New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
By Otis Peabody Swift

murmur of voices ceased. Two~ pur-,
suivants, passing the halberds Of the
gentleme could be seen be-
yond the open door-Rougc Dragon
walking with Portcullis out Of the
Princes Gallery toward the throne.
Very slowly they led the procession
into the house, Rouge Croix following
with Bluemantle, and the four heralds
before the household, and two kings
of arms-Norroy and Clarenceux--
more gorgeous than the rest, giving
way to Garter Principal King Of Arms,
most gorgeous Of all, with whom came
Black Rod.
"They entered in the half gloom.
But just as the Great Sword Of State
appeard the clustered lamps above the
silent house began to glow and food
of light revealed the King and Queen
upon the threshold. Slowly, in
breathless silence, they passed their
son and came to the dais: the peers
bowed; the peeresses courtesied."
The quotation is not from The Red
Fairy Book.
It is London morning newspaper
account Of the opening of Parliament
yesterday, written in The Daily Ex-
press by Sir Percival Phillips. The
scene of medieval pageantry and
splendor, seeming to come from some
enchanted Gland of once upon time"
had for its stage the House of Lords,
it's date the chill gray morning Of
February Is, 1921. The actors were
brilliant in gold and crimson, robes.
They were decked with jewels and
ermine. They glittered with ribbons
and decorations. But behind the SYM
bolism of titles, the imagery of old
heradic custom, the precedent of
Rouge Dragon and Porscullis, was the
fact that these men, politicians and
statesmen, diplomats - and soldiers,
were the rulers of the British Empire.
Procession Seemed Unreal
The King had come to-day to open
Parliament. Tomorrow the robes and
batons would be laid aside and in this
schamber through the weeks to come
these men would struggle with the
problems of their country. With the
passing of to-day's gilt fairyland they
would face the twentieth century ques-
tons of labor and unemployment, dear
bread and cheap money. Ireland and
To those who had never before seen
the royal procession to Parliament the
pageant seemed an unreal, impossible
thing. Early in the morning people
began to assemble along the route that
the King would follow from Bucking-
ham Palace to Westminster. The Foot
Guards were stationed along the line
of march, appearing in all their pre-
war grandeur of scarlet tunic, black
trousers with wide scarlet stripes, and
towering bearskin BUSHES. Pipe
clayed belts and gear set off the color
of the flaming coats, and the shining
line of their fixed bayonets rose above
the crowd. From the sidewalk eS-
service men, many still unemployed
and wearing the khaki overcoats of the
war, looked curiously at the new army;
Slim young officers, bit uncertain
about the balance of their two-foot
shakos, walked up and down the ranks
shifting formations with movements
of their drawn swords. Mounted po-
licemen, all ex-service men and weal
and down the line. Other mounted po-
licemen formed behind the spectators
possibly to prevent any demonstration
The parade ground behind the Horse
Guards Barracks is a good vantage
ground to watch the procession. By
this route the King, in coming through
ST. James's Park, will drive into White
hall. Thousands of spectators are al
ready here, but their mass is lost in
the spread of the great plaza. 1t is
cold and the sky is overcast; the peo-
pie stamp their feet and move about
restlessly. The double red line OF
which the King will pass. Over against
the nearby Admiralty loom two great
12-inch naval land battery guns, their
muzzles pointing skyward, their greer
and orange camouhage dimmed with
rust Mementos of the war, they con-
trast strangely with the peace-time
splendor of the Guards uniforms.
Boys Mischievous, as Usual
A mounted band rides by, going up
toward Westminster The horses arc
caparisoned with cloth of gold hang
ings; the bandsmen wear purple and
gold brocade uniforms and black velvet
| jockey caps. They look uncomfortable
sLittle cockney boys in the crowd make
scurrilous remarks. A young Guart
officer, distinguished by the wide golc
and crimson fringed sash about his
waist, calls 'Tenshun!" and the ranks
straightcn as company of mounted
Life Guards gallop by. They ride
great black horses. in columns of fours
The officers and men wear shining stee
helmets, topped by waving plumes
Steel breastplates, reminiscent of the
Napoleonic wars, cover their BLACK
tunics, but the vivid line of World Wal
ribbons on each mans breast tells oi
service in khaki. There is glitter
and jingle of accoutrements as they
pass and disappear through the arch
beyond the plaza. The silent crowc
wits, their faces pale in the yellow
tight of the February sky.
weird equipage comes into view
a brightly gilded closed coach. drawn
by four hours. 1t is an unbelievable
"Snow White" Grooms in uniform
knee breeches, white stockings, gole
brocaded coats with long Tapping tails
Three -cornered hats hide their faces
On the box sits the driver, wearing the
same livery and decorated with huge
white curled wig. Within can be seer
a man in vivid robes of state. He is
holding heavy embroidered hat, bur
dened with long plumes, upon his
knees. You see that he is smoking
cigarette. The carriage passes, moving
slowly, the unused springs creakine
over the pavements. Some one says il
is the Ambassador of France.
Ambassadors Coaches Brilliant
Another such carriage and another
Outrunners go before; footmen han,
deftly behind Within sit more men
in gorgeous gowns. The Ambassador
of Italy has yellow coach with tn,
arms of Savoy upon the panels. 4
>1~~1 II