Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-01

floor to the ceiling and twenty-four by one
hundred feet in size. 1t was built by
Charles III. and the walls are hung with
no portraits Of the kings and queens of
Scotland. beginning with Fergus I (B. G.
33O). which were painted by a Flemish
artist under contract with the govern
ment in 1854. for the sum of $500. the
government furnishing the canvas and the
colOrs.
Since the union of Scotland and England
this great room has been used for the
assemblies of the Scottish peers and for
the election of their representatives in the
house Of lords.
The exiled CharlesaX and Louis XVIII
Of France. resided IN the palace. Queen
Victoria occupied it at intervals during
, her reign. and frequently stopped OF
here on her journeys between Windsor
and Balmoral.
When the Stage King Comes.
In 1859 King Edward. when a mere boy,
spent some time here with his tutor, DR..
Leonard Schmidt, and annually for two
weeks the lord high commissioner. a kind
of stage sovereign. Who is supposed to
guard the interests Of Scotland in London,
comes here in person and holds court.
Fires are built in the ancient chimney
places; the ancient rugs are unrolled
upon the tessellated floors. the linen is
brought out of the chests and the silver
and cutlery from the vaults. coach
and four appears before the entrance. a
military guard takes possession of the
sentry boxes. the windows are lighted up.
banouets, levees and balls are held and
Edinburgh becomes q mimic capital for
the time being. At the end OF the fort
night, however, the curtain falls and for
the next fifty weeks Holyrood Palace re-
turns to its Anal destiny as museum
foy CT a al q
palace is obsolete. outwardly as well as
inwardly. The aristocracy which former
ly surrounded it have all vanished.
Their substantial homes are now occupied
neighbOrs are a brewery and the gas
works.
Not long ago the late Earl of Leven and
Melville left legacy Of $4,000 to re-
store the roOfiess chapel royal, but the
architects and engineers who have ex-
amined the walls doubt if the job could be
done for that money because the masonry
is insecure and too weak to sustain
roof. Perhaps the government will take
up the matter and furnish the means to
put this ancient and beautiful sanctuary
back in its original form, but the only
object would be to crafty sentiment and
add another attraction to the Scottish
capital
ant personages. were buried. including
several kings and queens. The royal
vault has been restored to its original
condition before 1t was violated by q
mob In 1888. and the headless skeleton of
Lord Darnley was removed to West
minister Abbey many years ago.
Prince Consort's Curious Fountain.
Lying across the street to the west Of
the palace is q little park in which there
is a bath house where Queen Mary Stu
art is said to have bathed her beautiful
form in white wine to increase her
charms Nearby was the dwelling Of
Rizzio. her secretary. which is now oc-
cupied by the corporal OF the guards
i can find no evidence that Mary Stuart
ever bathed in white wine or milk. the
same stories are told of Catherine de
Medici, Catherine the Great and other
famous and whimsical ladies who have