The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-04-26
He p,NEp WITH THE QUEEN.
Eut It nYade Him SO Mad That lie Aohse0
10 arnaaf Things.

to Smash Things.
"Once, and only once in my llte'
said well-known diplomat VINO no"
represents England as a.r hassadof 70
one of the frst-class missions, Il was d
ramnant. red-hot republican. and 1or
twentv.four hours would have gladly
se.n onr monarchical institutions de-
stroycd forever.
81 was attacfe at the time at one OF
tho small South American places ana
had been sent home on special mis-
SIGN with dispatches to present 10 cne
queen and foreign minister.
II was only youngster, it being my
first veal. of service, and no words can
express my sense OF my own import
ance, as we'll as the Importance OF the
affair with which | was intrusted.
$50 was quite prepared on my ar
rival in London to receive persona
communication from the queens prl-
vats secretary commanding my attend
ance at Windsor, with the intlmation
that il was tie royal pleasure that l
should dina and sleep at the palace
"Ncvert1eless the aetna! reception
Of the mission VIII its large envelope
and oeficiil seal Tiled me with boyish
delight Visions Of special favor ana
Immediate prcferment, as well az OF
tho brilliant society in which was TO
be thrown, climmercd through my
brain, and wiring Sir - that would
wait upon her majesty Immediately,
apd having been cautioned by my chief
against any delay, took the first prac-
ticable train to Windsor
st rather hurt my dignity on my
arrival al the station to be obliged TO
take a ricl1ety-looilng fly. for | verify
believe if I had found 4 chariot with
ontriders should not have becn aston
ished, or deemed it Inconsistent with
the dignity OF the occasion.
''On my arrival at the castle, how
ever, my pride received another shock
by INV being Sent by supcrcllious lack
eys to several doors before 1 effected
an entrance.
s'Finally some head steward or butler
looked at list anil t;.en ut my card,
nodded, ani consigned me to an AUTO
nation in livery, who led inc through
c;rcuitous passages Up several pairs OF
narrow stairs, showed me into bare
littla bedroom, put down my traps
which he actually had had the kind
ress to carry for me. and with the
words, Dinner at eight with the
queen, left nc to M own devices
at was then only three o'clock, and
had had no luncheon. sat down on
the edge of my bed, the most disillu-
sionne person in Great Britain. All
through that weary afternoon waited
in vain for summons, not daring to
absent myself Cor fear of committing
some sole.ism in official etiquette.
Toward evening, however, my spr-
it's revived. # Shall see the queen now
at all events, thought to myself; and
making careful toilet left my room
(where, By the way, not the slightest
attention had been shown tn me, not
even Jug OF hot water having been
brought to my door, at little before
eight o clock.
"Having finally found an attendant
who seemed to know where to IT, kc me,
was conducted to largo drawing-
room, where there wcr,, several groups
Of well dressed men and women. al
talking together and taking not the
slightest notice of me- After a Jew
minutes sort Of futtcr Of expectation
made itsolf observable.
''Those who were sitting rose; q
couple of footmen opened a door, Sta
tioning themselves on either side. and
Il quiet. rather cross looking little cid
erly lady entered the room, followed
by half dozen ladies and gentlemen.
GLOW the rest happened l do not re-
mem der; there seemed to be general
movement, and l found myself in the
next room seated at a table between
two mon who were perfect strangers
to me and who taleel across to each
other, barely recognizing my existence.
Fortunately for my patience tho
dinner was not long. The queen gave
the signal, every one rose, and with a
slight bow on hor part and deep
obeisance and curtesies On the part of
those present. she left the room for her
private apartments. And this was my
dinner with the queen!
"Afterward followed one Of the most
miserable hours | have ever spent.
Utterly neglected an! too shy to assert
myself, stood it Us long as could and
finally betool1 myself to my room,
feeling the most intense hatred for
both royalty and the aristocracy in gen
eral.
cat eight o'clock the next morning
my breakfast was brought to me on a
tray and with it a card from the mas
ter of ceremonies, stating that was to
have an audience at ten O clock.
"At the hour named I was ushered
into the presencc-not OF the queen,
but of her private secretary, Sir -,
who received me politely, filed my dis
patches and-dismissed me- leaving ne
to find my way to the station as best l
could.
''They say that those things are man
aged better now for the subalternS,
but if there ever was red-hot socialist
1 was that man on my way hack to
London. y Tribune
A Famous Bridge
One of the sights of China is the an
4: j 81 H..