Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-12
TIRESOME COURT ETIQUETTE.
Ceremonial Customs That Appear
Ridiculous to a Democratic American.


Some of the etiquette in force at
royal balls and concerts Is very Curl
Gus. At state balls the appearance of
the royal family is announced by the
entrance of a number of gentlemen
carrying long court sticks. The Prin-
cess of Wales when present heads the
party, and. in accordance with prece-
dence established hundreds of years
ago. advances with naive, faltering,
hesitating step.
1t was at one of the balls in the
reign of James I that the custom origi-
| mated. That monarch was so pleased
| at what he called the blending of tim
idity with childlike confidence which
characterized the demeanOr of his
| sons young wife as she entered the
ballroom that he decreed that this de-
| pertinent should be constituted a part
| of the court etiquette.
The etiquette at royal balls is rather
severe. All quadrilles and lancers are
expected TO be danced in stately and
ceremonious manner, and certain it is
that in the earlier part of the evening
all concerned comport themselves with
inimitable gravity, but as the night
growsNapace the rule is slightly re-
Taxed.
At the royal concerts, which are at
tended by persons of superior social
position to those invited to the balls.
the etiquette is also rigidly enforced
and never deviated from. Some of it
presses very hardly even on royalty
itself. For instance, royal personages
al To, ta1 hp, h,
out the concert. proceeding they
must find extremely irksome, as the
gilt chairs used on these occasions are
not only very small, but being placed
with their backs to the orchestra. pre-
vent their occupants from seeing what
is going on.
On this point, for some reason not
easy To explain. etiquette is more con-
siderate with the guests, who are al
lowed to walk about, whisper and even
look at the pictures, or adjourn to the
refreshing room.
The barrier which on these occasions
Is introduced to separate the audience
from the singers is regarded by the
latter with the deepest aversion, as in
dicating the existence of a social bar
rier between them.
Naturally, a singer like Adelina Pat
ii. with an income of 10000 year.
considers herself the equal of most of
the guests who listen to her. But the
bar is always fixed for state concert,
and is not likely to be removed.
One awful breach of etiquette is to
ask question of any royal parsonage
who may condescend to address you.
Neither must you make any remark
without being first addressed. The
person who so far forgets himself or
herself as to keep his or her gloves on
when spoken to is likely TO receive
reprimand from the proper quarters
later on. and similar treatment would
be meted out TO the ill-bred person
who dared to quit the royal presence
before being formally dismissed.
Curious though it may appear. there
is one occasion when a cough becomes
matter of etiquette. Suppose. on
the occasion, Of a state ball the Prince
of Wales retires to his smoking room
for a Whit. a royal servant on these
occasions is expected to scratch the
door, q. member of the royal family to
shake the handle. but all other persons
are enjoined to produce at intervals
gentle admonitory cough, which is not
always audible.
Even royalty itself is not always ac-
quainted with its own customs. When
the queen accompanied Louis Philippe
to Eton the visitors book was pro-
duced. The French king. as etiquette
demanded he should. signed his name
at the top of the page. But etiquette
intervened,and as it does not allow her
majesty to sign her name under any
other, she had to turn over the all but
empty page and sign her name on the
top of the next one.
The ease with which the queen extri-
Gated herself from this contretemps
upset the customary possession of
the Duke of Wellington that he signed
his name in the book Differentiation