The Portland daily press., 1895-12-21
VlCToRIA's FADs.
The Queens Craze for the Kilt and How
She Manages High Teas.

One of the oldest fads of Queen Victoria
Is her craze for the kilt 1t is a fancy
which has excited good deal of ridioule
at home and abroad, and even III Scot
land itself, whore kits nowadays are
mostly worn. not by Embellishments, but
By tourists and visitors from the South
When the Queen is at Balmoral she in
sists on all the members of the royal
household-the male members of course
DOMINIC the kilt, no matter whether they
no English, German or French by birth.
no matter how physically unsuited
ICY may be for that extremely trying
garb.
Prince Henry of Battenburg, for this
reason, used to suffer greatly with rheu-
matism. each time he was in Scotland
The last time the Duke of York went
north to Balmoral the train by which he
Was travelling with the Duchess was sud
donly stopped at the station on the Dor
der line between the two countries. Much
amusement was created when it was an
nounced that the express with its hun
dreus fl passengers and the mails had
been topped for some twenty minutes to
permit the Duke to remove his breeks
and to array himself in full Highland
costume.
While in Scotland the Queen does a
good deal of visiting among her neigh
bors, far more than at Windsor, where
only Lady Emily Vanderwever and few
other fayorites of her Majesty are thus
honored. The visits are invariably an
nounced beforehand, generally about three
or four hours in advance, by mounted
messenger from the castle, and about a
quarter of an hour before her Majesty's
arrival royal carriage brings one of her
Indian servants, who has with him the
peculiar kind of small step-ladder which
the rheumatic old Queen is compelled to
use on entering and alighting from her
carriage.
The Queen is received at the entrance
by the host and hostess, all the other
members Of the house party that is, the
visitors staying in the house, remaining
out of sight. The host then offers his
arm to the Queen and leads her to the
drawing room, where afternoon tea has
been laid, special care being taken that
the dtawing room shall be on the ground
floor SO that she may have no staircase
to ascend. The Queen seats herself, and
all the others who are present-the host
and hostesSand her Majesty's gentlemen
and ladies in waiting-remain standing
until the Queen motions them to be seat
ed
Nor does anyone take part in the high
tea unless especially favored by the Queen
who generally makes an excellent meal,
showing great partiality for short cake
She usually inquiries after the children
and relatives of her host and hostess, and
expresses desire to see them, upon
which they are admitted to the honor
of a presentation, kissing her hand, and
the hostess will likewise at her request
mention the names of the people staying
at the house as visitors, whereupon Vic
toria, if she knows any Of them. either
personally or by reputation may express
desire to see them. But unless she does
So. they are compelled to keep out of
sight On her departure she is escorted
to her carriage by her host and hostess,
as well as by Ali those who have been
presented to her. This is the usual ETH
quetts governing visit from the SOW
ereign in England.