LUNCHEON IN AN EGGSHELL.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 47, 24 February 1923, Page 19

LUNCHEON IN AN EGGSHELL.

ANOTHER FREAK BANQUET.

Freak banquets seem to be coming into vogue again, and American spendthrifts are Tielng with each other ac to who will produce the most eccentric entertainment. Some time ago a luncheon was given in New York to thirty-five of her feminine friends by Mrs. Arthur B. I'roal. It was thus described by a journalist who was present:— The guests sat within an eg» which towered to the celling of Sherry's ballroom an<l readied nearly to the outer walls Outside of the shell was a farm, where live chickens, ducks, and geese clucked, q-.iacked and hissed, where rabbits hopped, and th« original ngneau de printemps bleated as thotich he were in pastures green. rigs and lambs and KUinea-plgs roamed at will about the bucolic for-protmd. Aroun.l the wills of the ballroom were scenes representing fields and pastures, where brook? bridged by rustic .-pans flowed through a lund of sunshine. Farmhouses and barns were In the di<tance, and far away were windmills ana sheds and hayricks, the guests saw farn: bands, clad in blue overalls, hurry across the scene, followed hy a flock of geese.

A rooster poised himself on a box and salute,! the rielns sun. for at that ver> moment the Hffht of day slmne through filaments of electric llsrhts. which hart received their full power hy the turninj; of n switch. Two young pigs ran between the heels of the farm hand, spring lambs gambolled lightly over the sroen sward, rabbits, with eyes fliled with wonderment, stopped rmineblnß e.irrot S to see the company which Had appeared on the threshold, and then ran into corners an.l hid in higll-heape-! straw. About the place were scattered all m-n----ner of nffrtoultura] Implements, ns thoug'i the farm hands bad just -abandoned the place; scythes, lawn mowers. cqrn-ciitter«. pails, bucket", and milking stools were bestowed over the field and yard in [irid'jn', profusion. In the centre of this landscape was the prg. n-lil-h was in itself n vindication of the reputation of the cheerful Sinbad who told of the great rock. Architecturally this eg? was unique. Even In the (onfines of the ballroom it looked remarkably like the real article. The col. our of the shell was creamy white, and the form of the ovoid was geometrically pelfert. The shell was fashioned on a skeleton of light timber bent to the shape require;!. leaves. The f.ihle was a perfect oval. It was hollowed in the centre, and within the hollow part were floral decoration* which represented the white and yellow of tbp ezp. Daffodils and jonquils formed the yolk, and the. outer fringe of white was made up of lilies and candytuft, and flowers such as one might see on country hedges. Mrs. I'roal sat at the point of the table, ana her guests all round it.

A hnnd of neero musicians, seated ot> plank benches outside the dining room of the shell, sang plantation melodies.