The Washington herald., 1908-01-26

diihcuit to understand why there should
De such keen desire on the part Of So
ciety people to be presented at court. To
I the uninitlatcd the mere honor or pleas
ure-however you may like 10 regard It
/ OF making q courtesy to the King and
/ Queen in tho ballroom Of buckingham
Palace scarcely compensates one for the
expense and trouble involved. says q
writer In "Tit-Bits"
/ As matter Of fact. a presentation ar
court means great deal 10 those who
move In upper circles Without il q
woman has no recognized social position:
she IS never invited to royal entertain.
ments. and when visiting foreign coun-
try cannot be presented 10 its sovereign.
In the old day4. when a lady had been
once presented she could continue 10 ar
tend courts, uninylted and unchaIleuged.
until the end Of her life But time has
changed that privilege.
However, It is obvious that there are stlU
great inducements 10 secure the precious
card Of invitation from the Lord Cham
. berlain which entities one 20 attend ths
court, apart from the fact Of thus being
able 10 witness a sight Of splendor and
magnlhcence unsurpassed at any other
court Of Europe
Everybody who is anybody is to be
seen al "a court presentation-p princes,
lords, and dukes, gray-halred ambassa-
dors. generals, politicians and diplomats,
/ down 10 young attaches, all attired I'm
fun uniform or court dress. the mems
attire. in many cases, being no less bril-
liant and gorgeous than the dazzling con-
Iecucns worn by young debutantes who
nervously await their turn for presenta-
ton
Those who by right or birth are entitled
10 attend at court are members Of the
ar.stocracy and Of the leading county
families. the wives and daughters OF
officers in the army and navy. of clergy
men and barTisrers. Of important fiuan-
c!ers, and of men engaged in large COM
mercial enterprises But the line is rig
loly drawn at those occupied i'm retail
. trade, 10 matter how refined or wei
connected they may be Nowadays sew
eral titled women Of old families. keep
shops Of their oWn, and this fact entirely
prevents their appearance at court This
rule is absolute and has no exceptions.
The general company drive into the
courtyard Of buckingham Palace under
the p0rJIcO az the state entrance. There !
/ is also another entrance, known az the
I Pimlico door, through which members OF
I the diplomatic corps and what is known
as the entree company are allowed 10
pass. By entering with the general
company. however. one obtains splendid
I view Of some Of the beauties Of BuckIng-
F ham Palace.
Entrance TO Palace.
/ After alighting at the Doric p0rtico. tbs
debutante enters the large but somewhat
low-ceilinged entrance hall. with lis mar
bic floor and staircase and its double row
of pillars in pure white Carrara marble.
From the hall access can be obtained toe
/ the so-caIled bay-window room. which is
one OF the finest on the garden floor o.
Buckingham Palace. Tie Bow Library is
used as a cl0akroom. where wraps and
cloaks are left and numbered tickets re-
celved in exchange. The staircase is a.
Taodel Of splendOr Every step is a solid
piece Of white marble, and the gold and
cream ceiling shows some marvellous dec
grafton Stationed on the staircase and
everywhere about are ye0meu Of the
guard dressed in red and gold, with neck
rufties, buckled shoes. and the fiat hats
that have become known by their name.
Attentive gentleman Ushers pass tbs
guests on in patches of about thirty
through the ante-room which leads TO the
last hating place the Tapestry Corridor,
The ballroom, where the court IS held, is
superb saloon, with walls paneled in :
crimson and a floor Of satinwood and ma
hogany. At one end is a fine organ and
the gallery for his majesty's musicians a
The King and Queen enter the ballroom
about 10 o'clock They are preceded by
the white slaves and followed by the most
important officers of the state. who. to- Z
gether with other members Of the r0vaI
family. take up their position in a semi
circle round their majestieS in order Of
precedence Then the business OF the
evening commences.
Trains are let down and spread upou fha
floor, cards are PASSED from hand TO hand,
and a great silence prevails, broken 10 a
nervous debutante's ear only by the
sound Of her own tread on the polished
floor and by the announcement Of her
name in a tone OF official authority.
When the two deep cOUrtesies have been
duly made the .ady has to retire from
the royal presence with all the grace at
her command.
Formerly a debutante was Obliged TO
undergo the nerve-t trying ordeal Of kissing
the Queens hand, and, if a princess, OF
being saIuted on both cheeks while in
addition she was obliged to walk hack
ward from the royal presence But King
Edward has altered all that Their mai
estes remain seated, and a courtesy is
all that is required.
Between one and two hours are thus
taken up with the business of presenta-
ton, after which the King and Queen
retire from the ballroom to partake OF
supper with a few favored guests SuD-
per is also provided for the general COM
pany with this difference-that while the
royal party sit down to a formal meal,
the others refresh themselves at the buf-
fets for the most part standing up
II may interest some readers 10 learn,
by the way, that strict regulations gov~
ern the dress of both men and women
who attend at court. Men who do not
belong to the services must appear in the
regulation velvet tail coats and steel but
buckled shoes. and white gloves, with
cooked hat under the arm and small
sword at the side
Ladies, too, must dress to order IN
evening toilet, with train from three and
a half to four yards long white gloves,
and white ostrich feathers. For mourn
ing black trimmings are permissible with
the black toilet, but a special permit must
be obtained If a lady wishes TO attend
court in high-necked gown and long
sleeves A doctors certificate is general
" necessary in order TO obtain this per-
mission.