The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-03-29
HE plNED WITH THE QUEEN.
But 1t Made Him Mad That He Louped
to Smash Things,


to Smash Things.
''once, and only once in my life,"
said well-known diplomat who now
represents England as ambassador to
one of the tirst-class missions, Il was
rampant, red-hot republican, and for
twenty-four hours would have gladly
seen our monarchical institu lions de-
Stroyed forever.
81 was attache at the time at one of
the small South American places and
had been sent home on a special mis-
sion with dispatches to present to the
queen and foreign minister.
II was only youngster, it being my
first year 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 1 was intrusted.
so was quite prepared OF my ar
rival in London to receive a personal
communication from the queens pri-
vate secretary commanding my attend
ance at Windsor, with the intimation
that 1t was the royal pleasure that I
should dine and sleep at the palace.
Nevertheless the actual reception
of the mission with its large envelope
and official seal filed me with boyish
immediate preferment, as well as Of
the brilliant society in which 1 was to
be thrown, glimmered through my
brain, and wiring Sir - that I would
wait upon her majesty immedia tcly,
and having been cautioned by my chief
against any delay, I took the first prac-
ticable train to Windsor.
st rather hurt my dignity on my
arrival at the station to be obliged to
take a rickety-looking fly, for 1 verify
believe if / had found chariot with
outriders I should not have been aston
ished, or deemed it inconsistent with
the dignity of the occasion.
'fOn my arrival at the castle, how
ever. my pride received another shock
by my being sent by supercilious lack
eys to several doors before effected
an entrance.
FINALLY some head steward or butler
looked at a list, and then at my card,
nodded, and consigned me to an auto
maton in livery, who led me through
circuitous passages up several pairs of
narrow stairs, showed me into baro
little bedroom, put down my traps,
which he actually had had the kind
ness to carry for me, and with the
words. Dinner at eight with the
queen left me to my own devices
1T was then only three o'clock, and
l had had no luncheon. l 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 a summons, not daring to
absent myself for fear of committing
some solecism in official etiquette.
Toward evening, however, my spir-
its revived. L shall see the queen now
at all events, thought to myself; and
making careful toilet I left my room
(whero, by the way, not the slightest
attention had been shown to me, not
even a jug of hot water having been
brought to my door, at a little before
eight o. clock.
Having finally found an attendant
who seemed to know where to take me,
was conducted to q large drawing
room, where there were several groups
of well dressed men and women, all
talking together and taking not the
slightest notice of me. After a few
minutes sort of fiutter of expectation
made itself observable.
''Those who were sitting rose; a
couple of footmen opened door, sta
tioning themselves on either side, and
a quiet, rather cross-looling little eld-
erly lady entered the room, followed
by half a dozen ladies and gentlemen.
"How the rest happened I do not re-
member; there seemed to be general
movement, and I found myself in tho
next room seated at a table between
two men who were perfect strangers
to me and who talked across to each
other, barely recognizing my existence.
fortunately for my patience the
dinner was not long. The queen gave
| the signal, every one rose, and with q
slight bow on her 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 l have ever spent.
| Utterly neglected and too shy to assert
myself, stood it as long as 1 could, and
| finally betook myself to my room,
| feeling the most intense hatred for
| both royalty and the aristocracy in gen
| eral.
Eat eight O. clock the next morning
| my breakfast was brought to me on a
tray, and with it card from the mas
| ter of ceremonies, stating that was to
| have an audience at ten o. clock.
cat the hour named I was ushered
into the presence-not of the queen,
but of her private secretary, Sir -,
who received me politely, filed my dis
| patches and-dismissed me, leaving me
to find my way to the station as best I
| could.
''They say that those things are man
| aged better now for the subalterns,
but if there ever was red-hot socialist
| l was that man on my way back to
| London-N Y. Tribune.
A Famous Bridge
| One of the sights of China Is thu an