The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-11
THE ENGLISH COURT.
,vrEIcAYGIRL TELLS OF HER
PRESENTATION.
uv..a pl.arpointment--The Queen Not
And the Princess Christian
Reesi,ed-A stuffy Palace.

ancestors. seeing the sights and |
,,i,-r The town. Yesterday, in the nat
...r.. Of events, vas presented at
,.-. Now. I hope this statement viii |
,.t prejudice any Of my coun-
,-r.1 and countrywomen against !
feel almost positive you |
yu ssy: cot course. she bought her |
vsv there. like the majority of shoddy !
Americans who 80 10 England" But that
60 .5. he case. / did not employ a
duchess TO present me. Moreover, l am
rt from Chicago. or Denver my father
er1t "a p0rs-packcr and have no more
,..r.. thlt / can easily dispose Of The
fefis. belong TO a poor but respec'aDie
American family. and / am studying hu-
oil. fn London with the intention OF 6olhb
er Inc stage as soon as can get poSl-
tfr outside the chorus ranks. Alter
ward j shall come 90 America, and per
hans 20 con the road in a concert or
.rtr1fic company. SO much for myself
ana my personal ambitions.
.upu0ea really had a right 10 be pre- |
s-rfad according 20 the English stand |
All for my father Is what all Briushers |
would dcnomlnate a gentleman mas
much MS he is descended from long
line OF gentry" one OF my ancestors
g. Rrifon. of the fourteenth century, was
o., the military profession, ana very
Nno1tbirgtv sort Of person he was, ac-
eorllng 40 an I have heard about him
Usis said 10 have murdered a member OF
p. roval family in church, which MADE
Sin, a man az great distinction IN those
DAVIS. Then my mother Us what Would De
called "a lady by BIRTH That does nor
Frnify that she was born fuli-heueeu
lady. after the fashion OF Eve, accofdlns
., orthodox statistics. but she is simply
5.scandod from one Of the Knickerbocker
families who settled I'm New York. DO
MT sneak OF these things because j am
rroid OF my ancestors ] really doh
l,-a ANYTHING about them, or WhetheI
mad any ancestors az all I'm America
a. fs hardly considered respectaple 10
have ancestors. That was shown pldliny
...,,,.t, fn the case of Mr.. Harrison VINO
men running for President was oespIseg
bV the opposing party because ne 10
q grandfather. SO You VIII ~ annE
Vet en- is NOT in Boosting spirit that l
tu Won about my family tree. 1 oIny
mention IL 90 show that, according 20 tne
Fnplish way Of looking at It, noDouy
could possibly object to my being present
ed 40 court found
when at ~ o'clock yesterday i iouhu
myself properly Fixed for presentation
wien bouquet. long train, plumes' ven
and chaperon. I felt for all the Word
Ike n bride minus a bridegroom. HOW
ever when my carriage drew mp IN IRON.
Of buckingham Palace entrance forgot
AN about my husbandlcss state IN my
contemplation of the house Whefe her
majesty elects 20 reside only about Two
weeks during the year / must say uiu
not think much OF the divinity ana
spleudor that hedges the queen in ana
I., I1o1ara / really felt
sorry that she should be obliged to even
occasionally visit such place. The win
d,ys were dirty and were not tastefully
draped. Every one had different style
Of curtains. and according 10 the English
fashion. there was a funny little dressing
taole stuck up In each one. As l said
before. in view of such surroundings
feIt rather sorry for the queen, but my
sympathy turned 10 anger and censure
when on arriving in the room next the
"orbsence chamber" some one Informed
me that the queen was out at Richmond
visiting the Tecks and had delegated
Princess Christian to receive her guests
FOR her. ] wanted 10 see the Queen or
Eneland and had been told that on
certain day she would be at home.
went and she was not there. and had not
even had the politeness TO send plea
Of indisposltion. In America II rs the
custom for ladies 20 be az home on their
a. home days and I venture TO say that
n Mrs. Cleveland should break this rule
she would receive the cut direct from all
her acouafntances and the world at large.
had more reasons than one for being
dspleased at the queens absence. For
weeks l had been taking lessons in curt
sey.nt and hand-kissing All that prac-
uclug in the latter art went for nothing,
and the money l paid out TO learn how TO
d. went for worse than nothing.
For an hour after my arrival at the
palace my thoughts dwell on TINS ptter
disappointment and IL was not IN
very pleasant frame OF mind and with
a not too reassuring countenance that /
walked into the throne room as the
official announced "Miss Prudy Prim, OF
the United States" j gave scant curt
Fay 10 the Princess Christian, and while
doing 10 / observed that there was moth
ing about her appearance TO attract spe-
cal attention. She was pleasant-looK-
ms sort OF woman, but nothing out OF
ne ordinary. When l got 20 the Prince
OF wales my temper was somewhat under
control, and / gave him my best most
pacucei curtsey and WAS rewarded win
a smile. Despite all his well-known faults
i-.i sudden liking for him and wished
had dared 70 shake hands with him.
Jae DUke Of York was smiling all the
time ana appeared TO be greatly amused
g. somebody or something. Whether II
was anything that happened in the throne
room, or whether ~ was just the placid
emile he ~ said TO have been wearing
ever since his engagement 10 the Prin-
cess May ] had no means Of telling but
J am Inclined TO think ~ was the latter.
l admired him immensely, and for
royalty ] should say he had a good
portion OF common sense and general in
'elisence. II believed in kings and
royal families l would be perfectly con-
tent % have him for a sovereign. but my
lew months IN England have not angli-
cized me. and although state carriages.
shower bouquets and long trains are all
very fine and interesting. I still prefer
he democratic way OF doing things, ac-
eordlng to the Jeffersonian simplicity me-
thOds
Speaking OF trains reminds me that I
heard an English Girl say just before
enc was presented, Il shall be glad when
The Lord Chamberlain puts this thing
Gown. les more trouble than carrying a
baby" a great many OF the dresses were
not Of the regulation court cut. The
younger ladies' bodices were made only
mocestly low and did not expose tho
shoulders. as they arc generally sup
posed 10 do. One young woman was In
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