Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-25
"Her Majesty rode out this morning attend

| of its rights, although the social position of
one in the Queens household is nearly as
high as the other. For instance, the Hon.
| Harriet Phipps who has been a long time "a
maid of honor" is fast reaching 30 years and
she is q sort of private secretary to Her
| Majesty, looking after the conditions of the
household and official life that lady-in-
waiting would never be asked to do. This
may be because of long years Of service and
| the growing necessities Of the Queen Tor
| help in her official duties.
Doesn't Like Wrinkles.
Old age brings its penalties to woman
even more arbitrarily than to men. The
| Queen of England is no exception to that
rule. In the early years of her reign she
was not particularly captious about the age
or looks of the women whom she called
about her as companions. OF late she has
shown a strong disposition to keep her
female officials younger than before. Like
all elderly people she prefers comely ap-
| pearance and a youthful face to the wrinkles
and physical penalties that years impose.
and to this many people attribute her good
health and cheerfulness. Therefore, the
ladies she brings about here are of the years
where the enthusiasm of youth ends and the
| well-equipped woman begins.
| But it is difficult to retire those who have
been so long honored, and when change is
made the one let 60 is slipped into some
easy place where Ter pride is not wounded
| and public comment upon the change is not
harsh. For the Queen is exceedingly care
| full in her dealings with those who enjoy her
| favors, and she is certain never to wonnd
them even when the time comes when an
other must take their place. She also calls
them to her side occasionally afterward, that
the public may see that they have not lost
har fax -, - h.. IS
| a ruler.
Very Close to the Throne.
'The Mistress of the Robes" is another
misleading title, for the woman who bears it
has nothing to do with the Royal togs, but
wields a mighty influence in the Queens
| surroundings She is a sort of female
| adjutant general, holding rank above all the
other ladies who are called about Her
Majesty. She must hold the rank of duchess
before the position is within her grasp, and
| like every chief of staff to a great COM
mander, she speaks on many important
| things in the name of the sovereign. She
directs all forms of presentation to the
| Queen, and in a great measure desIgnates
the Royal favors to those seeking an audi
ence. To be within reach OF her friendship
is to be very close to the throne.
The Duchess of Buccleuch, who now
u .
| anyone must necessarily be to hold such
place. Her salary is s., 500 year. and her
duties are many and varied. In rank she
outclasses all the other lady members of the
| Queens official household She assigns
them to their respective duties and desig-
mates in Her Majesty's name when the
| presence of any of them is required to wait
upon the Queens pleasure. To look out
for her amusements and keep general eye
to the hundred and one things which enter
into the life of queen is part of her
task: This is not an easy job. for Victoria
| is still very fond of the pleasures of life, and
often requests the great singers and players
to visit her. Madam Albani is great fa-
vorite with her, and is frequently at Buck
ingham palace, Windsor, Osborne House
and Balmoral. Anyone who has achieved
| fame in the realm of entertainment Is only
too happy to play for the Queen, who, by
the way. is practically barred from all
classes of entertainment except those that
come to her or are Of semi-official charac.
ter. Thus royalty pays quite severe pen
atty for its crown. It is part of the duty of
| the mistress of the robes to make up in some
degree for the loss which exclusion from the
common herd imposes upon her sovereign.
The Men of the Household.
a duchess of the very highest degree gave
me this interesting description of the
| Queens household and those women who
officially wait upon her pleasures. But her
| chat upon the subject did not stop with this
review OF the female portion of the Queens
attaches. A royal family cannot be made
up entirely of women officers. Men of all
grades have to be called into the ornamental
| as we'll as the practical duties of Her
Maiesty's surroundings. As in all other
places the men cost more than the women,
and they have less duties to perform. It
costs more than 100000 q year for the
purely ornamental appendages to the
| Queens household who wear pantaloons.
They seldom have anything to do except
now and then to go and see Her Majesty,
for whatever duties are required by their
singular titles are performed by deputies or
clerks who receive salary out of the gen.
eral fund. In fact, the positions are given
to favorites to add something to their already
ample incomes. To be sure, they may be
called upon at any time to pay court to Her
Majesty, but they seldom are, and the men
near her are not as necessary to her comfort
and pleasure as the women who wear the
title "Ladies OF the Bedcamber," (" Bed
chamber Women" and maids of honor.
Lots of Money for Nothing.
There are lords in waiting, eight in num-
ber, who receive So, 500 year for wearing
the title. Eight waiting draw
81 $40 apiece, and there are at least hun
dred more ornamental positions about the
Queens household held by men at salary
from $500 to S15, 200 a year who have moth
ing practically to do. In fact, it is esti-
mated that at least 600 persons, if not more,
are attempting TO kill time about Her
Majesty, and yet there is no very serious
grumbling among those who pay the taxes
TO keep up this drain upon the public purse
They think, as rule, that they have the
| best government on earth. and they are will
| ing to pay good, round price for it.
Lille in the Queens household is very
pleasant" said the Duchess, "and very use
| full to those who are in or near the court
| We meet the very highest class of people of
| all nations, and it is a dull person indeed
| who doesn't learn to be interesting and
diplomatic before she has been there any
length of time. The Queen herself is de-
| lightfully pleasant to every one about her
and exceedingly mindful Of their comfort.
MANY young women would hesitate to stand
the work which the Queen takes upon her.
self at the ripe age OF 72. Both in temper
and action she is a remarkable woman at
her age, and there is not one about her who
does not have for her the highest respect"
To keep up the royal household pertain
ing only to the Queen herself costs =, 900, 900
per annum. Out of this vast sam she re-
ceives for herself for pocket money $500, 900.
The rest goes to,tradesmen and to the men
and women who bask in the sunshine of her
favor. FRANK A. BURR.
Merit Unappreciated.
Philadelphia Times.J