Evening journal., 1913-05-30
GOSSIP OF THE COURTS
By FLANEU

be married off, in that manner. Be-
sides, her affections were engaged
elseWnere. Emperor Nicholas did not
try TO force his daughter into the
union Olga is his favorite daughter.
ana, as | have had occasion to point
out repeatedly in these letters pretty
much has her own way at the Winter
Palace
Let me add in conclusion that on
the occasion of Princess Luise's we'd
ding the most interesting, though
quaint and antiquated feature was the
torch dance (Fakel Tanz) of the cabi-
net ministers, each of them. from the
dignihed chancellor of the empire
down to the ambassadors and minis
ters accredited at foreign courts and
who for the most part we're recalled
Tor the purpose, dancing the minuet
ard polonaise around the Weisse Saal.
passing the bridal couple three times,
each holding a burning candle during
his pirouettes. This Is an old custom
Of the Hohenzollerns from the DAYS
when they were merely Margraves OF
Rrandenbourg, and it is never omitted
at royal marriage ceremonies. tit
must have been a sight fit for the
gods to see Won Bethmann-H Hollweg,
Admiral Won Tirpitz, etc. Cour own
Count Bernstorff was also one Of them)
Ia The quaint costume of the medieval
ages doing this stunt
Princess Mary, of England. daughter
OF King George, the second brides
maid, was to have been married 10
Dom Manuel of Portugal, before that
monarch was driven from his throne
and country. King Manuels father.
King Carlos, was an intimate fricnG
Of Princess Mary's grandfather, the
late King Edward, and such an alli-
aECe between Great Britain and Por-
tugal at that time seemed very desir-
able to the Downing street diplomats.
But the little energetic princess put
her foot down most emphatically and
firmly, and her mother. Queen ,iary.
supported her in her opposition, with
the result that King George gave way.
Princess Elizabeth of Roumania the
third bridesmaid, and herself Hohen-
zollern, severel times has declined to
even consider matches arranged for
political reasons by the doplimats of
Bucharest. with Siavonic princes OF
the neighboring Balkan kingdoms
(who blames the girl?) and the last of
them-Princess Yolande Of Italy. GER
| tainly will do nothing else than to
follow in the footsteps of her royal
! father. who picked out for wife
country lass, the "shepherdess" of
Montenegro, and goodness knows. he
might have done a great deal worse
Although the King of England's
privy purse amounts to $4,000 pounds
annually, he is not expected out Of
this sum to keep up the royal palaces,
or to pay the salaries of his servants.
| In former times the crown had sew
eral sources Of income. the chief OF
which were the crown lands and the
customs. which consisted mainly OF
export duties on wool and other COM
modities. These latter were retained
for the crown by Edward / when he
surrendered the right of taxation to
Parliament. But these revenues now
are commuted for more or less fixed
salary" and It is the custom for each
British sovereign on his accession ia
the throne to surrender his interest in
the crown lands in return for the civil
list.
In George HIS reign this amounted
To 500, 900 pounds year, and yet that
monarch always. was in debt In VIII
liam Tvs time the civil list was re-
| vised and relieved of ali public
charges. Now it amounts to about
/ 100000 pounds. OF this 100000 pounds
is devoted TO paying the salaries of the
various officials and servants of the
royal household, while the mainte'
nance and general expenses Of the
household itself swallow up another
| 10000 pounds Another item OF ex-
penditure is $1,000 pounds for "royal
bounty and royal arms" and there is
% 900 pounds a year available fol-
the civil list pensions. paid to dis
tinguished but impecunious subjects
Tie balance goes to make up tht
kings real ''privy purse
! Copyright. 1918, by A. d. Jackson)