Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-11-03
coUR1' ETIQUETTE.
Some of It's Absurditfes as Exhibited
at Royal Balls and
Concerts.

The distinguished persons who at
tended the recent state concert at
Buckingham palace were required to
observe a code of etiquette which has
existed at court since the earliest days.
Some of the etiquette in force at
royal balls and concerts is very curious.
at state balls the appearance of the
royal family is announced by the en-
trance of a number of gentlemen carry
ing long court sticks. The princess of
Wales, when present, heads the party,
and, in accordance with precedents es-
tablished hundreds of years ago, adj
vances with naive, fa1tering, hesitat-
ing step.
1t was at one of the balls in the reign
of James l. that the custom originated.
That monarch was SO pleased at what
he called the blending of timidity with
childlike confidence that characterized
The demeanor of his sons young wife
as she entered the ballroom that he de-
creed that this department should be
constituted a part of the court eti-
quette.
The etiquette at royal balls is rather
severe. All quadrilles and lancers are
expected to be danced in stately and
ceremonious manner, and certain 1T is
that in the earlier part of the evening
all concerned comport themselves with
inimitable gravity, but as the night
grows apace the rule is slightly re-
Taxed.
At the royal concerts, which are at
tended by persons of superior social po-
sition to those invited to the balls, the
etiquette is also rigid1y enforced, and
never deviated from. Some of it presses
very hardly even on royalty itself. For
instance, royal personages are expect
ed to remain seated throughout the
concert, a 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 prevent 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
observation-disclosures.
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
Indicating the existence of social bar
rier between them.
Naturally singer like Adelina Patti,
with an income of e 10000 a year, con-
siders herself the equal of most of the
guests who listen to her. But the bar
is always fixed for a state concert, and
is not likely to be removed.
One awful breach of etiquette is to
ask a 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 a
reprimand from the proper quarter
later on, and similar treatment would
be melted 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 to cough be-
comes a matter of etiquette. Suppose,
on the occasion of a state ball, the prince
of Wales retires to his smoking-room for
u Whit. A royal servant on these oc-
casions is expected to scratch the door,
n member of the royal family to shake
the handle, but all other persons are
enjoined to produce at intervals gen.
tie, admonitory cough, which is not al
ways audible.
Even royalty itself is not always ac-
quainted with its own customs. When
the queen accompanied Louis Philippe
to Econ 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 in
tervened, and, as it does not allow her
majesty to sign her name under any
other, she had 10 turn over the all but
empty page and write her name on the
top of the next one.
The ease with which the queen eX-
tricated herself from this contretemps
so upset the customary self-possession
Of the duke of Wellington that he
signed his name in the book "Wegg-
rington. Mail