Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-20
duced or presented by some person OF i'm
portance who Is well known at court.
At DRAWING ROOM

At Drawing Room"
At O'Clock those who have been so for
tunate as to be invited are expected to ar
rive. They leave their wraps in cloak
rooms in the basement. where the ladies are
separated from the gentlemen who escort
them. because the latter are not formally
presented to the vice queen, but they meet
again an hour or so later in the banquet
hall after the ceremony rs over.
The ladies pass up two flights of stairs
into waiting rooms in the third story of the
palace, pursuing rather circuitous course
over about half the building, guided by vel
vet barriers and ratings, and at each cor
ner stands an atd-de-camp or a gentleman
in waiting, to answer inquiries and give d.
rections to strangers. When the ante-roOm
is at last reached the ladies await their
turns, being admitted to the audience cham
Der In groups of four. They are given a
moment or two to adjust their plumage,
and then pass slowly toward the throne,
upon which Lady Curzon Is seated. The
viceroy, in the uniform and regalia of
Knight of the Garter. stands under the
canopy by her side. There Is no crOwding
and pushing such as we see at presidential
royal functions in Europe, but there is an
interval of twenty-five or thirty feet be-
tween the guests. After entering the room
each lady hands a card upon which her
name is written to the gentleman-in-wait-
ing, and, as she approaches the throne he
pronounces 1t slowly and distinctly. She
makes her curtsfos to the vioeroy and his
lady and then passes on. There Is no con-
fusion, no haste, no infringement of dig
nifty, and each person for the moment has
the entire stage to herself.
On either side of the throne are gathered.
standing, many native princes. the higher
officers of the government and the army,
and members of the diplomatic corps and
other favored persons, with their wives and
daughters and their costumes furnish
brilliant background to the scene. The rest
of the great audience chamber, blazing with
electric lights, is entirely empty. The vice.
roy greets every lady with graceful bow.
and Lady CurZon gives her smile of well
come. The government band is playing all
this time In an adjoining room. so that the
music can be only family heard, and does
not interfere with the ceremony, as Is SO
often the case.
Having passed in review, the guests re-
turn to the other part Of the palace by
different course than that over which they
came, and find their escorts awaiting them
in the banquet hall. When the last lady to
be presented has been received the Viceroy
and Lady CurZon lead the way to the BAN
quet hall, where sumptuous supper Is
spread, and the gentlemen are allowed to
share the festivities The formalities are
relaxed, and Lord and Lady Curzon chat
Informally with their guests.
1t is very brilliant scene, quite different
from any that may be witnessed elsewhere,
particularly because of the gorgeous cos
tunes and the profusion of jewels worn by
the native princes. AT none of the capitals
jewels be witnessed, but the medals of
honor and decorations which adorn the
breasts of the bronzed soldiers are more
highly priced and usually excite greater ad-
mration, for just now many OF the heroes
of the South African war are serving tours
of duty in India.
The Vieeroy's Levee.
The viceroy's levee is exclusively for gen.
tlemen No ladies are expected, and a SIM
liar ceremony is carried out. 1t is intended
to offer an annual opportunity for the ma
tive princes, and officials of the govern
ment, officers of the army, the Indian no
blity and private citizens Of prominence
to pay their respects and offer their con-
CALCULATIONS to their ruler and the repre-
sentative of their king and at 8 o'clock on
the evening appointed two days later than
Lady CurZon 5 reception, every man or as
tinction in this part of the world appears at
the palace and makes his bow to the viceroy
as the latter stands under the canopy be-
side the throne. 1t might be a somber and
stupid proceeding but for the presence Of
many natives in the dazzling Jewels pic
turesque turbans and golden brocades, and
the large contingent of army officers with
their breasts covered with medals and dec
orations.
This reception is followed a few days
later by state ball, which Is considered
the most brilliant function of the year In
India. Invitations are limited to persons of
certain rank who have been formally re-
ceived at government house, but Lady Cur
zon is always on the lookout for her fellow
countrymen, and if she learns of their pres
ence in Calcutta invitations are sure to
reach them one way or another. She ls
woman of many responsibilities, and her
time and mind are always occupied, but
few Americans ever visit Calcutta without
having some delightful evidence of her
thoughtfulneSS.
The Sikh soldiers of the viceroys body
guard are splendid fellows. They are all
civ civ inn hes ir, al
them nearly seven feet-and during these
functions they stand like statues. without
moving a muscle, until often they RANT With
exhaustion. One of them tainted at Lord
Curzons levee and fell unconscious but
was caught by his companions before he
struck the floor.
There were many other festivities for
celebrating the New Year. All the English
and native troops in the vicinity of Calcutta
passed in review before the viceroy and
Lord Kitchener who is the communicating
chief of the forces in India. The latter was
not able to ride his horse, but was COM
PEELED to remain in his carriage because of
a recent accident in which his leg was frac-
tured.
In one of the parks in the city was ma
tive fair and display of art industries, and
at the geological gardens the various So
cieties of the Roman Catholic church in
Calcutta held bazaar and ratified off many
valuable and worthless articles, sold bar
rels of tea and tons of cake and sweet
meats to enormous crowds of natives, who
attended in their holiday attire. There was
a pyramid of gold coins amounting to a
thousand dollars, an automobile, a silver
service valued at $1,000, a grand plano, a
carriage and span of ponies, and various
other prizes offered in the lotteries, togeth-
er with dolls and gingercake, pipes and
cigar cases, slippers, necktes, pincushions
and other offerings to the god of chance.
Fashionable society was attracted to the
fair grounds by horse and dog show. and
various other functions absorbed public at
tention.