PRINCESS ENA'S PRESENTS.

WEDDING GIFTS ON VIEW.

From four to six o'clock on May 17 there was an almost continuous stream of carriages going to ,or returning from Kensington Palace, their occupants including members of the Royal Family with a .whole host of other distinguished personages, all of whom were curious to inspect the array of costly and pretty gifts which have been showered on Princess Ena of Battenberg in anticipation of her marriage with King Alfonso of Spain.

The presents were displayed in the historic Council Chamber at the palace.

KING AND QCKEn's GIFT.

King Edward and Queen Alexandra made a joint present which was admired intensely. ■It was a most happy, selection, at once tasteful in design and obviously of great value. It comprised a handsome necklace of diamonds and turquoises, and a pair of earrings to match. The stones are of tho very first water, and the jewels are contained iu a richlv ornamented case.

The Duke and Duchess of Connaught gave an old gilt French bergere or settee, with gilt frame and legs and fittings of rich silk brocade. Beside being useful this fine piece of furniture was exceedingly ornamental. Princess Louise Duchess of Argyll also selected furniture. She gave a pair of high-backed old French Tapestry chairs. The bride's mother! Princess Henry of Battenberg, gave exquisite lace and a case of jewels containing a tiara of pink pearls and diamonds and . a necklace to match. All the presents ::iom Her Royal Highness to her daughter attracted notice and keen admiration. The Empress Eugenie, after whom the bride, was named, and whose great favourite, she has always been, selected a' most uncommon arid beautiful wedding gift. It was an ornament for the hair, consisting of a representation of a, pair of outstretched shallow wings. The wings approach very nearly in size the normal wings of the swallow, and are composed of very fine diamonds. Princess Louise Augusta of iSehleswig-Holstein, first cousin to the bride, gave a. green enamel fan with sticks, on which was an Empire design iu gold of her own creation. Princess Frederea of Hanover and her husband, Baron von Rammingen, gave a very tasteful set of Belfast china. •"'■■■

TKOJt iiosom FRIEND AND brothers. Several bellpushes • are among the presents, and oi these a very pretty one came from the Princess Royal and the Duke of Fife. It is of jade, mounted in gold, and lias a very fine garnet for a centre. The Duchess of Coburg, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Cyril, and Princess Beatrice of Coburg— latter the bosom friend of the bride—united in giving' a choice diamond pendant, with a lozenge-shaped agnamarine centre. The brothers of the future Queen, Prince Leopold and. Prince Maurice of Battenberg, gave as a joint a gold bangle bracelet with two large diamonds and turquoises in the setting. Veryspecial attention and admiration ' were bestowed by the visitors on the gift. of the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador. Count Albert Mensdorff-Pouilty, three diamond and ruby blouse fastenings. From Princess Victoria of ' Schleswig-Holstein came an umbrella with ornamental handle of pink enamel, and from Princess Victoria of Hohenlohe a gold travelling clock, while Princess Christian, aunt of the bride, sent a very choice lace fan with gold and inotlier-of pearl sticks. THK WORKING LADIES' GUILD.

The Working Ladies' Guild did .something worthy of their reputation by producing. a. visitors* album that is probably destined to become one of the most treasured ,pos-

sessions of the King and. Queen of Spain. It is exquisitely bound in crimson velvet, into which gold thread—every scrap of it real bullionis worked into representations of English roses, Spanish pomegranates, and other devices. The Spanish 'arms and a Spanish crown are supported by British and Spanish lions, and in the base of the crown are. real gems. The Royal monogram also is on the cover. A splendid case for the album is of Kalian gesso work, showing the Castle of Castile, the insignia of the Order of." the Golden Fleece, and a raised centrepiece, heart-shaped, on which are the monograms of the betrothed pair. Accompanying the album and case is an illuminated list of ladies . associated with the idea of the presentation.

. , COSTLY AND CURIOUS. Among other private donors of beautiful gifts the Marquis of Londonderry sent a choice m?ck ornament in catseyes and diamonds, the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland contributed Oriental china jars, which deservedly claimed special notice, and Lady Naylor Leyland a gilt trinket box, with jewelled monogram. General Sir Thomas Kelly Kenny sent a silver and enamel pheasant ornament which he brought back from Japan. The Dowager Countess of Roxburghe's present is a very quaint one— ■a silver '"Quench," with a, gold Jubilee medal let into the silver. Viscount Esher's gift aroused more curiosity perhaps than any other, because everybody thought there was a history attaching to it, and nobody could discover what that history was, if any. The present is .a blue en-tout-cas, with a handle that lias all the appearance of having been attached to a. light rapier. It is of gold and mother-of-pearl, and the idea of the actual sword is carried out to the extent of showing what looks like the end of a gold scabbard at the top "of the parasol. The Marchioness of Londonderry's gift is a Jong white veil of Curriemacross lace of great value, the Earl of Shrewsbury's a tortoiseshell parasol handle with green enamel and.diamond band. Sir Thomas Liptou sent a pianola piano, and Lord James of Hereford a tortoiseshell and fhlid silver blotter with paper stand and inkstand.