H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 183, 11 January 1878, Page 7

H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES.

There are very few. men who- work harder in that, state of life which it liaspleased Providence to call them, than the Prince of Wales.' The position oi. heir-apparent is no pleasant sinecure now-a-days To a conscientious man, it entails many onerous and difficult duties, which recur so often as to become wearying in the extreme. The public at home read in the morning papers that the Prince attended certainmeetings, or laid such-and-such a foundation stone, and dined with so-and-so yesterday, but it does not hear how the rest of his time was occupied.. We trust, thex'efore, we may be forgiven if, once in a way, we raise the. curtain of privacy in order to recapitulate the (losings of H.R.H. during a " slack " day of the London season. Tbe Prince is an early riser :• — No* matter what time he goes to bed he is always up and ready for work at nine o'clock. The amount, of business to be done necessitates this. After he hasread the journals of the day, the private secretaries are summoned, the letters; read and instructions (taken down in shorthand) given. When this is ovex\ it is generally time to start off for the scene of action of the eveat of the day — meeting, foundation stone, races, or whatever it may happen to be. If there* is nothing of this sort to he attended to,, H.R.H. receives deputations or private callers, and rides in the Park. Lunch is a pleasant meal, children and Princessbeing present. During the afternoon*, the Prince anch Princess drive out together, either paying calls or attending garden and afternoon parties. Another hour of the day is devoted to correspondence, and thereare usually half-a-dozen or more engagements, one or two of which at least imply speeebes, to be fulfilled during the* evening. The Prince is a faultless husband,, wholly devoted to his charming wife., Everyone who moves in good society is*, well aware of the fact. We, in common with our neighbours, have heard many scandalous stories about tbe Royal* couple. Certain middle-class people, who really know no more of the Princ& than they .can gather from the newsi papers, frequently overflow Vith nasty I scandals which they assure us are "• perfectly true." All such stories are nevertheless false, and merely show that the purveyors know nothing of the lives of the people they libel. The Prince is a great stickler for* etiquette. No one who breaks an understood rule or outrages the " covenances " when in his society, need expect to be forgiven. We remember one case, however, where he passed over a breach of decorum, ancl as the story is somewhat amusing, we will tell it. Our future monarch is an inveterate smoker „ and notwithstanding his early " rising stays up very Inte. ,One night, or rather* morning, towards half-past 2 a.m., he was sitting with several friends puffing a quiet weed and talking in the smok-ing-room of the Guards' Club. Most of the men present were very tired and anxious to get away, but as it. is not etiquette to move before tbe Prince, they were obliged to sit on till he gave the necessary sign, which unfortunately, there was no appearance of his doing. He seemed very chatty, and had just lit along Partagas. The men watched the long cigar melting slowly away," fully expecting that their liberty would come when it was smoked. It lasted an immense time, but. the biggest, weed must have an, end, and towards 3 a.m., the Prince threw that end away. All were preparing to rise, when to their unutterable horror and disgust, H R.H. instead of making a move drew out his case and calmly produced another enormous cigar. The feelings of one youthful Lord were too much for him. Oblivous of etiquette, be jumped up, exclaiming, " Hang it, I can keep awake no longer." Two or three others also rose; H,R.H. took in the situation at once, and instead of being angry, as every one expected/ laughed good humouredly, and said "Yes, it was quite time to be off." : The Prince of Wales has- a splendid memory. He never forgets a face. A friend of ours, an artist, was introduced to the Prince at- a soiree of, the Arts Club; -About four words passed. Our ' friend was in Rome three years, but on , his return he dinpd at the Academy dionery at. Burlington House, and was . about to be i intro/lric&fi, again to the : Prince.(who was:pr'esent^*uoN of course, . .supposing ; he i ;\v^bld^;^blßg3t'Prriembfired. -, " i r t,hinkrr.rec6llebt'seeihg^y6u before-* .;'*saia'"H/R^^n\'>". ; >i ,^t:i'.HiT i if -.. _' " ;/ l *The 'btif-apparent'is ''a ! tnodel land-";. lord, and: t4kestth%;greate^ i the weiPdm^ „ ..rihgji a hi'.:^ :nam.||l| and \vß eh at home.y ejaf.er£ :in to eyenAtli^| ; minutiae" 1 of the- m&nagpmfnfc-: .o^ : :^tlie*| ; I estate.-^Contvibuted to'Nv^;*:Heralid||J