Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-23
OPENINGPARLI LAMENT.
Always Crush When Royalty At
tends in Person.
LAST FUNCTION BY VICTORIA
London Tradesmen Affected by
Court Being in Mourning.



LONDON, February 13, 1901
All London is on the qui vive for the
opening of parliament, and no persons are
more worthy of sympathy at the present
moment than those in authority at what is
known as the Office of the lord great cham
berlain at the house of lords. 1t falls to
their lot to decide who shall have the privi-
lege of being admitted to the house of
lords on Thursday next. They have re-
ceived already more applications from peer
esses the daughters of peeresses, or peer
esses in their own right, than will fill every
inch of the vacant space. If all the other
persons who have applied We're to receive
tickets of admission not only the house of
lords but the whole of the gigantic suite of
buildings, of which it forms part, would
hardly suffice for their accommodation.
Members of the house of commons have
been writing as though a matter of
course that all their women folk should be
admitted, and all the ladies who have been
presented at court seem to regard the fact
open sesame to the gorgeous func-
ton of Thursday For some of the appli
cants other than peeresses accommodation
must be found. Ambassadors and their
wives, well some military and civil
personages prominent in the state, have an
almost prescriptive right of admission to
the house of lords en- these occasions. The
greatest care is being taken in the consid-
Grafton Of the applications but it is al
ready certain there will be many bitter
heartburningS.
The interest of the occasion would in any
circumstances have been great as the first
appearance of King Edward VII and his
consort on the throne, but it Is increased
by the rarity in recent years of the opening
of parliament by the sovereign In person
1t was on January q, 1896, when the
queen last opened parliament, and the win
tr1y fl,a~ do tha ,tya,- tod
strangely with the brightness and warmth
of color within.
When the hour for the approach of her
majesty arrived the whole house, with the
exception of the space reserved for the men,
bers Of the house of commons, was filled.
At any time the glded chamber is bright
and gay-quite contrast to the house of
commons, with its work-a-day aspect and
sober-hued dark green seating. But on this
occasion it was almost fairy land. Crowd
ed with ladies, all in white satin, and each
head adorned with cOronet or tiara of da-
monds, ambassadors in the picturesque dress
of their Office, soldiers in brilliant uniform,
with breasts abaze with medals; judges in
scarlet and ermine. the sight was rightly
described one which could not he paral
elied IN the world.
Attended by Lord Salisbury.
Her majesty, on entering the house, was
preceded by the Marquis of Salisbury, car
ryng the sword of state On reaching the
steps to the throne she paused for in
slant Queen Victoria had then reached
her sixty-eighth year and had reigned for
only seventeen months short of half cen
tury-whereupon the Prince of Wales, who
was standing near and the Princess Beat
rice, who was following her mother, stepped
forward to her assistance.
The princess was first, and she led the
queen to the throne. AS soon she was
seated the faithful commons We're sent
for They Hllrriedly school,
boys to a feast and with almost as little
ceremony. Mr.. Speaker Peel was carried
forward with such impetus by the rush of
the 600 members behind him that he came
into the royal presence as though he had
been shot from a catapult. Those coming
Immediately after him had to pull up so
suddenly that they almost fell PROSTATE
The princesses thought the procedure very
dreadful, but Queen Victoria viewed the
coming of the gentlemen of the house of
commons with her quiet smile and a very
merry twinkle in the eye.
The royal speech was then handed from |
the throne to Lord Chancellor Halsbury, |
who read it. Immediately at its conclusion
the sovereign rose and slowly and with |
dignity passed to the door. AS she passed |
the Prince of Wales she extended her hand |
to him. and he, STOPPING low, kissed 1t. In |
a few minutes the majestic picture was |
broken up. 1t made the greater impression |
while it lasted not a few of those who |
1t foresaw the probability that |
never again would QQueen Victoria open a
parliament in person.
The management of state ceremonies is
an undoubtedly important consideration be-
cause the slightest hitch might mar the
briliance of a splendid show. According to
the chronic!ers of 1850 the approach of |
royalty was watched by keen-eyed Janis
saries, who at the right moment entered
the house of lords with a cry Of Ladies'
Instantly, we learn, there was
a rustic of silk and satin and general
dropping Of opera cloaks and shawls, re-
nj inc In tcrN1n Of foyr
Dosoms and an almost endless profusion of
costly jewels. This effort of description,
however. was not quite equal to the jour
nalistic ecstacy that prevailed in 1887. At
hat period her majestys emotion was said
10 be plainly dscernib.e in the rapid heav-
ng Of her diamond stomacher. which spar
xled like 1.-The sun or the swell of the
smooth ocean as pillows rise and fall
There will have to be good deal of fine
writing on Thursday next before these po-
etc outbursts Of eloquence are surpassed.
Interest In the New Households.
The formation of the households of the |
King and queen is a subject of much COM
nent. AS a queen consort has separate
household, and Independent officials of her
own, the appointments and changes must
necessarily be many.
Eight seems the magic number in the
oval household. In the lord chamberlains
department. there are eight grooms-in-
waiting and eight lords-in-waiting.
In the department of the mistress of the
.obes there are eight ladies of the bed
chamber, eight women of the bed chamber
md eight maids of honor. lord-in-wait-
ng receives t102 a year, and a groom-in-
waiting, 1884 A lady-in-waiting receives
about 1900, and a bed chamber woman
'ather less. A maid of honor used to get
300, but this has Of late been increased to
400, and If she marries, and the queen,
Ter mistress, approves of her marriage
the has fl, 900 wedding gift.
Although some considerable period must
,lapse before the coronation Of King Ed
yard 1t will IN a short time be necessary
or parliament to decide upon the amount
o be spent upon the ceremonies, and In this
the sums voted for preceding |