Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-12-23
LIVES OF ROYAL PAGES.
WHAT THEY WERE AND WHAT
THEY NOW ARE.
On All State Occasions They Make a
Brilliant Pieture-survivais OF the Days
of chiyairy- How They Were Trained
la France.

slht OF special BODY or company
with only certain duties. but are Sc
lectea for any royal function from
the military academy and drafted TO
the palace for the duration OF the
same
The boys chosen by the governor
Of the military school are those who
have won the greater number OF
good marks In a given time, and,
therefore, are entitled to wear on
tAeir epaulets the badge OF honor
which Is a gold number rising with
the number Ct school terms during
which they have incurred no pun
lshment
They are sent to the palace by the
general. who is the head OF the Gcad-
emy. and there they don the cos
tune OF the pages and perform their
duties, which are neither heavy nor
unpleasant They return to their
fellows laden with sweets. and. more.
over. the fact OF having been singled
out for the Office entities them during
the following term 70 extra priyi-
leges and holidays.
In England there are pagesof state
and pages OF the black stairs Their
functions are not very accurately de-
fined. and in most cases are more
honorary and nominal than active
and practical However. they are
bound 10 appear in the suite OF her
majesty In any OF the full state cere.
monies OF investiture. royal mar.
riages, etc, which have been so rare
Of late years. as the queen invariably
now commands what is called semi
state
Before the revolution OF '93 the
pages In France were in reality a
school Of cadets. They had to prove.
before admittance, four quarters OF
nobility, like the girls who sought
.sdmittanee al ST. Cyr, their brevets
OF good birth being signed by the
chancellor OF the college OF heraldry.
Whatever has since been said TO
the contrary, the pages had TO work;
their studies included French. math-
ematics, fencing and riding. They
had a dancing master who was also
teacher Of department. the accom-
plishment OF perfect manners being
ut that time one OF paramount inn
portahce.
There are 70 this day still living
one or two OF the men. who as boys
sat on the footsteps OF the coaches OF
Louis XVIII. or rode bY the carriage
doors OF Charles Y. Bent and hoary
with age. these survivals OF an cx-
tinct epoch have filled high posts in
old France. and have a record Of
which younger men might well b9
proud.
The pages we're divided into"pages
OF the greater and lesser stable. :"
pages Of the king. pages Of the
queen Of the Comte d'Artois aud OF
Monsieur Their hierarchy was
strictly observed They began with
tho lesser stable. rose TO the higher.
and left Il with the brevet OF sub
lieutenant The ambition OF every
youth was TO enter the queens dra-
goons, the crack regiment Of tho time
The uniform OF the page was coat
"a Ia Franchise" of the peculiar
shade OF blue called bleu de roi. with
gold lace. brooches in red cloth,
waistcoat OF the same, white hose,
buckle shoes. three coruered hat and
on the shoulder a flowing knot of
ribbons.
This was the costume for the in
terror OF the palace. says a London
lctter TO tho New York Sun. When
on horseback the pages wore the blue
brooches and the high riding boots,
with the linen covers over the
brooches.
A royal page instructed with a
message by his master, either verbal
or written, had 10 be introduced i'm
mediately 60 the addresses Of tho
message. and never kept waiting.
No intermediary was suffered. and
he was entitled Go reception betit-
ting "genttlhomme. "
When on duty at the kings table
the pages personally did no waiting,
but occasionally the sovereign would
instruct them TO carry some particu-
lar dish TO one OF the guests IL
pleased him TO specially honor with
his attention.
They accompanied the king In de.
taohments when he travelled or
changed his residence. During the
royal hunts they had charge OF the
spare guns and led the horses
brought for their masters fresh
mounts,
Many stories are contained in the
memoirs OF tho period concerning
the sharpness, readiness and also the
mischief OF the pages.
Their misdemeanors and their
pranks, their practical jokes, their
limitations with the maids of honor,
and even with ladies OF higher rank
we're traditional, which did not pre-
vent them afterward from fighting
like lions and shedding thoir blood
like water for the lilies of the Bour-
bous or the tricolor Of the empire,
"Insolent as a page" was a com
mon saying. and their bold repartees,
their free audaoity az times won the
indulgence and gained them immun-
ity even from 50 severe an observer
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