New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-30
COURT MOURNING.
THE NIGHTMARE OF OLD-WORLD COURT
LIFE.


OF the vast dominions OF Queen Victoria con-
corning her own health. well as that Of every
member of her very large family. 1t is not so
nuch on the ground OF loyalty that this anxiety
exists Just now, although it cannot be denied
that the reigning dynasty of Great Britain and
Her Majesty in particular. enjoy probably to a
greater degree than any other sovereign house
TIE REGARD ana affection of their fellow country
men, But 1t is the dread lest any untoward
event should occur to render useless the extern
sive and costly preparations which have been
mace to celebrate in an appropriate manner the
sixtieth anniversary oc the Queens accession to
the throne. Al these preparations will have been
uSeieSS' all the money already spent will be lost
beyond redemption, and all hopes and projects
disappointed in the event of any death taking
place within the next four weeks that would en-
tail court mourning.
THE DREAD OF ROYAL DEATHS
Court mourning may be described az the night
mare Of European court life az well "a Of that
portion OF the official world and OF society which
Is more or less intimately connected with the
court No entertainment can ever be organized
no festivity planned, without the everlasting
dread of some royal death taking place to render
necessary postponement or an abandonment Of
the entire affair. Annoying for the men il is
Sui more so for the women, since they never
know until the last minute whether they can
wear colors or whether they are condemned to
garments OF sable hue. For even when the rela-
blood Is SO remote as TO render unnecessary the
postponement of social and official functions and
entertainments, court mourning is, nevertheless
necessary Tor a period ranging all the way from
ten days to three months, during which time
every woman with pretensions to social standing
Is expected to array herself in black and to reIe-
gate her diamonds, her rubes her sapphires and
her emeralds and her turquoses to her casket
and TO wear nothing in the shape of jewelry but
pearls, which are the symbol of tears, while the
men are expected to add a mourning band to
their hat, to restrict themselves to black ties for
day wear, and, if entitled to wear a uniform
to adorn the sleeves thereof with armband of
Grape.
Royal personaSes and court officials are great
stckiers about such matters as these. and while
any lady who ventures during period of court
mourning to attend drawing groom court
function in colored attire exposes herself to an
ungracious reception on the part of the royal
personages present, there have even been numer-
Gus occasions where women have actually been
prevented by the officials of the Lord Chamber
lain's department from entering the presence of
royalty at ALL in consequence of their being
dressed otherwise than ia the prescribed black
toilettes
Just at the present moment all the courts of
Europe are in mourning for the deaths of the
Duchess OF Alencon in the great fire at Paris
and of her uncle, the old Duke dAumale, at
Zucco his place in Sicily. True, the mourning
is only for a fortnight, but royal relationships
nowadays extensive that, what with one
thing and another, two-thirds of the year may
be said to be spent in court mourning. Under
the circumstances the regning families of
Europe are naturally reluctant to saddle them
selves with additional burdens in this respect
and il is to this consideration in part that must
be ascrDed their failure, with notable eX-
ception, to decree court mourning for the EN-
press Mother of Japan, a neglect which has
given no end of offence to the Mkado. There
was but one sovereign in Europe who went to
the length of putting his court into mourning
during the space of fortnight for this great
Lady of the Orient, and that King Leopold
Of Belgium, who was prompted thereto by mo-
lives which must be described a. OF an econo-
mic character rather than by of SYM
pathy and sorrow. For he is largely inter
eSted in the fortniGhtly line of steamships be-
tween Antwerp and Yokohama which has re-
Gently been opened, and which is heavily sub
Mentioned by the Japanese Government, while
he is doing his utmost to promote the trade and
commerce between his kingdom and the Land
of the Rising Sun. where he hopes to find a
factures.
THE MIKADO OUTSIDE THE PALE
But the other courts of Europe, although Of
fcially appraised by the japanese ENJOYS of the