The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-11
WALKING BACKWARD.
The Difficulties and Dangers of
Custom at the English Court.
Ex-Attache In New York Tribune

EX-Attache In New York Tribune.
Among the many peculiarities of ETH
quette at the monarchical courts of Eu-
rope, there is none that to American peo-
pie must appear more strange than the
walking backward. 1t is an accomplish
ment, nay, one might almost describe it
as an art, that is by no means easy 90 ac-
quire and yet which is Indispensable for
those who are called upon to bask in
what is known as the sunshine of royalty.
Nowhere is it carried to greater perfection
nor more frequently practised than at the
court of Queen Victoria, and the great
officers of her household have during the
last three weeks been doing so much of
it in connection with the various state
functions and ceremonies consequent upon
. the jubilee that they may experience some
difficulty in reverting to the normal and
everyday method OF progression.
1t is scarcely necessary to state that
the walking backward constitutes a token
of profound respect. 1t is an act of hon.
age that men of the old regime in Europe
still accord to every great lady of their
acquaintance, when they back out OF her
presence at the conclusion of call, and is
based on the doctrine that il is discour-
teous ever to turn their back toward any
one entitled to Difference. The turning or
the back upon person is TO such an eX-
tent a demonstration of disregard and con-
tempt, that It has even come to be used
as a figure of speech for the expression or
aversion, and hence 1t is not unnaturally
forbidden by the etiquette of most of the
courts of Europe in the presence OF royal
ty. At Berlin, at Rome. and at the courts
of some of the more modern and minor
rl11a ig ~
served, and in the PrusSian capital as well
as at the quirinal l have often watched
the great dignitaries of the imperial ana
royal households with their marching
wands of office in hand, and at the head
of the procession, turning their gold en-
broidered backs fun upon the Amounted of
the Lord, who followed in their wake
But at Buckingham palace, at Windsor or
at ST James the Lord Chamberlain, the
Lord Steward and the other officers OF
state invariably precede either the SOW
ereign of her children, walking backward,
keeping their faces toward royalty ana
their backs to the remainder of the world.
Let any one try to walk backward along
the full length of a big hall, bowling every
few steps, never looking backward, and
yet keeping in the proper direction-al the
more important to preserve, since the oil-
Gals thus walking backward lead the
royal procession-and he will see how diff
III
or ones bearings. And very often the
walking backward has to be done, not
merely on the level but also up and down
steps and stairs, which is still more ardu-
Gus, and requires an immense amount OF
practice Indeed, those who are not ac-
customed therto sometimes come to griet
in the same manner as the Duke OF Argyll.
on one of the rare occasions on which
Queen Victoria presided at the opening of
parliament in state she was attended by
the duke who doing duty for the nonce as
lord high steward of the realm, carried the
crown on a velvet cushion. At the conclu-
sion of the ceremony during which he
had occupied a place on the dais OF the
throne in the House of Lords, he pro-
ceeded to move backward from the pres
ence of her majesty. He forgot however,
the steps of the dais, and when he reach
ed the edge of the latter he fell backward,
all huddled up in his long and heavy err
mine barred, red peers robes, from the
folds of which he was eXtricated with diff
Guilty. The crown shared in the mishap,
for it rolled from it's cushion to the ground,
and a number of the stones dropped out
The queen, whose face showed more con-
Germ than amusement, although the grav-
ity of those about her was screly taxed by
the spectacle presented by the Cock of
the North" (as his grace is styled in Scot
land in consequence of his somewhat
strutting gaiO, spoke a few kindly words,
expressing her hope that he was not hurt,
and begging him not to be troubled about
the affair, and then swept out with her
cortege. No sooner, however, had she
left the gilded chamber than those pres
ent, comprising ambassadors, great Off
GERS of state, peers and peeresses of the
realm, prelates and judges were requested
by tn officials of the House of Lords not
to stir from their seats or to approach the
throne until the stones which had been
dropped from the crown had been collect
ed OF course, the object was to prevent
the gems from being injured by being trod-
den on. But it sounded for moment as
if the officials entertained apprehensions
lest some impecunious peer or shady dip
lomat should take advantage of the clum-
siness of the Duke of Argyll to pocket
crown jewel. In fact, some of the for
eign ENJOYS got quite angry, and express
ed as much resentment as they did on that
memorable occasion when owing to the
"gaucherie" of a newly appointed court OFF,
cial and of his only elementary knowledge
of the French language, they were inform
ed that on a certain day the queen would
receive at Buckingham palace the men,
bers of the foreign diplomatic corps
males ct femeliesi chat is TO say, males
and females), the French rendering Of
these two words being, as a rule, used only
when talking of animals.
Sometimes this walking backward gives
rise to rather pretty and even pathetic
devices on the part of those who desire
to avoid accidents such as happened to the
Duke OF Argyle. Thus / can recall the
case Of a relative who, on return from ac-
tive service, was summoned with several
brother officers to Buckingham palace in
order to receive from the hands OF the SOW
ereign herself the order OF the Bath. He
had lost his right leg In action so neaV to
the hip Joint that there was no means OF
wearing an artificial limb, and he was
consequently dependent upon his crutches.
When he entered the royal presence It
was noticed that he held, fastened appa-
rently to the hand rest Of either crutch
a couple OF lovely bouquets. A third OF
the distance up the long room he stopped
made the regulation bow as best he could
and dropped one Of the punches Of flowers
to the floor. Then he made his way up TO
the queen, rendered her the other bouquet
which she graciousy accepted. received
his order Of the Bath. which she herself
fastened TO his uniform with many
kindly word 0or he had been a favorlte OF
her husbands and then he proceeded TO
withdraw from her presence. II ever
there was a case in which the walking
backward might have been excused, II