The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-24

Justify singing Hearts of Oak" for which
the sweet little things were fairly pelted
with pennies thrown down at them by pa
triOt!c listeners l saw smal! slice OF
Her Maiestys Egyptian army. an old-time
stagecoach which actually ran between
London and York in seventeen hundred
and something, and the people on II were
sights for sore eyes, in the dress of that
time. Following IL came motor car
new style"-,a tandem driven by oil. and
carrying four people. I saw Maxim gun
mounted on its carriage and ready to be
fired oif-but we will hasten to the end OF
the procession. where come the alderman
and sher!ffs of London, the two highest
in rank. in their state carriages, and ac-
companied by their chaplains. These dis
mounted at the Law Courts and walked
past MS on their way into the lord chief
Justices room. They made a curious old
world picture. as they sailed up the stairs
in their court-dress of black velvet knee
breeches and dress-coat. black silk stock
ings and tri-cornered hat. over all of which
flowed their bright red cloaks profuscly
trimmed with magnificent sables, these
royalty sumptuous garments recklessly
sweeping the dusty marble floors as they
strOde through. Sir Walter Wilkin, the
late Lord Mayor, followed them. and then
10! the glory and effulgence of the new
Lord Mayors servants, all in state liver
les. wonderful to behold, broke upon our
enchanted vision as they solemnly and se-
dately passed along in their purple velvet
smail-clothes and mauve silk stockings
These preceded the new man, the Hon. e.
Faudel-Phillips, who came in his state
chariot, drawn by six horses. and attend
ed by his chaplain sword-bearer and mace.
bearer both of which officials held the
sword and mace sticking away out the
chariot windows on each side. This was
the most overwhelmingly cute and gor-
geous coach l ever saw outside the col.
ored pictures in "Cinderella and the Glass
Slippers" All red and gold. with crystal
glass windows, and swinging low on its
easy springs between the ponderons
wheels. 1t was a treat for an American tc
see. The mayor, of course, was "rigged
out regardless in full court dress. grea,
red cloak. sables and funny three-cor
nered hat full of ostrich feathers. He
was also trimmed profusely with exuui-
site Limerick point and wore on his
manly bosom the Lord Mayors jewel. a
diamond ornament of such size and bril-
liancy that ] Immediately decided that
it couldn't be real: but 1t Is, all the same
they tell me. There they stood. this fus-
sy, gaily-colored crowd of aldermen. sher-
ifs and two Lord Mayors. surrounded by
picture-book looking marshals and her.
aids, sparkling with diamonds and gold
braid, stiff with fantastically -colored bro
cades, all set off by the somber wigs and
gowns of the barristers Of the courts. the
black silk chaplains and the common peo-
Pile like u.s. who were privileged to stand
on the steps within touching distance OF
them and catch the Whit of moth-prevent-
ing camphor from their costly furs and
flowing cloaks as they went past.
Very little time elapsed while the grand.
ees were In the room Of the lord chief
justice of England. When they emerged
and truth Lord Mayor Of London, and II
is to be hoped. worthy successor OF
the immortal Dick Wilmington himself
After this, the party all entered their
carriages. coaches and chariots again
the procession, which had halted during
this interim moved on. and they all went
forth to be looked at, commented upon
and admired by the whole Of London, II
1t chose to come and do so. Lord Mayor
Phillips Is now virtually king of the city
and there, but only there. he actually
takes precedence of the sovereign herself
In former times, when q king or queen
wished to visit the city. the custom was
for them to ride to Temple Bar and
knock for entrance. The Lord Mayor
then appeared, opened the gates and ad-
mitted them to his domain. But Temple
Bar is now thing Of the past, at least SO
far as London and the city are concerned,
and nowadays royalty on its state visits
is met somewhere near the boundaries OF
the city and escorted through by the Lord
Nt,ss, h,,N
ing curious customs attaching to the city
where the old-fnshioned guilds still keep
their quaint old quarters, and observe
their odd old ceremonies.
The last event, however, of the Lord
Mayors Day is the great banquet at the
Guildhall, where come the premier Of the
kingdom, the foreign ministers and the
great people Of the city. Speeches are al.
ways made, and that of the prime minis
ter Is eagerly listened to, taken down YER
batim and Immediately telegraphed to all
parts of the world: for the Lord Mayors
banquet, every 9TH of November, has come
to be an affair Of great political impor-
tance, and the premier's speech at this
function is regarded as significant of tho
proposed policy of the government for the
coming year. No doubt the lord and lady
of the city heave great sighs of relief at
the end of this long and tedious day.
They are now. however, lord mayor and
lady mayoress, entitled to reside in the
great Mansion House. which faces the
Bank of England-the old Lady of Thread
needle street. as 1t is called-and sur
rounded by the rush and whirl of the
busiest part Of London. 1t Is not like a
house in Park Lane exactly, but socially
\ hot b., iob in ~ rif ~
of an old line of helpless -bloods. !
think would rather be Dick Whiting.
ton and work myself up from a city ap-
prentice to the highest office In the gift
of the greatest and richest city of the
world than to be born the son of hun
dred earls. which would cerainly be no
credit to me. whatever.
The Lord Mayor receives a salary OF
$4,000 a year. and Is expected to spend
quite that much more in lavish entertain
ing. He is nearly always an immensely
wealthy man. His office, however, is no
empty title. like that of the mayors Of
some of our American cities. and he IS
a busy man. indeed. sometimes, in times
of trouble or agitation, beset with con-
stant worry and danger. He meets dele
cations, makes speeches, replies to Ca
ofS; ne hearS cases, ne attends long ana
tiresome city guild dinners. and must
needs be cheerful and brilliant if posi-
BILE: he organizes relief committees for the
poor and destitute; he subscribes money
right and left, and he and the lady mayor
ess give great and magnificent balls, re.
ceptions and parties. There are. however,
a few compensa tons. He is generally the
recipient of New Years honors, and 20
Mr.. Faudel-Phillips may expect to become
soon Sir Faudel-Phillips. Whenever.
also, some unusual demonstration occurs
during his year of Office, such as the cor
onation of Jubilee of sovereign. the
lord mayor Is generally rewarded for his
share in the proceedings by the gift of a
baronetcy. So Sir Faudel-Phillips will no
doubt have to be congratulated on that
score, as the celebration of the Record
Reign comes this year. and II is almost a
foregone conclusion that not only the
Lord Mayor, but others as well, will en-.
joy the great felicity of being raised at
least one step higher in rank. So wags
the English world. Sadie Z. Kaiser.