The record-union., 1891-07-04
British aristocracy is more inviolate than

British aristocracy is more inviolate than
this.
The etiquette of reception of guests is
most simple. Indeed there is less for
lnallty shown in the actual relation of
host to guest in British nobleman'S
home than will be at any time confronted
IN the house Of a Hoboken brewer or q
Kansas City merchant in hogs The first
coachman, with the family close carriage,
II rainy, and with the wagonette, if in
line weather, brings the titled guests from
the station, traps following after with the
luggage; and the groom, with another
carriage, attends to the guests servants.
Mllords valet and milady'S maid meet
the arriving guests at the castle entrance
and conduct them at once to the drawing
room, where the host and hostess receive
and welcome them; but they are not de
| layed in being shown to their apartments.
| Meantime the houSekeeper is attending
Ito the guests servants. Every gentle
man brings his valet and every lady her
maid, and often her own footman. unless
an express request to the contrary has
been made in the invitations. The visit
ing valet IS assigned to room in the
servants hall, and ladies' maids are pro-
ylded with separate rooms, usually en-
suite with their mistresSeS' apartments.
There are few of the British castles or
country seats that are not able to house
from forty to 100 guests, with a separate
apartments for each, and equal accom-
modations i'll the servants hall for the
guests servants. The service in all re-
spects does not materially differ from
that in our best class semi-privatC hotels:
save that each occupant Of the castle has
the exclusive attention Of his or her own
servant, III addition to the general service
of the castle, always on call ut any hour
Of the day OF night.
Whatever number of guests may be
found at any one time at these great eS-
tablishments-and except on special oc-
casions they Will not exceed dozen or
twenty-in provision for the cuisine, in
complete StaftS Of servants, and in the
number Of servants employed, they are
at all times, during the occupancy Of mi
lord and milady, or either, as well pre-
pared for entertainment of the highest as
the least number. That is one Of the
penalties of being a nobleman. But to
illustrate details OF the ordinary regime,
we viii suppose that dozen or 81 score Of
guests are already gathered at the castle,
and the invitations read for "a week"
The usual hours for meals are: Break
fast at to 10; luncheon at 2; tea at 3; din
ner ut s; and supper at from II o'clock
until midnight. Whether guests have ar
rived before luncheon or Before dinner,
etiquette requires that all shall gather in
the draWlng-rOOm for introduction. This
is absolutely the first and last Of formality
among these titled people during their So
jOurn. Whatever their difference in rank.
none whatever is thereafter recognized.
The StOrN-bOOkS do not put il this way
bat The fact remains. 1t is the unwritten
and inViolable law Of such occasions that
while mere distinction in rank in form Of
address, is adhered to. for the time-being
the offensive distinction of precedence is
wholly abolished. Socially and ethicailV
while You are his lordship'S guest YOU
are neither his superior nor inferior
Otherwise you would not be there. Not
only IS this true, but there can be only
two possible occasions for extreme dress
ing. Those are at dinner, where of late
years everything Savoring of full dress
has been taboOed, and in the event of
ball being given to which neighboring
nobility are invited.
There is probably no other place in the
world where Il guest for a week is so
much the master of his or her own incli-
nations. Etiquette and form make no
demands whatever upon you. You are
as free to follow your own Whims, either
for rest or activity, as though Quartered
Ill a glen-Side cabin. Remain up all
night; sleep all day; never appear at
meal save the first luncheon or dinner:
and there is none to wonder, question or
Criticise. The entire motif OF the hos
pitality of the British nobility is. in short.
the dignitied but complete Indulgence of
the guest in rational activities. simple
pleasures or complete rest.
There are many sources Of amusement.
There IS certain to be one or more grand
meets" /" whore the ladies Join in The ex-
citing hunt across country to the noIIsic
of the yelping hounds. Often the occu-
pants Of near castles join in these Then
there viii be return sport OF like nature.
and delicious hunt breakfasts" are
given. For the gentlemen exclusively,
there Will perhaps be pheasant shoot''
on the grounds, OF the more Sportsman-
like pleasure OF grouSe-shOOting on the
mOOrS. The ladies often Join in fishing
parties to some distant stream, when
lunch IS served in the open wood beside
some spring. Even when there is no
riding after the hounds, the pleasant
roads and lanes swarm with merry caVal-
cades of hOrsewomen and men, distant
bits Of scenery, castle ruins or historic
abbeys being thus visited. The drives
are the finest in the world, and most
brilliant intercourse is had between
castle and castle. Within and without
the great establishment itself there is al
ways provision for almost every imagin-
able sport. Billiards and ten-pins are as
great fayorites with ladies as with gentle
men.
There is always a superb cricket field.
Frequently football matches are gotten
up between the lordly old boys. The
tennis courts are nowhere eXcelled.
Nearly every castle demesne has its we'll
stocked streams of trout and its reaches
Of natural or artificial lakes for sailing
and rowing. But in every feature OF this
high-claSS life at the British nObleman'S
home there is an utter absence of theatric
show, so insuiferable in the American
lordero's home. AS before stated, save at
dinner and at balls, you will find lordly
frames almost exclusively hung with old
clothes. Whatever is comfortable is III
form. The baggy pajama for room loung-
ing; the ancient slipper, cap and jacket
for the lawn, the lake and the tennis
court; the lOoSest and most ancient of
toggery for the breakfast-table, and,
among real noblemen, the most faded.
spotted and ragged old pink Jackets for
'the meet" are the rule rather than the
exception, despite those whose pen cannot
but run riot in portrayal of British high
life. The truth is that. despite the inn
mense establishments, the great retinues
and the enormous general outlay as pen
ance TO rank and station, the real home
life of the British nobility is in accuSative
contrast, in all essentials to comfort and
sterling entertainment, to the hot-house
home life and grotesque social writings
of many of our own people of equal
wealth. EDGAR /. WAKENIAS
Struck the Wrong Town.
A paper cannot live where the Town
Council sticks notice on n tree and the
Il.