The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-11
THE TIMES-RICHMOND. va TUESDAY AUGUST ii 1870
DINING WfrH vICTORIA.
A GirI's Account of Her Dinner With
EngIand's Queen.

not to be late Tor dinner. ~ course, you
murt be aware that II takes much long
or To make "A full court toilet than 10
put on an ordinary dinner dress; ana
really don't krow which would nave petn
wOrsc-to be obliged to rush INTO ihe
presence OF the Queen in an uhnn-
ished condition. or to keep h'f MaJ's.y
waiting However we were not lat1; Ny
maid and | worked hard ana rea"S d.,
the end. when ! surveyed mys"il IT, "
tall cheval glass | could not help l',ill-
that | locked rather nice. | was an III
white-my mamma says that VIII ,hc
me. and | really think II docs i ~
length Of my train set on w. h,sls1,i, ~
nv slender figure. aud the white ieaih'ia
nestled very bccomingly in my darh ii"l..
1 know that I was looking my 49, ,,l,i.,
but my heart WAS beating u,'oi ''s sru',rd
fast. and though | had loohen ioi "@ ~
TO dining with the queen as pult' ,",
most delightful thing in the W"it", 10y
that the moment hal arriN'u, 49,
have given worlds 10 nave n,.'.,. ~. th,re
eecap. from the ordeal. However wv ~
was no help for II. so ! follower my
mamma into the grand corridor anu W
proceeded slowly I'm the uI'.uv" w.
dining room. which was flthi al w
IRENE end I'm the Prince OF wares lvN l.
II was "A wonderful place. that cotilnoI
IMAGINE an enllessly long l9itA aFalt,
mcnt. lighted by tall windows i1ph'n- o",
into the courtyard and eNtcndihb Iouin
fvn sides of the great quadrangle ON
the inner side innumtfdule no'la VIZ
into suites on suites or rooms OF 'i'
kinds-gL,st chambers ihciuNii- 'p'
cial suite for the Prince ans princess OF
Wales and another known as the it-
posfrv APARTMENT. which is given 90 othff
distinguished visitors, Ike the Hi.pi
Frederick or the Duke OF tonhduSi'' 1''
Queens own bedroom ana houholr,' iit
throe drawing rooms. the private ana
state dining rooms. and the suite Gee
voted 10 the use Of Princess b'.tIi',.
ON tho outer sile. iu the spaces nttW''"
tho windows were huge pictures repre-
senting events of the reign. An immense
number of portraits adorned the walls.
which We're beautifully MdlnscoifH .ii
sage green and gold, while tne c'iiHs
was treated in cream and gold I'm most
artistic design. As FOR the china, IL was
perfectly wonderful. and there were
quantities. Of ~ i'm the most exquisite
cabinets I was told later that there was
ono set Of Rose du BARR which was
worth 10000. and that many of the sets
were practically priceless. wantcl 20
stop and gloat over all the Wonhcflui
and beautiful things which we kept on
passiug. and especially should ] have
liked 10 have looked for the bust and
Bible Of tho good and gallant fenerai
Gordon, which / knew were placed some
whore IN the corridor. but my mamma
called TO me peremptorily whenever
loitercd, AMI so I was obliged 10 hurry
on.
We turned round the angle Of the cor
ridOr and then the second arm OF II open
ed before us with IT'S long vista OF WIN
dows. portraits. pictures. ana cabinets.
About a quarter Of the way down We
perceived small group or people siahd-
ing near one Of the doors. These were
evidently the other guests. As We came
nearer we recognized several faces. AM
ON. dear old man began 20 talk 70 me
about the ways and wonders OF W ihd-
eor I'VE shall not dine in the state DIM
ing room" he said. but IN the OAK room
which H. the Queens private dining ROOM
and there she always receives her guests
when the party is under sixteen. j NAT
is the door the one near the picture OF
Lord Beaconsnold" lie toll me further
that Princess Bcatrices rooms were ny
ar the most beautiful in the whole cas-
tie. and they We're full Of the most cX-
quisite works OF art The Queens own
rooms were maeniicenty furnished, but
the style was stim and antique-mOre
grand than comfortable. Her toilet ser-
vice was one of the curiOsitics of tho
castle. for il had belonged originally 10
Queen Anne. Another curiosity WAS "a
wonderful clock I'm the state apartments
which went for "a year when wound mp,
and Kept excellent time. \ third was a
marvellous malaChte vase. which bad
been given 10 the Queen 10y the horrid
Emperor Nicholas OF Russia. and was
taller than "a man. He was going on 20
tell me about some or the portraits When
the master Of the household and several
other officials came toward MS and die
rocfcd us 10 arrange ourselves ln two
rows along tho corridor the ladies' on
one Sue ana lIf Ulfl OH lN' NIN'is IVY
mamma. Who was the most important
lady present stood furthcst away from
the door Of the oak room. and ] stood
next TO her: from which n was evident
that ! was the next most important per-
SON though | was certainly the young
est. and two Of the other ladies We're
wives " Ministers.
We waited for q few minutes I'm this
nosffion and tIan ecrrcLoIv hustled in
and announced that the Queen was COM
inc NV heart hecan 20 thurn Violently
and "a crrious thrill crouf down my back
and then there was her Tlafestv i'm the
bl9cl, dress and white can ami small cor
onet which are so familiar TO u.s. Then /
realized that while was staring my
mamma was courtsying: and SO. quite
overcome hy shame and confusion. | cOur-
tested, too-as low as possible TO hide
my blushe. and not az all in my best
style. which my mamma used 90 say
was quite sWau-like. but ANYHOW / had
lust sufficient sense 10 take MIR pOlitfcus'
arm when he offered il % me. but other
wise J must have behaved as if / had
got sOftcning OF the brain. However. 7
discovered later that IL did not matter
because it was not considered etiquette
10 speak loud or talk much. aud the
urODor thing really was 90 keep ones
attention fixed chiefly on the Queen in
the hone that she would condoscoud 10
address one / must admit that his was
fh. very last fling that 1 h0ued for. ami
as I Thought 10 highly improbable that
sho would sneak 10 me when here were
,,,s,,,,,', ana tI@ Nfini.tors' u,ivos r., t.i<
10 / allowed NV eyes TO wander and 10
admire the beautiful gold nlafo and flow
ars Tho rrat,Yifcencc III tha whole disulav
ON the table the fine tapcstrv with which
the walls were adorned. aud the portraits
OF the dear iarling Princess OF Wales.