The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-05-28
A QUEENS DOMESTIC LIFE.
QUEEN vICToRIA'S QUIET AMI
UNOSTENTATIoUs HABITS.
The Royal Household Costs So,
25O,OOO and Consists of 1000 Re.
tainers, Including 4 Rat Catcher.

that OF England is the simplest, and yet
the household maintained by the Queen
consists of over 1000 persons. The dis
cipline is strict and admirably carried
out. The Queen pays the highest saa.
ries paid at any court, and in return ex.
acts the most unswerving integrity, the
greatest discretion and most faithful
service. For her household expenses the
Queen receives yearly grant of 50, $50
900.
Her habits are very quiet and unos-
tentatious. She rises at 8 A. NJ, and her
breakfast consists Of a dish of oatmeal
some fish and a cup of cocoa. The lords
and ladies in waiting, thirty-tive in mum
Der, breakfast in the most sumptuous
style, and it is principally for these i'm
portant personages that the following
kitchen staff is maintained: One kitchen
clerk, chef, six cooks, and fourteen
helpers and storekeepers.
At 10 o'clock her Majesty receives her
letters and news. In accordance with
strict court etiquette the Queen is not
expected to handle a single newspaper
magazine, or periodical; neither does she
receive any written communication, ex-
cept family letters. The newspapers are
read through by one of the secretaries
to the Private Secretary, who makes cut
tings of any news likely to interest her
Majesty, and these are fastened to a sheet
of silk and laid upon the table.
The principal attendants upon the
Queen are six Pages of the Back Stairs,
whose offices have certainly not very
honorable name, but who receive the
tolerable salary of $2500 a year apiece
One of them is in constant attendance at
the door of her Majesty's apartment from
early morning until she retires at night
His position is no sinecure, and he has
frequently to carry the Queens repri-
mand to some member of the household
who may have incurred her displeasure.
He has also to keep sharp eye upon
any unwelcome intruders, and must keep
ever alert to avoid any unpleasant con-
tretemps that might come by announcing
a visitor when the Queen is closeted
with somebody antagonistic to the new
arrival. He must display great tact and
tirmness, and yet great delicacy withal.
Recently, when Prince Battenberg had
incurred the displeasure of his royal
mother-in-law, she sent her page to sum-
mon the delinquent to her presence. He
refused, and was promptly informed by
the page that "the Queen commanded
him to appear, and disobedience would
place him under the very painful ne
cessity of summoning the guard"
When the Prince complained of this in
science, the Prince of Wales, who was
present, and who cordially detests
''those German outsiders, " informed him
that laws were made to obeyed; that he
seemed to have succeeded in making
himself exceedingly unpopular, so much
so that it might be Of benefit to his
health to take holiday aud go back to
Germany for month or two.
Dinner at the palace is served at z
o'clock, and the setting and arranging of
the table is most artistic performance
and occupies about two hours. For this
service table decker is maintained at
$1,000, who occupies suite of rooms in
the palace, and three assistant deckers,
besides a wax filter to arrange the candles
and three lamplighters to light them.
The Qneen enters the dining room pre-
ceded by the head usher bearing the
White Wand, the symbol of the "royal
command, )" and without which no Queens
messenger can appear in the House of
Lords to transact any affairs of State.
During dinner the proceedings are fire.
quently enlivened by the presence of the
Queens piper, who marches round the
table discoursing music more or less
sweet.
Her Majesty always gives the signal for
rising from the table, and proceeds to
her private apartments, where she spends
the remainder of the evening, either do
ing some fancy work, or listening to read
ing by one of the ladies of the family.
During this time she also reads over the
various poems and congratulation, of
which she daily receives quite number
from her loyal subjects, who dearly love
the letter of thanks which is sure to follow,
and which looks so well framed and
glazed Court etiquette demands that
I'll communications Excepting personal
S, which never reach herr shall be
lnted-in gilt letters on silk, and with
II bullion fringe round the edges. Some
London stationers make asp 0fthe
work, and know the exact de
bullion lace and all the other
ments. A letter of thanks is re.
and is accompanied by the gold lace
trimmings which adorned the loyal tn
butte, and the latter is filed away in the
archives of the royal dust-bin.
The Queen retires at 10 o'clock, ex-
cepting ON special occasions, when she
retires as early as she can manage TO
without disturbing her visitors. There
are eight Ladies of the Bedchamber, who
serve by turns, fortnight at time.
These ladies are all of the highest fami-
lies, and rarely rank under a Duchess. |
There are besides eight bedchambeI
woman, also persons OF quality, who real
ly do the work of ladies' maids, and re-
ceive $500 a year. These women serve
by turns in couples a month at a time
There is complete sanitary establish.
ment, supported at a cost of $13, 500 a
year, Perhaps of all the long list of ap-
pendages 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 free
from ''all rats and mice and such small |
deer - and who in return for this service |