Morning journal and courier., 1891-10-24


 the manor. Christenings among the mo-
 bility are invariably celebrated in these, | and privately. Possibly the parish regis
 trar may be present. Occasionally near
 relatives and close friends are invited,
 These and the immediate household ser
 wants are the only attendants. But the in
 cumbent of the living, though he may be
 assisted by noted canon or prelate, always performs the office. A christening dinner follows, and while of a most exclusive
 character, it is always an expensive and
 superb feast, the clergyman or priest who
 has oficiated being the guest of honor. The affair is also one of considerable ex- pense to near revatives and friends. It is | the chief occasion between birth and mar
 riage for the bestowal of gifts. Many of
 these are in the form of toys and objects | of pastime ranging from what might
 amuse the tiniest babe to articles which
 have interest even to grown up boys and
 girls, and these are often toys of marvel ous construction and workmanship; while
 other gifts take the form of properties
 and jewels.
 From the moment of christening the
 babe, which has received not only its | Christian names, but its title, often jum-
 ble of family and property sppellstives ss | outlandish as long, is never addressed by | parent or servant in any other manner than by its title. Its parents may occa- | sionally so far forget themselves as to ap- | ply some tender nickname or love-word I to the child; but this could only occur
 in moments of great secrecy and weak
 ness. It is spoken of to all friends and | servants in the third person, as "Lady | Helen," or 'Lord Arthur" the epithet of | nobility being prefxed to the child's Christian name. Its distinct title is ap- piled only after the death of the person | from whom such title descends, formally | in necessary legal instrument, or when its age of majority is sttained. Eldest sons | carry their titles from the date of chris tening. To illustrate, take the house of | Manchester. The eldest son of the late | duke was Lord (William George Victor Drego) Vaudeville. He was Lord Mande- vile from christening. He is the present Duke of Manchester. His younger broth | CT, Lord Charles Montagu, was always "Lord Charles" simply, in childhood and | minority. The only son of the present Duke of Manchester is Lord (Willism George) Kimbolton. The lad is therefore | now Lord Mandeville"-a successor to | the dukedom. It is perhaps irreverent to | imagine these little tots as other than be- | ings superior to the ills of flesh, under such aristocratic conditions; but 'Lady Helen" has wind on her little stomach and 'Lord Arthur" has to run the gauntlet of paregoric and rasl precisely as with your child or mine.
 At about years age the nurse-mother is relieved. Perhaps for another year special nurses are employed in the care of the child. At from two to three years of age it is transferred to the household | nursery, although the special nurses may be somewhat longer retained. This nurse " is always a most spacious apartment. Connected with it, or leading into it from an adjoining hall, are dozen or more pleasant little rooms where older children sleep, sometimes with a nurse in each room, and for nurses, the governess and her assistants. The principal room of the nursery is not only fantastic museum of everything conceivable with which to | amuse children, but it is also their library, | music-room, study, dining room, play room in unpleasant weather, and the sit ting-room and prison-room of milsdy's professional governess,
 This individual is expected to educate and form the manners and morals of the children, of the girls to the age of twelve, and the boys to the age of seven or eight, when tutors for the latter are provided. These are both instructors and slaves The governess must read, write, speak and teach French and German, and be able to
 instruct in the rudiments of Latin, the
 sciences and philosophy. She must sing and teach vocal music, and play and in struct upon the piano and harp. In fact she must be the superior, companion and l servant of her charges Her compensa- | tion is from forty to sixty pounds per an- | nun. In the greatest houses she is al | lowed two, and sometimes three, nursery
 maids at from ten to sixteen pounds each The daily regime of these children of the nobility is about as follows. They | rise at seven o'clock the year round. They are given a short walk before break | fast, which is served in the nursery at eight, and consists of oatmeal and cream,
 a little baked or mashed potato, perhaps | bit of cold lamb, milk and fruit. Then | they must assiduOusly study until ten. | Then comes the walk in the grounds or | drive in double phaeton, the .oyerness | in charge and the under cOGchInan or sta | ble-boy as driver. On their return they
 are allowed to romp little until dinner. | At this meal they are served with soup or
 bouillion, trihe of fish, sparingly of | roast meat or gIilled chops, a small
 ''help" of vegetables and little fruit, or,
 instead, custard or rice pudding. The younger ones may nap. and the older ones | play, until three o'clock. Then comes study until four. A half-hour's drive or
 walk is had: when they are entertained by | the governess with stories improvised, or
 read, with music, or by games, until six o'clock. Then the supper, when weak | chocolate, cocoa or tea, with crackers or
 toast, and perhaps trifle of cold roast, is | served. By half-past seven o'clock every
 one of these lordlings is in bed and sound
 asleep.
 Whether the castle is asleep in it's inane
 home-life, or is stirred with the presence | of many noble visitors, its child-life ever remains the same. Children are almost | exclusively reared without seeing their parents save by chance. The regime of
 meals is strict and formal that with their elders. The governess is always
 with them at meals, and indeed practically
 never absent from them. Their study,
 play hours, meals, outings and hours for
 rising and retiring are as vigorously ob-
 served as at s military school. Their
 clothing is wholly prepared under the di-
 rection of the governess. Her ladyship | simply receives reports of discipline and progress. She is ill no sense their mother. | On rare occasions when her ladyship is | alone, or when guests who are close friends
 are present, they are permitted to appear with the governess at the family table.
 But these occasions, while regarded as re-
 wards, are dismally formal and austere.
 Some things these children gain. The
 vast grounds are full of sweetness, sun | light and song. They are kept in these
 every moment permissible from their stud-
 ies believe them to be from infancy to
 their departure for school, and sometimes
 until their entrance to noble society, the
 healthiest children and youths in the
 world. Something else is gained. As a
 rule, their compulsory and habitual alone
 gation before their elders prevents that in
 sufferable arrogance and turbulent, insult
 ing self-consciousness of the average pet
 ted and spoiled American youth. So,
 too, if they lose the society of their titled
 parents, they gain within and without cas-
 tie doors, if the same be not always re-
 tain, as I have seen in progress about
 these unduly grand palaces, a democrary
 of affection and a growth of innocent love
 among host of rarely reciprocative if
 quaint and simple folk. | EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.