The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-05

prescribed fist. made deep courtesy,
and was kissing the hand Of her pro tenn.
majesty with what thought bewitching
grace, when she snatched il from me, cry
ing;
this came back to me now as the carriage
door was thrown open and longed-but
there stood palace official in smart livery
WHO was deferentiaily saying: ALLOW me
70 take your train. madam" and on the
other side my mother, in brisk, business
Ike tones. cried: "Come, First Person Sim
went, rather shakily But as / stepped
foot on the palace threshold and the scar
let official put my train over my arm
ana my bouquet in my hand the stage
night vanished rs suddenly as it had come,
and found as l swept up the great stair
way, through the niles of sentries and
guards. to the apartment where were as
OF the land in glittering, SHIN
mering, sparkling array of gorgeous
coiors and dazzling jewels, that, instead
OF trem bling and quaking, the simplest,
most rational thing to do was to hold my
head high and sail into this sea of splen-
dor as if had been used to meeting such
small craft" every day of my life. You
ing gwen IN great emergency; and if
ever one has need of such courage. it is at
royal drawing-room!
We were ushered into the vast room
hung with portraits; but the portraits in
which l was most interested were the
living ones before me. held my breath
at the binding vision; duchesses, count
derful than the most nimble fancy could
picture. This, at last, is a function regal
enough to inspire the noble ladies of
England to an enthusiasm of dress. For,
must confess. that upon ordinary occa-
sions they do not dress; they merely wear
clothes.
We had the good fortune to find yeats.
We had half an hour TO wait while the oc-
cupants of the other .'salons" were passing
on to the presence chamber.
When those rooms had been emptied
and 1t came our turn to move, was sorry
to have the beautiful tableau dissolved, al
though the curtain went down upon it,
only TO rise upon the third act climax, the
most brilliant, thrilling scene of the play.
The moment of which had dreamed
vaguely all my life, and during the last
few months with a futter of mingled dread
and delight was drawing near. My presen-
tation at the court of England was but q
few minutes distant.
We rose to our feet and pressed forward.
my mother whispering me to keep close to
Quoted with becoming dignity and state,
but to my amazement the great ladies
now began to jostle and crowd like chill
dren scrambling for pennies. 1 felt that
Tombstone should have been here to ad-
mOnish them like SO many Audreys to
'bear their bodies more seemIy." This
was only, however, while we were passing
through the door; after that we walked
decently and in order through two long
rooms, from the last of which a door on
the right led to the presence chamber. As
neared it my heart beat a lively tune.
saw two officials spreading out my moth
er's train, heard the lord high chamber
lain call forth her name and then-then,
as in dream, / felt those same officials
my own name called-and the moment
had come!
A long line of royalty. line of officials
facing them, through which my mother
was courtesying her way and was to fol-
low; q glitter, q dazzle, fash of crown
jewels, and had taken the plunge! Five
courtesies, and there was the queen in all
her gloryi A deep reverence, q light kiss
on her hand-I had not touched my nose
to it! With that my courage rose. The
most awful moment was over; I might
look the other royalties in the face: see
what it all really was ike-if only the
lady who followed me would not come on
so fast! Five more courtesies, my train
once more put over my arm and | had
tesies. Back! Back! Would that long
room ever come to an end asked myself
with the first courtesy. With the second
came courage, and as I made the third,
felt that it would be possible to find pleas
ure even in this trying performance, if the
energetic lady in front would give me
leisure for enjoyment. But on she came
as swift as time, and on / must go.
1t seemed short life time between the
first courtesy and my mothers whisper:
ut is over: you may turn around now"
II thought it never would be over,
mamma; but the presentation itself did
not last a minute"
dreaded presentation had been 50 easily
and quickly accomplished, was, at the
same time, disappointed. l felt cheated.
It had been but q twinkle; had not half
seen the royal family. l wanted to go
back and do it all over again. Now that
/ had the practice, what pity not to
use it!
to allow me to stand behind the guards
and watch the next presentations, and, at
her Eyes" stationed myself where could
peep between the shoulders. Of two Of
them and see the duchess of this and the
countess of that making their courtesies
and going through the grisly ordeal of
backing out of the long room.
1t was only then that saw how the six
yard trains were managed while their
wearers were passing through the aisle
have spoken of As lady enters the
presence chamber, the pages who take her
train from her arm and spread it out give
it to the official opposite the first royalty
In the line. The lady makes her courtesy
to this royalty, her train held out by the
official. When she passes on to the next
royalty, the train is passed to the next Of
fetal, and so on to the end of the line,
whence it is once more put over her left
arm. From the distance at which stood,
the sight was q very amusing one, the Ia
dies bObbing up and down, their trains
tossed behind them from man to man like
ball.
About the room stood the gentlemen
ushers. Notwithstanding silver
misunderstanding, field-officer-in-
brigade waiting, captain of the queens
guard, ambassadors and ministers and
the lord chancellor.
The scene was impressive, memorable,
but Gilbert's lines would run irreverently
in my head:
Lord chamberiains were cheap as sprats,
Ambassadors cropped up like hay,
Prime ministers and such as they
Grew like asparagus in May,
And dukes were three penny.
In short, whoever you may be,
To this conclusion you'll agree:
When everyone is some bodice
Then no ones anybody.
1 felt it very hard that Just as was be-
coming convinced of the soothing logic Of
the last two lines should be taken away
from my fellow-somebodies But it was
impossible TO- stay longer, for my. mother
had promised our friends to be at home By
A.QfA ef1r nd " q