New-York tribune., 1905-06-12

and statesn,anship secured for Belgium in the
cert OF place and Importance altogether
out Of proportion her small size and population
LORD GRENFELL AS GOLD STICK
Lord GrenfelL by virtue OF his appointment to
the colonelcy Of the % Life Guards becomes
ipso facto Gold Stick In Waiting, an Office con-
cerning which no end Of mystery exists. even IN
England, where not person In ten thousano
would be able TO explain it's origin and duties IL
dates back to the reign of King Charles H. VINO
may be said to have instituted 1t while In exile IN
Holland prior to the Restoration.
In the year 1860 when negotia tions were In prog
ress for the restoration of the monarchy, he de-
termned to form efficient bodyguard previous
to embarking for England. Having around MIN
upward of three thousand cavaliers, the wreck OF
those fine armies which had fought SO Vaiiantly
for the roval cause during the civil war. he on
May II of that year formed the pick OF them INTO
a corps which he named "Hfs Majestys Guafos
To the command of this noble band, all OF whom
were men of gentle birth. he appointed Charles
Lord Gerard OF Brandon, afterward Earl of Mac
clesheId, and from that time on the Guards mount
ed, twenty at time, watched over him during the
remainder Of his stay in Holland When ne sailed
thence he was accompanied by his corps of Life
Guards, who, mounted huge Flemish chargers
constituted his escort when he rode into London.
A few months afterward they were placed on the
establishment of the British army. and In addition
TO the ordinary duty OF furnishing mounted escorts
important duty of attendance on the Kings per-
SON. on foot wheresoever he walks, from his rising
to his going bed." which fell to the lot or one
OF the colonies of the corps OF Life Guards. This
officer who waited next TO the Kings person, and
before all Others" was known by the title OF
Gold Stick in Waiting" because in virtue OF his
honorable and important office he carried In his
hand an ebony staff with gold head, engraved
with the sovereigns cipher and crown major
or lieutenant colonel of the corps assisted him ID
his duties bearing an ebony staff tipped with sill
ver and was known the "Sver Stick in Wait
ing"
In course of time the single corps OF life guards
was developed into three regiments, known re-
spectively as the First and Second Life Guards and
the Royal Horse Guards, and for more than CEN
tury they recruited exclusively from men OF
birth and education and were officially described as
THE Gentlemen of the Life Guards" Nowadays
the rank and file are composed of taken from
humber classes in life although frequently q young
fellow OF birth who has come to grief financially
enlists in these splendid corps man Of which
is SIX footer. the size of the chargers being In
keeping with the stature of their riders.
The colonels in chief of these three regiments
each one of whom is q distinguished generaI-Iord
Crenfeu commanding the military forces in Ire
land being at the head of the Second Life GUARDS:
LORD De Ros commanding the First Life Guards
and Field Marshal Lord Wolseley the Horse
Guards. popularity known as the Blues'-take IL IN
turn to oficiate gold-sticks-n-w waiting to the
sovereign Their former duties as such are now
fu1AIled TO great extent by the equerries-inwaft-
ing and the office OF gold stick has developed into
a purely ornamental one confined to ceremohial
court and military functions. The inferior once OF
Notwithstanding is vested in the lieutenant
oo,one1s actually commanding the three regiments
IN question who relieve one another each month";
AN DARIis LIFE OF ADVENTURE.
lord Fitzwiliam seems fated to life of advent
ure most unusual in this prosaic age 1t was oniy
+b other day that he returned from an extraoroi-
nary hunt for the treasure of Sir Henry Morgan
.he famous buccaneer Of the Cocos lsiand' "heFe
he had a most miraculous escape from DEATH sus-
tanning serious injuries, and we find him prose-
cutting in one Of the London police courts a man
| who has been threatening 10 murder him. Before
avan his accession to the earldom he met an acci-
dent out hunting which led to the report tna1 ne
had been killed the publication OF his ooitu-
arv and as he bore at the time the title OF LORD
| Milton the discovery that the rumor was un-
founded caused the episode to be described as MIL
| toms paradise Lost" Subsequently, when ne leo
| lady Maud Dundas to the altar in ST. Pauls
Cathedral friend availed himself Of this TO send
to the bridegroom superbly bound copy or Milton
| paradise Reganed"
Iord Ftzwilliam has not only done service out in
india as an ade.de camp the staff of the Viceroy'
bu+ has undertaken most extensive explorations
| IN Central Asia and also in Central Africa meet
ing with good many adventures. besides which ne
boasts of owning the biggest country house IN III
| England known as Wentworth Woodhouse-a place
| so huge that guests find it of advantage to bring
| with them treble the ordinary number OF hats.
which are kept at the various entrances, so as 10
| .ava then, the trouble of walking about quarter
| of a mile from entrance TO another In order
| 70 fetch the hat which they may have left at the
| latter II is asserted, moreover that when Baron
| Won Iiebig the eminent German scientist. stayed
| there he insisted being provided before he re-
| t,red for the night, with packet OF waters. so
| that bv dropping them in a continuous line from
| the smoking room to his bedroom, he might the
| next morning find his way back again. wentworth
woodhouse formerly belonged to Sir Thomas went
worth Earl of Strafford. the statesman of the
NJ execution Of strafford after the Earl had been
| iupeached by Parliament and condemned TO death
| for having fulfilled his sovereigns commands. has
| AWAY. been regarded the black spot in the
| career Of the only British ruler who was decapi
| tated by his subjects
STRAW HATS OF ROYALTY.
Now that the season OF straw hats arrived
may be of interest 20 recall that they first
heard of IN the reign OF Queen Elizabeth. Possibly
| they may have been worn before that, but the
| noets and writer's OF her day the hrst of those
| IN whose works any mention thereof is made.
| Thus spenser, who the poet laureate OF the
| .-virgin Queen" speaks in one of his poems Of
| .'sone plaid with straws." while Shakespeare in
| ths Tempest makes Iris sing follows:
| You sunburnt sickenaen OF August weary
| Come hIther from the furrow and be merry
| Ike holiday; straw hats put on
| And In "A Lovers Complaint" the bard speaks
| again of pleated hive Of straw being worn by a
| ackls maid to preserve her complexion from the