The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-31
MAIDS OF HONOR
OF HER MAJESTY
Queen Alexandra Gives Her
Maids a Larger Stipend and
Has Abolished the Dowry.
PORTRAIT PAINTED WITH FEET
Prince Of Wales Great Stamp
Collector and Princess Has
Photography Fad.
.T1l, couNTEss OE nLANI< SHIRE.

IY TIit; COUNTESS OF BLANK sHIRE;.
Z, LONDON, May 30.-fIer Majesty the
Queen will soon he appointing q rev
maid VI honor in place OF the Hon.
Margaret Dawnay, who vacated her
position last month to become. a bride.
A keen rivalry exists among society
young ladies to occupy this env.able
office, induced, no doubt, by the fact
that Queen Alexandra takes more than
an ordinary interest in her ladies-in-
waiting. and Is not only so gracious
as to see that every provision is made
for their accommodation while they
are IN attendance, but Is also careful
that the duties, fatiguins as they
necessarily are on occasions. shall not
oyertax their health and strength. Tho
regard OF tho Queen for the comfort
of those who surround her is one OF
the many charming features OF Her
Majesty's home life.
For that reason Her Majesty limits
the period of waiting" to four weeks
at tho outside, and each of her maids
il in attendance alternately for that
length of time about thrice year
The desire for economy on the part
Of the Queen Is shown in the fact that,
during the present reign, tho number
Of maids OF honor has been reduced to
four. instead of eight, as formerly.
They are the Hon. Violet Vivian, the
Hon. Sylvia Edwardes, the Hon. Blanche
Escalles. and, until her recent mar
riage, the Hon. Margaret Dawnay.
Miss Vivian is twin sister of the
Hon. Alexandra Vivian. and Is one OF
the handsomest women at the court.
She is widely read. an excellent I'm
Eu!st and musician, and acts so cleVerly
that she Is in constant demand AT
amateur theatricals. She enjoys the
complete confidence and favor OF her
royal mistress. whom she has served
since 1901.
Young Maid OF Honor.
The Hon. sylvia Edwardes. whose
annotntment in 1897 created some sem
sation in society circles on account OF
her extreme youth. Is tho daughter OF
the Hon. Mrs. Henry Edwardes. she
was barely seventeen when the late
Queen Victoria paid Mrs. Edwardes an
afternoon call and saw her daughter
for the first time. Her Majesty, at
tracted alike by the young girls beauty
and conversational charm, promptly
gave her the post Of maid OF hoaoi'
which Miss Edwardes retained on their
present Majesties' accession, anu syn
holds at the court OF Queen Aiexanora.
During the reign of Queen Victoria
i3t w.s the recognized rule that all
lproposals OF marriage to her maids OF
honor should be made through aer
Majesty, before even the parents o.
| the Young women were approached.
A dowry OF IS. 900 was presented, SUD
| ,ert ia the royal consent, having peeh
| first obtained in this way, IN accorn-
| ance with the practice which had es-
listed since the establishment OF sns
office in the time of James !. In l'so
queen Charlotte refused the dowry 10
one of her maids, who omitted to eul-
eii +b,s condition. AS at different
| times. the dowry has been the cause OF
great discomfort. Queen Alexandra has
| seen fit to abolish 1t entirely. Once
| It happened that several maids III
| honor were married within few
weeks OF each other, and after
\ period of service SO short as t. be
quite inconsonant with such q large
| dowry. It then became necessary to
fix the length OF maids service be-
fore She became entitled to the pay
| ment. Queen Alexandra has improved
on the arrangement by adding $500 a
year to the allowance OF her maids OF
| honor, so that each now receives $4,000
| annually and no dowry, instead OF ST.
| 500 a year and a dowry after q certain
number of years service.
A necessary qualification for the
| office of maid. OF honor is that the
candidates must. above everything, BIO
Aclever and accomplished. By some
royal Inistresses beauty has been held
4 to be an Indispensable condition.; by
others the preference has been given
| to personal friends. The office can be
held by none below the rank of a peers
/ granddaughter. unless some special
/ provision Is made.
a Dancing Prince.
One Is not surprised to learn tina.
Prince Edward of Wales is one of the
\ most promising Of all tho dancing
pupils at the Royal Naval College. Os-
l borne, for skill in dancing seems TO
|.run In his royal blood. King Edward
/ in his younger days was as graceful
i and nimble-footed a dancer as you
could find, and many of his partners,
|now stately dowa gers, love to recall It;
and SO. with scarcely an exception
hare all members of his family Henry
i Wits dancing, from the payon to
n "conrato high" was the envy and de.
I spair OF courtiers. but he was prouder
! OF his performance in the ballet.
/ Queen Elizabeth had no rival In the
4 stately pavon, unless 1t was her favor.
4 ite partner. Sir christopher Hatton,
and Queen Mary's grace and agility IN
the ballet sent moro than one poet
into rhymed rapture Charles H.
lhowever, seems to have been the king
of royal dancers. He never knew when
to stop, for when every ono Of his
courtiers was dropping from fatigue, he
would call for round OF country
4 dances.
4 Unique Portrait.
Few people are aware that the
Princess Of Wales possesses a unique
portrait OF herself. This Is charm
ling picture OF her done In chalks by
n young Swiss artist. who, having
been born without arms, was COM
a PEELED to draw and paint with her feet
Tho late Duchess OF Teck, whose great
kindness OF heart made her specially
tender to those who We're in any way
a physically disabled for their fight III
life, heard Of the young girl being III
# London, and at once invited her to
White Lodge. Princess May. as GU,
4 future Queen then was, gave the arm
s less wonder many sittings, and the