Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 107, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1904 — CURIOUS PRIVILEGES. [ARTICLE]

CURIOUS PRIVILEGES.

kme of the Prerogatives WhlcJU E«a<rl>ass*dors May Exercise. 'A curious privilege of an embassador Is that he and be alone when dismissed may turn his back to the sovereign to whose court he Is accredited. The (node of procedure is as follows: When the embassador’s audience is •ver, he waits to be dismissed by the ■overelgn. When dismissed, the embassador bows, retires three paces, bows again, retired another three paces, bows a third time, turns on his heels and walks to the folding doors. But It Is felt that more polite methods should obtain when the reigning sovereign is a woman. To turn his back Is to be discourteous, to walk backward Is to resign a privilege. The embassador retires sideways, like a crab. He keeps one eye on the sovereign and With the other tries to see the door. He thus shows politeness to the sovereign and at the same time retains tone of his privileges. As the embassador Is usually an old gentleman, often ■bort sighted, he sometimes falls to reach the door and comes in collision With the wall. Another privilege of embassadors is the right of being ushered into the royal presence through folding doors, both of which must be flung wide teen. No one except an embassador pn claim this privilege. The most •ny nonembassadorlal person can expect Is that one of the leaves shall be (opened to him. The reason for this privilege Is not known. There ace certain Irreverent suggestion® that have been made, but we prefer to be silent With regard to them. Another privilege, capable of oausing great inconvenience, is tbe embassador’s right of admission to tbe sov•relgn at any hour of the day or night. {Thus the minister representing some tittle bankrupt state could go down to (Windsor and demand an audience at • o’clock In tbe morning. The audience would 'have to be granted, though It could be delayed by tbe exercise of ingenulty.—Chambers’ Journal.