Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-02

a are ln state of excitement for
N on June - only a few months
- away. British sovereign is 90
0E ~ be crowned 70 attend n coro-
e nation ceremony In an the pomp
and glory Of high position is the supreme
privilege Of titlehood
Tho coming event II one for which the
younger spr' ~ Of nobility have longed for
years. such an occasion does not come
at all In the life Of every nobleman or
noblewoman, for though only nine years
have passed since King Edward VII was
crowned. the coronation Of Queen Victoria
was sxty-fve years before that Who
knows how many London music hall art
lists. how many American -heiresses indeed.
dreamed Of this day when the words we're
spoken which made them the granddaugh-
tiers OF some duke or earl?
Every titled woman Is putting in her
spare time nowadays in "A study Of Burke
or Whitaker or Debrett 50 far as the
coronation ceremony itself is concerned
the question Of the latest fashions in gowns
troubles no one. The question Of what each
one shall wear is answered by the 'Hoyle'
who governs this great state function and
who will be the supreme sovereign Of the
occasion.
Not only does he tell every titled woman
how she Is to dress but just where In
Westminster Abbey she is TO stand. where
each shall sit and when and how each Is
to bow "Hoyle' promulgated the rules
centuries ago and they have existed so
long that they have become tradition. And
everybody at the royal court OF Great
Britain respects tradition as something
sacred
II Is essential that every nobewoman
shall know who's who on June D.
Though all will be ROBBED in garments such
as only those OF the best blood are per-
mitted to wear, It will be impressed upon
the least among them that "A wide gulf
wider than ever. on this day Of days-sep-
arates her from the greatest She must
know her place" and maintain II rehg-
iously
As we'll might a sergeant elect TO pre-
cede a general in a military procession as
for a viscountess to claim precedence of
a duchess. Bars on his shoulder straps dis
tingulsh the captain from the colonel and
bars Of ermlne on their robes point out
the difference between the lady and the
countess.
There, is difference, too, in the length
Of their trains-a difference Of inches. in
deed, but one inch at this time will be as
effective a barrier as a high wall would
be Even the balls on their coronets are
numbered To appear In a coronet involves
responsibility and rehearsals at home
and sleepless nights, possibly. Uneasy
lies the head that wears a crown" espe-
cially when the head is not accustomed to
wear Il.
A coronation is one event at which favor
itism in court circles avails nothing
Even the king and the queen cannot con
suit their own pleasure in making up th'
invitation list. Rules fixing the personne
OF those who may attend are rigid as
the rules prescribing the robes to BE worT
by nobility
one of these forbids the issuance of q
coronation summons 10 a divorced woman
no matter whether she was divorced OF
herself obtained the decree of separation
1t has been many years since divorces
enjoyed great favor In the sight of thu
British throne. Queen Victoria tabooe'
them absolutely except in the case Of on
woman This was the marchioness o
Blandford, whose son, the duke Of Mari
borough is now the husband OF the forme
Consuelo Vanderbilt The sovereign waived
the rule in the case Of the marchiones
because II was so obvious that In he
marital troubles she was bameless an
aggrieved that to have enforced the genera
prohibition against her would have been
grave injustice
Widows OF peers who have remarked be
low the rank OF the peerage also are de
MED summonses to the coronation cere
mony. But widows or peers who hav
married with peers OF lower degree ar
summoned according to the rank Of thei
most recently-acquired title.
less mystifying to the average commone
and, to many Americans, at least, tn
possession of a title seems an empty an
questionable honor hut aside from tn
right to splurge on state occasions a pee
enjoys certain real and permanent priv
ieges which are denied his humber brett
rem The general term peer" it should b
explained. is applied in order to duke
marqueses, earls viscounts and baron
All there are treated as the queens hereC
itary counselOrs and, as such, they al
free from arrest for debt But If a pee
becomes bankrupt-some Of them do, no
and then-he cannot vote until his banl
ruptcy proceedings are ended,
lie is immune, in cases OF riot, frol
service in the posse comtatus" In erin
inal cases he is tried by peers only and II
jurors render their verdict simply 'upo
their honor" in a court fitted up at n
expense OF the crown In Westminster hal
a peer may sit with his head covered
court Of justice. To prevent the sprea
OF any scandal rejecting upon his hon,
or that of any other great officer of Il
realm, there is an express law. call
'scandalum magnatum," by which al
man convicted OF circulating a scand
lous report even though It be true. again
peer is condemned to pay an arbitra
fine and to remain in custody until he h
paid.
The following table shows the classific
tion Of the great men of the kingdom:
The king.
Prince Of Wales, soVereigns young
sons. brothers, uncles. nephews.
Archbishop OF Canterbury, lord Mi
chancellor, archbishop Of York prime mi
lister lord high treasurer lord preside
OF the council. lord keeper OF the Pri
seal lord great chamberlain. lord hi
constable, earl marshal lord high admir-
lord stewart of the household, lord cha