The Washington herald., 1913-09-19
Court Gossip of Interesting
EpentS on Two Continents

I sons, wearing the kilt, walk from Bal
moral TO the parish church at Crathie.
on the other side OF the Dee, while the
Queen and her daughter drive there. In
the new white granite church which has
| replaced the picturesque UNCOVERED lit
tie sanctuary beloved Of Queen Victoria
they worship with peasant and laird
| according to the rites of the Scottish
Church. The Balmoral pews occupy one
Of the side wings Of the church, and in
the opposite wing are the pews for the
Princess Royal and the Duchess OF Fife.
Mr.. Farquharson OF Invercauld, and Sir
Robert Gordon, who, with the King, are
the patrons OF the parish Of Crathie
The iime-nonored Highland sports find
a sympathetic friend in the royal chief
tain" At the Braemar gathering, when
ground by Mer Castle for their sports
and games, the King is there as head of
the Balmoral Clan, just as the late Duke
of Fife led the men OF Dun and Mr..
Farquharson leads the men OF Inver-
cauld. all wearing the distinctive plaid
OF their respective clan. The King and
his sons wear their Highland dress. As
the royal party drives in state, with out
riders, through the lines OF Highlanders
to the sporting ground, the men lift
their claymores in salute and the pipers
viiion the royal family and visitors
watch the racing or throwing the ham
mer and the dancing competitions. The
great excitement OF the day is the race
when the competitors have TO ford the
Dee.
The King would have small claim to
be a popular Highland chieftain II he
did not favor the dancing" Music,
dance. and song are in the blood OF the
Lord John Russell was amazed when, as
minister in attendance on the Queen
during her first sojourn at Balmoral
Castle, he came to see the dining room
cleared after dinner for the Queen and
the Prince Consort to take lessons in
Scotch dances to the playing OF the
fiddler. Today there is a fine ballroom
at Balmora, decorated with royal
tartan, and during his sOjourn the King
gives dances for his tenantry and the
servants. The Balmoral balls are noted
for the excellence of che dancing. Men
of old Celtic stock dance the reel
strathspeys, and the sword dances, as
only true-born Highlanders can.
Balmoral is a typical Scottish castle.
built in the old baronial style. The cor
ridors are lined with stagsheads, which
have fallen to the guns OF royal sports
men, whose names are placed beneath
their trophies. The pictures in the
castle are chiefly Of sporting scenes and
Scottish landscapes, and the royal
tartan plaid is seen in curtains and up
holstery. The Queens private rooms
permit q fine outlook over the Dee. The
wooded hill OF Craig Gowan rises at the
back OF the castle and from the summit
bonfires blaze to commemorate family
and national events. The last bonfires
were in honor of the Kings coronation.
Cairns abound on the hills of Balmoral,
for throughout the seventy odd years in
which 1t has been a royal residence
special family events have been marked
in the Highland fashion. The idea was
originated by the Cairn-a-quheen, or the
Cairn Of Remembrance, some mile and
a half on the road from Balmoral to
Braemar, which marks the spot where
the Farquharsons of Invercauld raised
the slogan when they went forth to
fight. Each man deposited a stone on
the cairn when he set out and those
who lived to return, claimed their stones
again.
FLANEUR.