28
THE BATTALION
arranged the entire matter for me. Mamma was too much of
an invalid to care for society matters, and Papa was immersed
in business and was away from London a great deal. Lady
de Armand had the kindest heart in the world and delighted
in seeing about things for anybody, especially when there was
a full purse at her disposal, and dear Papa never grumbled
over bills, if I had a good time and he was not bothered with
taking me about. And how did I feel, this American girl,,
brought up on republican principles and who did not bolieve
in Court or Royalty? I am afraid that I was simply delight
ed. When I found that the matter was finally settled I felt a
certain jojr in thinking of it all that I could not exp T ain by
any of the theories upon which I had been brought up. As
we Americans say—It gained complete possession of me and
I could not reason it away. I seemed to see it everywhere,
even fluttering around the corners of the American papers
that I compelled myself to read conscientiously every day.
What would Grandmother, with her puritan ideas say, if she
knew that I, Deborah Winthrop, was going to be presented to
the Queen and was so pleased at the prospect? Would she
thiniv that I had compromised the strict republican princi
ples of our family? The thought gave me a moments un
easiness but soon passed away, for had I not heard Grand
father sa3 r that he considered Queen Victoria a model woman
and he would be glad to shake hands with her at a.ny time,
and Grandfather Avas the son of a signer of the Declaration of
Independence. So I dismissed all unpleasant thoughts and
gave myself up to the delight of the preparation for such an
event. I never dreamed that so much getting ready Avas nec
essary and said so to Lady de Armand, who was hurrying me
all the time; but she informed me that two week’s prepara
tion was barely time, as things Avere not done by steam in this
county, and I soon found that she was correct. I had to try
on my Court dress seven times. Lady de Armand would be
presented, too, though she had been to Court several years
before, so we had a mutual interest in all these preliminary
proceedings. I submitted to all of her instructions