Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-11-11

the Queen, and are usually either per-
sonal and dear friends or the wives or
daughters of distinguished men who hay'}
established claim to royal gratitude.
The Countess of Antrim, for instance,
was the daughter Of the late Gerald
Grey, an old and dear fried of Queen
Victoria, and Lady Gosford is a daugh-
ter of the Duchess of Manchester, one Of
the most intimate friends of the royal
family All four ladies of the bedcham-
Der are women of great social gifts ana
charm, and are rather the Queen
friends than her servants
The duties are both light and pleasant,
involving a residence at court rarely eX-
ceeding six weeks, which is made as
agreeable to them as possible, whether
amid tho ceremonial of WINDSOR ana
Buckingham palace or in the peacetui
environment of Balmoral. All their eX-
penses, except those OF dress, are borne
by the Queen, and, as the ladies are
usually chosen from those who are not
too literally provided for, the salary is
a very comfortable addition TO their pri-
Tate means
Two extra ladies of the bedchamber
are usually peeresses whose days OF act
i've service are practically over, and
whose reward is sinecure office with an
acceptable salary attached The two
extra ladies Of Queen Alexandra are
much Older than her majesty, and We're
among her earliest friends and attenc-
ants when she first came to us 4 '"ra-
diant bride from beyond the seas"
Of the four bedchamber women the
most notable is the Hon. Charlotte
knollys, the daughter of Lord Knollys,
who for many wears has been an init
matte and highly trusted companion of
the Queen. Unlike the other ladies,
Miss Knollys is IN constant attendance
on her majesty, acts as her amanuenSis,
and is indispensable in a hundred ways.
or the maids of honor there are four,
all beautiful and gifted. and in every
way charming. Two of them are the
vivian, to whom the queen is greatly at
ttached. They are always, when possible,
IN attendance together, and by the
queens wish dress exactly alike. A very
gifted young lady is the Hon. Mary
Dyke, daughter of Sir William Hart
Dyke, whose musical skill and sunny
gayety are highly valued by the queen
and the Hon. Sylvia Edwardes, who was
a favorite of Queen Victoria, is almost
equally clever and charming.
20 the maids of honor falls the agree
able duty of acting IN turn as the
Queens companions: they read, sing and
play to her, and generally entertain her.
They frequently accompany her on
drives and walks. share her hobbies.
from fancy work TO photography, and, in
Short, fulfill their mission in life by be-
ing pretty, amiable, helpful and anus
ing. The lot of the maids of honor is
indeed an 5enviable one. for when they
marry they receive the welcome dover of
1900, they are entitled to the descrip>
ton of Honorable for the rest of their
lives, are practically assured of a suite
OF rooms at Hampton Court, and a prob
able place in the royal household for
their husbands.
Indeed, apart from the great honor,
the profit and pleasure of being one OF
the Queens ladies' they are always
assured of the royal favor and every
thing that it means in the way Of I'M
failing kindness and consideration-Lon
don It'd Bits.