A QUEEN'S DRAWING-ROOM.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 365, 13 June 1884, Page 3

A QUEEN'S DRAWING-ROOM.

A. SOCIALLY INHUMAN AI'FAIB. Mr Ikbouchere, vcho likes to expose * ? th r e'defects oT royalty, thus' describes in the ,of 'Truth ' a " social " institution of royalty : " There is probably no capital in the world ""^here the custom of paying ■ respect to the titled representatives- of a court system is carried on under circumstances of such aggravating cruelty. A London drawing- 1 'of 'Queen "Victoria js, when carefully/cpnsifjered^.as discreditable aud inhuman a spectacle as can be conceived, and though the evils attendant on the institution vfrave been pointed out over. and' over again, „ though they must be perfectly familiar to the court fiuthdritie3', to the court advisers, and to *.the>Po.lonius df the period,. yet things go on „ in;fch.e same, stereotyped, jog-trot, systen*, and. no steps whatever .are taken to protect loyal ''subjects from the frequent discourtesies and many insults to which -they -are subjected. With scant consideration for comfort, or even decency, the principal drawing-rooms of the JK'seas'dn afe'fixeit at a time' ! of year when the weather is/most, treacherous, and those who attend them are compelled to appear .in- a costume quite'olit" of character with a cere- ]. ?iDjos3f that JsHp' tMfe plac"e at daylight. Take the case of a delicate younggirl -or, indeed, of any ordinary fragile "beauty !who ; desires to pay her respepts .to her , ftjajesty. or to the chosen representative- of her 'Majesty, atone .of firpt, drawing-rooms. It is ''i March v}ea'ther^-the fiercest, most uncanny , and- itrpacherpus/ season! of the, year. i .<A .it i n '4bis weather, ' Vom'en, accustomed to cloak and clothe themselves in wraps and furs whenever th,ey. .take their, drives ab' road Tlw or' fa : cc the piercing "atmosphere, are compelled to bare" their necka and shoulders,, to ,»trip,]bhemselye3" of, their, apparel after the . „ faihipa of .their prototype, , (Ji-odiva, and f or c - weary 'hours 1 expose themselves ' to the gaze of all the rascally -Peeping Toms who choose to JJongregate_in the, .p%i&, and, indulge in r JiSSlrtfaeh^e/'Qiat disgraWtne'haMe 1 of men and Englishmep ? y Jfew know who hare not experienced \i the bitter iniults to modest women are subjected on their way from home to attend a court or drawingroom at Buckingham Palace. As thiefe is little organisation of the traffic, and there T is sure to be a dead block at some pojint or other in the. park, . the shivering vrom^n are constantly exposed to the curious gaze of these f^gej^ijsrhtieewq- Such a mob ss this is no resp^eter-of-'peFsena. We have few sights iaJjondon, and -the qne ,ot. \Jwompn, gkung Latadyola^ldfesßed. Aip in the the 1 and* uncomfortable of- --all costumes, isj not jtp be resisted. The riffraff jj^up to, '} Bo6r!aid freely ,6ffjprtr|e|lcomijienfe.|Modest ** cars are shocked fay wtJras- of Indecency and profanity.;. ;! /. Kl'.Vf'/J " Arrived at the palace the fair courtiers r .jXeceive^but /a cold /we^pine.; ;j Scr far they 1 haW braved cast ' winds, dust and ' a Lc ndon; f mpb to find the dread chill of a half- warmed # |^f99J??Siand/% si|e#ge'[of . flgsferted nails. * Here at coun, without artificial light; , of any kindi'Vitri6ufc ! ' ! wyrmth >: and ll whhput apprppr j&te.colpis, [tlWy tare • com pel led tp unr bar,e their, beauty in a cruel and uncodiproSi mMnf^atel Ri l!f' an ordinary woman of aaocgcetgt'"6anaino"tf l i!ec'ei¥-e the male gaze iri. Jber tea room without pink shades and J rose, colored bh'nds,think; f n,f th« appalling. ,lprial for her when she stalks these icy corridors injthe full glare 6f (7 a ;; spring siin' and in a dress .^tiaat wpuld.jb.fc considered'out of place ajfc £an - oMina'^b'aji^The^ourt,. besides being pruel r "if inhospitable: If women feel faint orj "aW) attacked-^ia^uEdeh^'parSlysis or nervousBess, -they caUj^ajf^erijmaking.ia-.'-fus^ from which most "women' vrou}(| slmn^* obtain -Erom a couvt'Jfhcl'ir^katdraftiveianhe shape of Bk&PyilWitfcv W°^ ; PQ»4Qling braudy. ! But to ask for „such. tempopary assistance is ; to caft iJ alb wn'tlie^ sneers of the' stronger eißters^'v-i ".nr-^V) ««t .-i; 1 v ■"■• j