at the door of her Majesty's apartment
from early morning until she retires a
night. His position is no sinecure, anG
he has frequently to carry the Queens
reprimand to some member of the house
hold who may have incurred her dis
pleasure.
Dinner at the palace is served al
seven o'clock, and the setting and ar
ranging of the table is a most artistic
performance, and occupies about two
hours. For this service table decker
is maintained at $1,000, who occupies a
suite of rooms in the palace, and three
assistant deckers, besides wax-fitter tC
arrange the candles and three lamp
lighters to light them.
The Queen retires at ten o'clock, ex.
cepting on special occasions, when she
-reUires as early as she can manage tc
without disturbing her visitors. There
are eight Ladies of the Bedchamber,
who serve by turns fortnightat time.
These ladies are all of the highest fam
lilies, and rarely rank under Duchess.
There are besides eight bedchamber
women, also persons of quality, who
really do the work of ladies' maids, and
receive 81, 500 a year. These women serve
by turns in couples month at time.
The blankets on the Queens bed are
made from the wool of Australian sheep;
and they are beautifully soft, warm,
and light of texture. The sheets are
also of the same wool, and no linen
sheets are ever used. The ventilation
of the room is perfect. Throughout the
palace the rooms are kept at the same
cool temperature, no overheating is per-
mitted, and in all the private rooms
wood is burned instead Of coal.
There is a complete sanitary estab'
lishment supported at cost of 81, 700 a
year. Perhaps of all the long list OF
appendages to royalty no one earns his
wages more fairly than the obscure per.
sonage who figures at the end of the pay.
roll - the Queens rat-catcher whose
duty it is to keep the royal premises
from ''all rats and mice and such small
deer and who in return for this service
receives the modest stipend of 975 a
year.-ChicaT 70 Tribune.