Evening journal., 1913-06-04
GOSSIP OF THE COURTS

Queen Mary's interest in court ar
rangements does not begin and end, as
is popularity supposed. with the APP
pointment Of her personal aids. Since
King George came to the throne
Queen Mary has insisted upon super
intending the details of the organiza-
ton and administration Of the royal
household, work which In the past was
delegated to court officials. This has
resulted In many alterations. particu-
larly in regard to the number of ser
wants employed, for she discovered
that she did not require nearly the
number of servants and attendants
that we're formerly deemed necessary,
the pomp maintained being much more
simple than was previously the case.
The business-like spirit which per-
vodes the whole Of the queens house
held is rather striking. Everything
seems to proceed there as though by
clockwork, and while there is no stint
OF penury, the queen permits no waste,
strict economy being enforced in
every direction. Queen Mary exer-
cises full control over all that takes
place in her name, and scarcely a let
ter is dispatched before il is submit
ted to her for approval. E. w. Wal
lington, the queens private secretary,
deals with the vast correspondence
which she receives each day, and
takes her instructions concerning the
replies which should be sent. The
queen devotes several hours a day to
her correspondence.
In what may be styled the business
side of the queens household. the
Earl of SALISBURY is the leading fig
ure He is her lord chamberlain and,
To a considerable extent his duties ap-
proXimate to those carried out by Lord
Sandhurst in the household of the
king He is charged with the entire
conduct Of her majestys encourage
and is responsible to her for its proper
maintenance. All items of expendi-
ture on behalf of the queen have to
pass through his hands, though II Is
her treasurer A. Nelson Hood who
actually signs the checks and sees
that they are dispatched
The mistress Of the robes, a position
now held by the Duchess of Devon.
shire, I'm reality is the head of tbs
queens household, among the prinoi.
pal of her duties being the supcrvis-
ior of the maids of honor. Her former
official title at court was mother Of
the maids" Next IN order Of impor.
lance among the ladies Of the queens
court came the ladies of the bedcham.
Der. These, together with the bed
chamber women are more general,
known today by the designation u
ladies-in-walting but the former title
, is correct and has reference 70 tho
/ L. L..
called upon TO serve the British queen.
at their toilet and to assist general,
al the robing and disrobing ever!
morning and night Needless to add
this no longer forms part Of theiI
duties.
II is the bedchamber women VIII,
now are more commonly known as tn
es-in-waiting. and one Of these al
ways is in attendance upon the queen
Each of these IS on duty a fortnigh
at time, and then is relieved by thu
next on the list the change usual.
taking place on a Monday. Thes
ladies, though nominally selected b.
the mistress OF the robes, are reall.
chosen by the queen in person iron
the families of her intimate friends.
The British postal service has i'm
proved somewhat" since the days o
Charles H. I'm May. 1862. Charlie
wrote to Philip " of Spain, MAXIM
serious complaints respecting the con
duct of the Spanish ambassador Tn
letter was folded and directed. bu
not dispatched It can be seen in tn
Public Record Office. with an endorse
ment by Secretary Nichols to the ei
feet that it could not be sent, as a
the time when Il should have gon
there were no available means of cor
veyance of mail to Spain
Another letter written In 1860 wa
discovered in the British Public Rec
= ord ONCE two years ago. having bee
! undeliyered. It Is addressed, For IN
= Loving Friend, Richard Hickson,