The Anaconda standard., 1898-01-19
PRINCE ROYAL FoH a FAC.
Bicod of Keigning English House MOI
Exempt From Eton's Rules.


Tom Brown had his flag" when he
went to Eton college. as every boy in
the world knows. or ought to know.
His famous school days" would not be
complete without the Tagging" Incl
dents which are part of the daily life of
the aristocratic students of Eton but
for the first time in the history Of that
school, which for two centuries has
maintained the same customs and cos
| tune, an English prince of the blood Is
| the 'fag," the servant, the yeritabie
| slave OF an American boy. Prince Ar
| thur Of England, grandson of Queen
| Victoria, son of the Duke of Connaught,
and in direct line for the throne of Eng
land, daily cleans the shoes of young
| William Waldorf Astor.
So rigid and hide bound are the old
| fractions of Elton college that not even
a prince of the reigning house of Great
| Britain is exempt from them. William
| Waldorf Astor is now being educated
| at Eton and he went through his flag.
ginG" experience of slavery the same as
| did every other boy that ever entered
| the college. He cleaned boots and made
| tea and brushed clothing for some lord
| ly upper classman during all the years
| that he was on the lower forms. But
| now he has reached the upper form and
| is entitled to have a flag" to wait upon
him and strange chance fixed the lot
| upon Prince Arthur, who may some day
| rule Great Britain and India. To-day
1 slave-of an American boy. He is re-
| quired by the customs of Eton to do
| everything ordered by his master and if
he rebels or refuses he is subjected TO
"birchng," which is nothing more
| or less than logging by his master,
and if Astor is not physically able to
| administer it the head master of the
college will cheerfully perform the
work.
So firmly is the Tagging" system es-
| a. ,.lz tlnt Safss1.
or complaint either from the public or
the boys of England, they having been
| raised to expect it. just as American
boys expect Fourth of July celebra-
tions But to have a prince waiting
| upon an American is, at least, novelty
and one which certain aristocrats do
not relish very much.
The slayish routine of the young
princes work is as iron-clad as 1t IS
| menal.
He is up in the morning two hours in
| advance of young AstOr He lights the
| fires, sweeps out the rooms and dusts
the furniture. The cloths he uses for
dusting the Americans furniture We're
| given to him by the queen of England
herself. Indeed, the young prince took
his first lesson in busting from his
royal grandmother.
His next duty after having the rooms
properly warmed for his master is to fill
his masters bath tub. This duty Prince
Arthur must perform twice a day,
though if he attempted to take bath
himself in his masters rooms he would
get a sbrching" for 1t.
His next duty is 10 clean his masters
boots. Prince Arthur does this and does
it uncomplainingly. There are nine
pairs of shoes always in evidence IN
| Astor's rooms, and the royal flag
must always have them in readiness
for their owners use. The boot-black
ing outfit which the prince uses was
given to him by his best chum in the
lower form, though when he entered
| Eton a backing outfit was one of the
articles he brought with him from his
fathers house.
The one duty which Prince Arthur
rebels against is to wait on his mas
ter's table.
For disobedience in this particular he
has been sent to the head master sew
eral times. Astor has never 'birchedt
his "fag'' yet. but he has had the opera
ton performed by the head master.
The flag of royal blood also objects to
making tea. He says that cooking
and making tea are women's work,
and that no boy should be called upon
to do it, He makes the tea, however.
when asked to- but always with show
of rebellion.
Among his other duties the prince
must keep the wardrobe of the senior
student in good condition. This is nc
small task. for young Astor is one OF
the best dressed men at Eton. The
flag" too must always be around when
young Astor leaves his apartments for
any purpose. The flag" then gets his
instructions as to the work he is ex-
peeted to perform during his master )
absence.
The prince has confided his opinion of
the slavery TO which he submits to
t many of his chums. In fact. there IS a
freemasonry among all the fags. They
have all to submit to the same indigni-
ties and that engenders a warm fellow
feeling among them.
The complaint of one flag" is usually
! the complaint of all.
! Prince Arthur's standing complaint Is
the fact that he must make tea and
wash the dishes. He rebels sullenls
against both occupations and insists
J that it is no work for boy or man
Blacking boots is such a common duty
for flags" that he does not object to Il
specially.
But Tagging has it's pleasant sides
too ard the young prince is happies'
when his master takes him to thf
cricket field or the tennis games. Ever
, then he is present to run errands, bu'
Prince Arthur knows that when his
master takes him out of his apart.
, ments it is to enjoy recreation of some
kind.
However, as flags go. Prince Arthur
lis up to the standard of his class ano
| he finds in young Astor task-mastei
, who is not hard.
OF course. If the young American
! started in to make things unpleasant
! for the young prince he could have :
lot of fun with him. As the flag |!
! absolutely compelled by custom and tht
rules of the college TO do what he Il
/ ordered by his master. Astor might re-
quire him to remain up all night t
guard against the entrance of burglars
e TO walk sentry in front of his room
: while he takes an afternoon nap, ane
e to do other things not down in the
books which no self-respecting prince
: OF the realm could he expected to d.
G anywhere except at Elton. Some time
r however, If all goes well. Prince Arthu
will be an upper form boy and will hav
some one to flag for him and chance
may have Ii that it be an American
:. i...l -.