New-York tribune., 1905-04-23
MAID OF HONOR
(Confinned from rage y

handsome ana WeH-DIOkcn nOISeS are
placed at her disposal. The late Queen
in her young days was fond of riding,
and thoroughly enjoyed gallop through
the beautiful wooded glades of Windsor
Forest.
Riding always was a favorite amuse-
ment of the Court. Pope, the friend of
Miss Bellenden and Miss Lepel, the beau
tiful and sprightly Maids of Honor, says;
Their life is of all things the most miser-
able. To eat Westphalia ham in the
morning, ride over hedges and bitches on
borrowed hacks, come home in the heat
of the day with a fever, and what IS worse
a hundred times, with red mark in the
forehead from an uneasy hat, may qualify
them to make excellent wives for fox
hunters" The Maids of Honor now are
not subjected to such violent exercise.
The Maid of Honor is most frequently
in evidence at the opera. Her majesty
is assiduous in her attendance there,
for she is passionately fond of music,
and the Maid of Honor thus is enabled
to enjoy many a pleasant evening.
Etiquette has altered since the early
Victorian days when the ladies in waiting
stood during the whole performance
and only the Queen and the Prince
Consort occupied seats. Now one sees
the Maids of Honor chatting animatedly
during the intervals, and listening
intently to the prima donna.
During the Queens stay at Sandring-
ham she dispenses with the services of
her Maids of Honor, and rarely takes one
of them with her on visits, COntenting
herself with their attendance in London
and at the state functions at Windsor.
The Maid of Honor is in waiting every
alternate fortnight during the season.
The Court lady of old days was merely a
superior kind of servant, who scarcely
dared to speak in her mistress presence.
The Maid of Honor of to-day is a
charming, accomplished girl whose duty
it is to make herself pleasant to the guests
and talk agreeably to the important per-
sonages who may be visiting at the castle.
She should be good linguist, have read
the most talked-of books of the day, and
possess musical tastes. She is expected
to take a hand at bridge, if required to
make up a rubber; but she must not play
for money, as the Queen disapproves of
girls gambling or playing for larger stakes
than they can well afford. Smoking
cigarettes too, which IS such a modern
craze, is discountenanced by the Queen,
who brought up her own daughters with
the greatest simplicity, and prefers the
same virtue in her Maids of Honor
Princess Beatrice invariably chooses her |
ladies in waiting for their proficiency in
music, and requires that they be good
readers at sight and good accompanies, |
a rare accomplishment. She herself is
no mean musician, and has composed |
some charming pieces.
Maids of Honor must dress becomingly !
and well, and of course must possess |
several black gowns in their trousseau,
for the Court is in mourning frequently; |
but eccentricity of all kinds is tabooed, |
and any loud cOlors or exaggerated fash |
ions may not be worn.
The life of a Maid of Honor is an inter |
esting one: she is brought in contact with |
all sorts of illustrious people; she con-
stantly meets celebrities; she hears talk |
on all kinds of subjects; she receives in
fact a most cosmopolitan education-thel |
education that makes a wise woman of |