CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART. CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS. THE QUEEN'S HOUSEHOLD. THE Throne and all that pertains to it is always a subject of interest to British people, not only from the historical associations attaching thereto, but from the deserved popularity of its present occupant, our gracious sovereign the Queen. We do not at this time propose to make any reference to the higher institutions which are grouped around the Throne, and which combine in its support; but to lay before our readers what we are sure will interest them, namely, a brief sketch of the Queen's Household - the first Household in the land-and the duties of its various members. The number of officers and attendants of all kinds who form the Queen's Court is not far short of a thousand, many of whom hold hereditary posts, and nearly all of whom receive liberal, and it may be thought in some cases extravagant, salaries. The principal officer is the Lord Steward, who has absolute control over the entire Household, and whose slightest command must be instantly obeyed by every officer and servant belonging to the court, excepting those of the Queen's chamber, stable, and chapel. He has authority to hold courts for administering justice and settling disputes among the domestic servants of the Queen. This part of his duties is, however, rarely performed; and although he possesses very extensive patronage in the appointments of subordinate officials, &c., the more active duties of his position are left to the Master of the Housebold, an officer who constantly resides within the precincts of the palace. The Lord Steward appears at court on all State occasions; and the Halary he receives is two thousand pounds per annum. The office is a political one, and is in the gift of the ministry of the day. PRICE 11d. annum. The Comptroller of the Household is another office of a similar nature, with nominal duties and a similar salary. The Master of the Household is an important officer, if we may judge by the amount of his salary, which is eleven hundred and fifty-eight pounds per annum. He, as the real deputy to the Lord Steward, has full control over Her Majesty's domestic establishment, and has, moreover, a large staff of officers to assist him. In addition to his own Secretary, who has three hundred a year, there are attached to the Board of Green Clothwhich consists of the Lord Steward, the Treasurer, Comptroller, and the Master, and has the power of adjudicating upon all offences committed within certain limits of the palace-another Secretary, with three hundred a year; three clerks with good salaries, who keep all the accounts of the department; a Secretary to the Garden accounts, a Paymaster of the Household, an Office-keeper, three Messengers, and a 'necessary woman.' The Master has also the privilege of dining at the Queen's table. Next in order comes the Clerk of the Kitchen, with a salary of seven hundred a year and his board; and to aid him in his work he has four clerks, who keep all the accounts, check weights and measures, and issue orders to the tradespeople; he has also a messenger, and a 'necessary woman. Beside these officials of Her Majesty's Kitchen, there is the chef, with a salary of seven hundred a year; and four master-cooks, at about three hundred and fifty pounds per annum eachwho have the privilege of taking four apprentices, at premiums of from one hundred and fifty pounds to two hundred pounds each-two yeomen of the kitchen, two assistant-cooks, two roasting-cooks, four scourers, three kitchen-maids, a storekeeper, two 'Green Office' men, and two steam-apparatus Next in rank to the Lord Steward is the Lord men. And in the Confectionery department there Treasurer, who has no particular duties to per- are a first and a second yeoman, with salaries form, but is supposed to act as deputy to the Lord of three hundred and two hundred and fifty pounds Steward (in his absence) at all State ceremonies; respectively; an apprentice, three female assistants, and for this service he receives the respectable and an errand-man; and in addition to these salary of nine hundred and four pounds per there are also a pastry-cook and two female assistants, a baker and his assistant, and three coffee-room women. The Ewer department, which has charge of all the linen, consists of a yeoman and two female assistants only. The gentleman of the wine and beer cellars-or, properly speaking, Her Majesty's Chief Butlerhas a salary of five hundred pounds a year. He has to select and purchase wines for the royal establishment, to superintend the decanting, and send them up to table. Next to him are the principal Table Deckers, with two hundred pounds a year each; the second Table Decker, with one hundred and fifty; the third, with ninety; and an assistant, with fifty-two pounds-their duties being to superintend the laying out of the Queen's table before dinner is served. The Plate pantry is under the care of three yeomen-with salaries of one hundred and sixty, one hundred and fifty, and one hundred and twenty pounds respectively, beside lodging-money and board-a groom, and six assistants. These offices are of great trust, and are not overpaid, seeing that at a rough guess the gold and silver plate at Windsor Castle alone is probably worth about three millions sterling, and includes some very precious specimens of art workmanship. The getting in of Her Majesty's coals must also be an important and arduous task, as no fewer than thirteen persons are employed all the year round on this duty alone. There are a great many porters attached to the royal establishment, the list being headed with the Gentlemen Porters-who draw good salaries in addition to board-wages-an assistant-porter, and three groom-porters. The Gentlemen Porters are only required to be on duty in alternate weeks, and therefore have a very easy time of it. Next in rank to them come the ten State Porters, namely, a Sergeant Porter-who is dubbed 'Esq. -five yeomen porters, and four under-porters. There are also ten night-porters, who receive a guinea each weekly, and a good supper nightly, the remnants of which they are permitted to carry home with them the next morning; a first and second lamplighter, with one hundred pounds a year each, beside lodging-money and board-wages; and seven assistant-lamplighters. This number existed before the introduction of gas, so there has been no benefit derived from the invention-at least not on the side of economy in the Queen's Household. In the Steward's Room, there are a yeoman and five assistants; and in the Servants' Hall, an usher and three assistants. entrances to the House of Lords when the peers are sitting; and at levees, drawing-rooms, &c. at St James's Palace. There is one more office to mention before we have done with the Lord Steward's department, and that is the Almonry, the two principal officers of which are the Hereditary Grand Almoner-held by the Marquis of Exeter-and the Lord High Almoner-held by the Dean of Windsor. These are entirely honorary appointments. The former distributes at coronations the alms collected in a silver dish, retaining the dish as his fee; while the latter superintends the distribution of the royal alms on Maundy-Thursday, and twice a year at the office in Scotland Yard. There is also a Secretary to the Almonry, whose salary is three hundred and fifty pounds per annum, or about the amount distributed to the poor on MaundyThursday. Next to the Lord Steward's department comes that of the Lord Chamberlain, whose duties are very numerous and important. They include the superintendence of all the officers and servants belonging to the Queen's chambers excepting those of the Bedchamber, who are under the Groom of the Stole; of the officers of the wardrobe at all Her Majesty's houses; of the removal of beds, wardrobes, and tents; of revels, music, comedians, huntsmen, messengers, artisans, heralds, physicians, apothecaries, and chaplains. He is also supposed to inspect the charges for coronations, royal marriages, public entrées, cavalcades, funerals, and furniture in the Houses of Parliament and rooms for receiving addresses to the Queen. The Lord Chamberlain's salary is two thousand pounds per annum ; and he has a Vice-Chamberlain to assist him, whose salary is nine hundred and twenty-four pounds a year. He has also a Comptroller of Accounts, an Inspector of Accounts, three clerks, a porter, and three messengers, the united salaries of these officials amounting to three thousand one hundred and ten pounds. In this department comes also the Keeper of Her Majesty's Privy Purse, whose duty it is to act as a kind of financial Secretary to the Queen, signing all cheques on the Queen's bankers, and making payments to various people and for various objects, as Her Majesty in the exercise of her benevolence may be pleased to direct. The salary attached to this office is also two thousand pounds per annum, being a percentage of three pounds six shillings and eightpence on Her Majesty's Privy Purse of sixty thousand pounds. There is a regular court of justice attached to Next in rank in the Lord Chamberlain's departthe Queen's Household with its officers and neces- ment are the Mistress of the Robes, with a salary sary police-constables. It is called the Court of of five hundred pounds; the Groom of the Robes, the Marshalsea; and the expense of keeping it up with eight hundred pounds (and a clerk, a mescosts about one thousand nine hundred and twenty-senger, and a furrier as assistants); and eight four pounds in salaries alone. This ancient Court dates from the reign of Henry VIII.; and its duty is to administer justice between the Queen's domestic servants, that they may not be drawn into other courts, and thereby the king lose their services. As we have already stated, the Lord Steward is the judge, and his jurisdiction extends to all places within twelve miles of Whitehall. The Knight-Marshal, or chief of the police of this court within a Court, receives five hundred pounds a year; and there are eight Marshalmen, with one hundred pounds a year each, and fees; their duties being principally to attend at the Ladies of the Bedchamber. The duties of the latter consist in waiting on Her Majesty for a fortnight at a time in rotation; thus each lady would be called upon three times a year for this duty. Following these in rank are the eight Maids of Honour, who represent a very old institution in connection with royalty. In 1625, shortly after his marriage with Henrietta of France, Charles I. issued the following rules for the guidance of the Maids: "The Queen's Maids of Honour are to come into the Presence Chamber before eleven of the clock, and to go to prayers; and after prayers to attend until the Queen be set at dinner. Again, at two o'clock to return into the said Chamber, and there to remain until supper-time. And when they shall be retired into their Chamber, they admit of no man to come there; and that they go not at any time out of the court without leave asked of the Lord Chamberlain or Her Majesty; and that the Mother of the Maids see all these orders concerning the Maids duly observed, as she will answer to the contrary.' Nowadays, the Queen's Maids of Honour do not have such restrictions placed on their liberty, and merely take their turn, two at a time for one month, to attend on Her Majesty. After these in rank stand the eight Bedchamber Women, who serve in rotation in the same manner, and are only expected to figure on state occasions. Henrietta, Duchess of Suffolk, in one of her letters, gives an interesting account of the duties of these 'women' in her time. 'The Bedchamber Women came into waiting before the Queen's prayers, which was before she was dressed. The Queen often shifted in a morning. If Her Majesty shifted at noon, the Bedchamber Lady being by, the Bedchamber Woman gave the shift to the Lady without any ceremony, and the Lady put it on. Sometimes likewise, the Bedchamber Woman gave the fan to the Lady in the same manner; and this was all that the Bedchamber Lady did about the Queen when she was dressing. When the Queen washed her hands, the Page of the Back Stairs brought and set down on the side-table the basin and ewer. Then the Bedchamber Woman set it before the Queen, and knelt on the other side of the table over against the Queen; the Bedchamber Lady only looking on. The Bedchamber Woman poured the water out of the ewer upon the Queen's hands. The Bedchamber Woman pulled on the Queen's gloves when she could not do it herself. The Page of the Back Stairs was called in to put on the Queen's shoes,' &c. All this is now obsolete; the situations are quite Lenorary so far as work is concerned. The salaries of the Maids of Honour and the Pedchamber Women are three hundred pounds per annum each. Next come the eight Lords in Waiting, the Grooms in Waiting, the Gentlemen Ushers of the Privy Chamber and Daily Waiters, Grooms of the Privy Chamber, Quarterly Waiters, Grooms of the Great Chamber-with salaries amounting in the aggregate to eleven thousand one hundred and ninety-three pounds per annum-and thirty-two Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber. Of all the court officials, these last-named gentlemen are the Parest specimens, for they are courtiers, and have to attend on royalty without any pay whatever, beyond the honour of the thing.' The Marshal of the Ceremonies is an important , but, compared with the other salaries, is conerably underpaid, the honorarium being only three hundred a year. His duties are to attend State ceremonies, and to conduct the foreign aulassadors, &c. to the Queen's presence; a thorough knowledge of all the petty details of etiquette and precedence being a necessary qualiication for the post. There are five Pages of the Back Stairs, with salaries of four hundred pounds each; and their duties are to wait on the sovereign, one of them being always in attendance at the door of the Queen's apartment from eight in the morning until she retires for the night. Two of them wait at the royal_table. There are also two State Pages, and a Page of the Chambers. There are six Pages of the Presence, with salaries of one hundred and eighty pounds each, whose duties are to attend on the Lords, Ladies, and Maids of Honour at breakfasts and luncheons; to be in communication with the Pages of the Back Stairs; and to wait on Her Majesty's visitors. There are also three pages-men to wait on these six Pages. Next come the eight Sergeants-at-arms, whose duties were originally to capture any traitors about the court or other great offenders; also to hold watch outside the royal tent in complete armour, with bow, arrows, sword, and mace of office.' It is unnecessary to remark that the gentlemen who now hold this office are never called upon to do any such loyal and practical service. The salary of a Sergeant-at-arms is one hundred pounds per annum. There are, beside the Sergeants-at-arms, three Kings-of-arms and six Heralds, besides messengers, inspectors of palaces, and housekeepers. Of these last there are nine, with salaries ranging from one hundred to three hundred pounds per annum. There are also three Linen-room Women, three necessary women,' upwards of sixty housemaids, and two attendants to show the public through the state-rooms at Windsor Castle. The ecclesiastical staff of the Household is a large one, and costs a large sum in salaries. It consists of the Dean and Sub-dean of the ChapelRoyal, St James's; the Clerk of the Closet; three Deputy Clerks; a resident Chaplain; a Closet Keeper; forty-eight Chaplains in Ordinary, and ten Priests in Ordinary; besides four Chaplains, three Preachers, and three Readers for the Chapels at Whitehall Hall, Hampton, Windsor, and Kensington. There is also a choir of boys who wear gorgeously embroidered coats, four Organists, two Composers, a Violinist, a Sergeant of the Vestry, and a Master of the Boys. Next comes the Sanitary establishment, including all the doctors, &c., in attendance on the Queen; and this costs no less than two thousand seven hundred pounds per annum. The physicians, however, are paid by fees; Dr Locock, the first physician accoucheur, having been known to receive for his attendance on the Queen at the birth of her children as much as a thousand pounds for one fee. The State Band of music costs no less a sum than nineteen hundred and sixteen pounds per annum, although their services are seldom brought into use except on very great occasions, such as coronations, marriages, royal concerts, &c. The Band consists of a Master, at a salary of two hundred pounds a year; a Conductor, at one hundred pounds; and twenty-five members, at forty pounds each; besides a Sergeant Trumpeter, at one hundred pounds per annum; and nine Household Trumpeters, at forty pounds each. The Drum-majors of the Foot Guards are also in receipt of an annual allowance, as hold drummers,' in addition to their regular pay. Her Majesty also possesses a private band, which, during the lifetime of the Prince Consort, used to play every evening at the Palace during dinner. 'House Among all this army of officials, we must not forget to mention the Poet Laureate, who is an officer of the Queen's Household, although he receives but one hundred pounds per annum for his services, or only a seventh part of the sum which is allotted to the chief cook. Then there is the Examiner of Plays, with four hundred pounds per annum; besides a fee on the licensing of every play, interlude, farce, or song intended for the stage; all of which it is his duty to examine, to see that they contain nothing immoral, disloyal, or disrespectful to Church or State. There is also a Master of the Tennis Court; but this is merely a nominal office now, although the holder of it receives the sum of one hundred and thirty-two pounds annually. Next come the Burgomaster and two Watermen, whose united salaries amount to four hundred pounds; a Keeper of the Swans; a Keeper of the Jewels in the Tower; an Exhibitor of the Jewels; a Principal Librarian; a Librarian in Ordinary; a Painter, and a Surveyor of Pictures. The corps of Gentlemen-at-arms is an ancient as well as an expensive one, and was instituted by Henry VIII. under the name of Gentlemen Pensioners, which title they bore until the accession of William IV. It was composed originally of members of the highest families, chosen by the sovereign himself. This is not, however, the case now, as it consists principally of half-pay officers; but tradesmen are not allowed by any means to enter the corps. The appointments in it are regularly bought and sold, and fetch good prices too. The cost of the corps is over five thousand pounds. The Captain and Gold Stick has a salary of one thousand pounds; and the Lieutenant and Silver Stick has five hundred pounds a year, this berth having been known to fetch in the market ten thousand pounds. Each of the forty Gentlemen-at-arms receives a salary of one hundred pounds yearly; and when ordered on country service, three guineas a day extra for travelling expenses. Next comes the Body-guard of Yeomen, or as they are popularly termed, the Beef-eaters. This corps is more ancient still, having been instituted by Henry VII. in 1485, previous to his coronation. The members still wear the fantastic garb of the Tudor period; and on state occasions they form part of the procession, carrying halberds in their hands. The appointments are worth about ninety pounds a year each, and are now bestowed on retired sergeant-majors from the army. Their Captain, who is invariably a peer, receives a thousand pounds per annum, and the appointment is a political one. Here we must note that in addition to the Master of the Horse and the different Equerries and Pages of Honour the latter being sons of noblemen, and usually getting commissions in the Foot Guards when they reach a certain age-there are a Sergeant Footman, fifteen footmen, twelve coachmen, twenty grooms, and upwards of fifty helpers. All these situations are in the gift of the Master of the Horse, and are rewarded with handsome salaries and perquisites, the sum appropriated to this service being twelve thousand five hundred and sixty-three pounds. This sketch of the first Household in the land would not be complete if we failed to mention an appointment, the holder of which is almost as popular a personage as the Queen herself. We refer to the office of Her Majesty's Personal Servant, held by Mr John Brown. He is the possessor of a gold medal bestowed upon him by the Queen for faithful and zealous service; and the British Public would look with surprise, and perhaps disappointment, upon any State procession in which the well-known figure of John Brown, clad in Scottish costume, did not play a part. This, then, is the list and duties of the chief members of the Queen's Household; and although some of the situations may to the uninitiated seem useless, one thing is certain, namely, that this regiment of servants possesses one of the best mistresses-if not the best-that ever presided over any Household, British or foreign. VALENTINE STRANGE. A STORY OF THE PRIMROSE WAY. CHAPTER VIII.-'MY DEAR,' SAID MR JOLLY, 'I TOLD YOU so.' GERARD arose haggard, and looking like a murderer, to his own distempered fancy, as he regarded himself in the glass. All night long he had tossed to and fro, acting over and over again the drama of to-morrow. He was a thousand times rejected in the prophecies of these terrible waking dreams. In sweet tumultuous moments he was accepted. Once or twice came the fancy that he was loved in turn; but there seemed somehow an irreverence in it, almost a desecration. True love is humble, and Gerard's love was true. All night long he tossed, and dreamed his waking dreams; and though sometimes his heart defied Fate, and manly courage reasserted itself, for the most part he trembled at the thought of the ordeal before him, and the augury of his visions was evil. At the breakfast table his looks alarmed his mother; and he was so self-absorbed during the meal and ate so little, that at its close she followed him to his own private room with matronly solicitude. answer to her 'It is only your mother,' she said, when Gerard opened the door in rapping. 'Gerard, my dear, what have you been doing to look so unwell? You have over-exerted yourself, Gerard. You ride too much, I am sure.' Gerard laughed, and set back his broad shoulders. "There's nothing amiss with me, mother.' 'Let me look at your tongue,' she said. Gerard laughed again, and answered lightly. 'I am beyond The Simple Herbal, mother.' Mrs Lumby, out of that precious volume, dosed the village children. 'I am sure it's furred, Gerard. I can tell it is by your complexion and the look of your eyes. And red at the edges, Gerard.' He drew her to his side and kissed her. 'You're a good old mother, aren't you? There's nothing the matter with me. I'm as tough as whipcord, and as hard as nails.' Then, Gerard,' said the old lady, standing still within his embrace, and looking gravely up to him-'then, Gerard, you are disturbed Journal in mind. The big Gerard looked down at 'I knew it!' said Mrs Lumby, in a sort of lugubrious triumph. 'You have had many bad nights, lately. There is something on your mind. And without knowing it, she went to work on what philosophers call the exhaustive method. Is it money, Gerard? Because, if it is 'No,' he said; 'it isn't money. It's in somnia' 'Have you quarrelled with any of your friends?' 'My dear old mother,' said Gerard, 'I haven't quarrelled with anybody.' He was hypocritical enough to kiss her again at this juncture. 'Have you been making a book on that dreadful Derby?' inquired Mrs Lumby. The dreadful Derby was run six months ag, said Gerard in reply; 'and I never make books.' 'Then, Gerard,' she said, 'is it what I think it is ?' her blessing, and a pile of good advice for which he had no ears. An hour or two later, he rode away, his mother watching the well-set, broad-shouldered figure out of sight, and following him and his suit with hopes that were almost prayers, and yet with a sinking at the heart. Here once more was Time's lever at work, forcing a way into the joints of family masonry, and rending stone asunder from stone. She said nothing to her husband; but she told all to Milly; and Milly soothed her, and having quite succeeded in restoring her to cheerfulness, went away to her own room and cried for an hour. That is woman's way. Heaven remembers those hidden and unselfish tears! Meantime, the object of all this solicitude rode sadly, unable to pluck up heart of grace at all. 'It's like my cheek,' he said, for he was not used to clothe his thoughts in poetic language'it's like my cheek to think that she'll look at me twice. But I can't help it; and I couldn't help it if I were a crossing-sweeper, and she were a queen. I think the more the distance between us, the more I should-the worse I should be.' He could not finish the sentence, even to himself, by the simple words 'love her,' because of the presumption it seemed, and the holy thing his passion as yet was to him. Then he suddenly bethought himself for he had laid no plans as 'How can I tell?' asked guilty Gerard, yet, and scarcely knew his way at all-that in Uashing to the eyes. the first instance it would be his duty to face 'Gerard!' she cried, 'I see it now! I guessed not Constance, but her father, and at that thought it a long time ago. And, O Gerard, not to tell his fallen courage rose a little. No angelic me! Who is it? Is it Miss Jolly? And here majesty sat enthroned on Mr Jolly's crinkled the young man was fairly trapped, and looked forehead, even for Gerard, The stake was no as guilty as any small boy caught in the act less than it had been; but the young fellow felt of pilfering sweetmeats. The question has been more equally matched with the father than with asked before-But why does a man who is in the maiden. So he put in spurs, and galloped love look ridiculous? Young women under on in altered mood; but when he came within kindred circumstances, according to such limited sight of the house, flaring courage fell again, bservations as I have been able to make, look and it seemed only a dogged despair that prompted super-angelic, and make the men, by very force him to go through with his cause and have it f contrast, look the foolisher." It is Miss over. When he had passed the lodge, his heart Jelly!' said Mrs Lumby, turning from inquiry to asseveration.-'Don't make love to me, Gerard. I am not going to forgive you-yet. And how long has this been going on, without your saying one word to me about it?' There hasn't been anything going on at all protested Gerard. I've I've scarcely ken to her.' But you are going to,' said Mrs Lumby, No,' said Gerard with a desperate sigh. 'Yes, answered Gerard; 'I am going this came into his throat with a great bound, for there he saw Mr Jolly walking with Constance at his side. He threw himself from his horse and approached on foot. 'My dear,' said Mr Jolly in an undertone, on first beholding Gerard, 'I told you so.' Constance said nothing just then, but received Gerard with a radiant smile. But her wonderful eyes were always radiant, and there was no gladness at his arrival or tenderness for him within them. Mr Jolly called a gardener who was sweeping one of the paths, and bade him take the horse; and Constance, with another charming smile and an inclination of her head, took a wordless leave and walked into the house. Her beautiful face was framed in the soft white of a woollen cloud, and to Gerard she looked more ravishing than ever. Her father wisely gave the young fellow time to gather mental breath, and talked of anything meanwhile-the weather, the hunting, the terrible price of hay. 'I have come thus early, Mr Jolly,' Gerard began, 'because I wish to speak to you of a matter of the most urgent importance to myself.' His voice was shaky, and there was a pallor beneath the brown upon his face. 'Indeed?' said Mr Jolly, with beautiful inno |