New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-17
QUEER LOYALTY.
SOME INSTANCES OF FOOLIsHNESSs


that highly commendable sentiment known by
,bo name of LOYALTY is sometimes carried in the
O,5 World NAV be gathered from the fact that |
have known the Prince of Wales stepping into
his hanson al the foot of S. James's-st. to throw
away the end of cigar which he had been
smoking and the stump to be Il moment after
ward purchased at a cost Of several smilih9S
from a cabman who had picked it up by an eX-
tremely well-dressed man. who carefully trans
ferred 1t to a beautiful ver-mounted ciGar-case
Then again I recall certain grease spot-per-
haps it would be more delicate to refer to ii as
"a slight discoloratiOn' the wall OF the Dill
iard-room in the superb mansion Of one OF the
grandest industrial magnates in the Kingdom
who had the honor Of acting as host to the helr-
apparent on the occasion of one of the Iatters
rare visits to the great manufacturing centre
Sheffield That spot on the wall IS stated 10
have been made by the august head OF ms
RovaI Highness when seated on the divan which
runs round the room while watching game VI
billiards after dinner number of years have
passed since then. and the billiard-room mas
undergone many alterations in the shape OF ne"
wall-paper and redecOration. One thlhs "'o
rernains untouched namely, that little oleasl'o"'
,,,orL on tho wall which Is as rellglousS pi'
or,.od as IL II possessed the attributes OF some
socred relic Possibly hundreds or years heh0e' Il
tho mansion still survives. the htte uiSco'o'"
t,on will be just apparent as II Is 'o-u"E' anu
will he ponted out TO tourists. much III the Sa"Ie
,orner that the custodian or folEloou faidce
oils attention to the alleged blood stains on the
e. % the apartment where Rizzio is asserted
% have been assassinated at the feet OF Mary
Oueen of Scots three centuries ago
Nor ara self-made putocrats such as the now
he,it,ed host of the Prince at Sheffield the only
tho ,rnp and IN eNp
thing connected Herewith assumes this some
H.. ox,aqoeratod form: for dare say that many
&C tho readers If The Tribune who have travelled
&; ENGLAND will call to mind how, when being
bor,, over the castles and country seats OF great
mobiles they have had pointed out TO them b!
their guide and with the utmost JUNCTION, ped
in which either Queen Victoria or one OF her
predecessors slept for night char on when
she sat even glass out Of which she had druhk
one peer bearing ain historic name regards as the
most priceless treasure in his house shirt worn
by King Charles III, while another prldes MINI
self on the possession Of a pair OF shoes worn oy
Queen Anne, which show that lady to nave oeen
blessed with foot of quite as generous proper
lions as her heart and 10 have shod herself with
q greater regard TO comfort and to common-sense
than TO elegance. in which particular, OE-the-p!e'
she resembled Queen Victoria
IL
satisfaction in owning something that has be-
longed 10 royalty that must be attributed the eX-
traordinary conduct Of the delegation Of the
nounicipality of the city of London on the oc-
casion of one of their recent visits TO Windsor
Castle for the purpose OF conveying 10 the Queen
the congratulations of the people Of her capital
! think 1t in connection with the olrth OF her
great-grandson, Prince Edward of York. The
deputation comprised the Lord Mayor, the two
sheriffs and several Aldermen, al men OF ight
and leading as merchants in the city or London
and Entrusted with the dispensation OF metro
politan Justice magistrates. While waiting IN
one OF the ante-chambers at the castle 10 De al
,nitted TO the presence Of their sovereign they
happened TO catch sight OF paper rack Oh one Of
the tables filled with note paper adorned with the
Queens cipher and crown and with the name OF
Windsor Castle. Before any or the horr1nea
,,shers md members Of the household could inter
vene the city magnates had made dash for the
paper rack. and in the twinkling Of an eye had
empted il of its contents. scrambling like school
boys after pennies for the possession Of sheet
of notepaper for an envelope which doubtess'
after being reverentially exhibited 10 all their
relatives and acquaintances to be gazed upon
with mingled awe and venera ton, will be handed
down to their children's children as memento
Of their visit TO the Queen In 1884.
Equally comical Is the attitude Of people who
might be expected TO know better when royalty
attends any public function, such as the Inaugural
lion Of a bridge or the opening of an institution.
On such occa sions these waiting. or retiring.
room is always prepared for the prlncely guests.
and lavishly furnished, not alone with sofas,
armchairs and tables, but even with all the
equipments Of a toilet table. including hair
brushes and combs. the line being only drawn
SheS
carriages have driven off at the conclusion OF the
proceedings a rush is made for this waiting
room. the principal contents Of which become
the perqusites Of the organizers Of the function
while FIRST come, first served Is the rule with
regard to the minor articles. Some are content
with a comb or with a hairbrush, and whoever
secures possession OF one Of the latter Is at once
surrounded by number Of utra-lOyal subjects
OF the Queen. entreatng for permission TO ex-
anime the bristes in the hope OF discovering a
royal hair. In cases where the Prince of Wales
has been the chief royal guest. this search for
capillary relics IL generally without avail; for
His Royal Highness displays the same tendency
to badness that distinguished his mothers father
and uncles
A more pleasing though, perhaps. less amusing
form Of loyalty IS the assumption by subjects
of the responsibility Of mistakes committed by
princes and princesses Of the house TO which
they allegiance. Even Napoleon |. though
his imperial dignity self-assumed and not
inherited, may be said to have been the object Of
devotion Of this kind. Thus he was a miserable
shot shortening shared by his nephew and
successor. Napoleon III. One day the imperial
party was out after the pheasants in the Forest
of Fontainebleau, when the Emperor fired at a
bird in such e careless manner that he hit Mar
shal Massena, completely destroying the sight Of
one eye. There could be no doubt as to the per-
son responsible for this accident. the Emperor
aiohe mad discharged his fowng piece. which
was aimed in the direction Of Massena. Yet the