The San Francisco call., 1899-06-11


the chapel and which is arranged witn
seats in tiers. An officer stepped forward
and offered me his arm. Horrors! He was
over six feet but he caught hold of me
and led me to my seat forward likewise
Mabelle You see that was because all the
ladies that were presented attend court
every year and SO had their own seats or
those belonging to a cousin. mother, etc.
We sat there twenty minutes and then
passed into the next room and so on
through four rooms.
At the end of each room was a sort of
golden gate, guarded by four officers. they
allowing only twelve ladies to pass 1t at
time.
Well, I could tell you miles of the
beauty of the rooms we passed through,
but I'll wait until / see you. We finally
reached the Galerie des Glaces, made
something like the one over here. except
that it was only one mirror. Here we went
single file, and the gentlemen in waiting
examined our toilettes. measured our
trains, spread them out, etc.
The Marquis of Lorne stood next to me
and escorted me to the door, and I said TO
him IN most English voice:
Pardon, your Grace, but how many
royalties are there present?''
He seeing that I was not English and
taking 1T for granted that L was either
myself or Mabelle said, Her Majesty is
sorry not to meet you, Miss-er-er-'
Murphy" I said.
"But she is not attending court" And
then he told me there were six royalties
present, meaning, of course. that L had
six bows to make. Sly dogl OF course
he was only Joking, but he was funny
and quite broke up my dignity.
All this time had been walking toward
the door Of the throneroom, and as I
reached 1t 1 met the Lord Chamberlain
who is young man, and he led me by the
hand to right in front of the Princess
Christian, the Queens daughter; then he
shouted out as though every one was
deaf:
ITO be presented. Miss Adelaide Muir
p-h-y of the United States!'
Every one in the room at once proceed
ed to stare. I dropped a very low bow,
feeling the while like a huge cream puff
for the satin Of my gown. inflated by the
air. sort of rose. my veil likewise, and I
was for q minute a white mist
Up L came without hitch. though and
bowed to the next lady. the Princess
Beatrice, youngest daughter of the
Queen, then to the Duchess of York, wife
of the heir of the Prince of Wales; next
to Princess Henry of Battenberg, and
then 1 gave one long, sweeping bow to all
the gentlemen who were: The Duke of
York, Prince Christian, Prince Henry Of
Battenberg and all their suite. Then the
ushers threw my train over my arm and I
marched out.
1t was, of course, a great expense-my
dress, my trip and all the rest-but 1t was
more than worth IT. as the ssght of just
the throneroom was a chance Of several
lifetimes-the four Prineesses, all in black
ab1aze with jewels and rows and rows Of
ladies-in- waiting behind them; on the
other side an officer from every regiment
in the English army; then the diplomats,
a representative from every country, all
in their fullest dress. Oh. dear, why are
not words more expressive?
Going out of the throneroom we went
on through another series of rooms, back
down to our carriages, and were driven
TO the photographer
Well now, you know, I have the prtvi-
Iege of presenting any one at the Court
of St James and 1 think it would be very
fine, when you come over, to let Victoria
get a look at you and mamma. L have, by
attending the first drawing-room, right
to all court functions-concerts, we'd
dings, funerals or anything.
ADELAIDE MURPHY.