A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 261, 3 November 1928, Page 4 (Supplement)

A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

GOSSIP FROM LONDON

TOWN,

A NOTABLE JUBILEE.

(From Our London Lady Correspondent.)

It seems hardly possible that energetic Dame Ethel Smyth can have yet qualified for a Jubilee. But as long ago as 1878 the first public performance of her -work, a violin sonata, was given in the Gewandhaus at Leipzic, our greatest living woman composer being then a student in that musical city. She has since won fame not only in England, but all over the Continent, and her Jubilee will be celebrated next month. She ,is particularly pleased that her Mass, produced thirty years ago at the Albert Hall, will be "revived" at the Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester Cathedral this year. Dame Ethel was keenly interested in the pre-war Feminist struggle, and those who remember its long processions of white-clad women carrying banners and flags will recall the stirring strains of her "Song of the Women" to which they marched. Back to Linen. The fact that society women have been arranging table decorations on beautiful linen cloths this week does not mean that everybody now ha 3 a white-spread table again, but there is no doubt that some people have given up the lace-mat fashion. The Queen never allows anything but beautiful damask tablecloths at Buckingham Palace, and Princess Mary always uses them at Chesterfield House and at her country homes. The Duchess of York likes mats, and frequently has used some pretty sets which ■were given her as wedding presents. There are beautiful tablecloths in the linen cupboards at Londonderry House and Lady Wimborne has lovely ones too at Wimborne House. It is fairly safe to say, in fact, that it is in the modern house and flats that mats are used, a.n<* that tablecloths have rarely been discarded by the descendants of the old English families. The Gibson Girl. People in London still remember the ▼ogue of "The Gibson Girl," and are looking forward to seeing her this season in the flesh, for she is to visit her sister Lady Astor, before long. The original Gibson girl was Irene Langhorne, a •daughter of Colonel Langhorne, of Virkinia. She married Charles Dana Gibson, a well-known American artist, who immortalised his beautiful wife as a fascinating type of girlhood. Rumour says she is as lovely as ever. The Gibsons have lately been in Italy, but during the war Mrs. Gibson worked very hard in America organising charity matinees. Another of Colonel Langhorne's three handsome daughters is Mrs. Phipps, a well-known London hostess.

Queen Mary of Scots. With the object of raising £1500 for the preservation of Queen Mary's house, Jedburgh, a bazaar and fancy fair was held there in October. It was opened by Sir James Barrie and the Countess of Dalkeith. Since the far-off days when Mary, Queen of Scots dwelt •within its historic walls, the house has remained in private ownership until recently, when an offer was made to the town to purchase the property. Mr. F. S. Oliver, of Edgerston, generously offered the purchase price on condition that a sum of £1500 was raised by Jedburgh to throw open to the public this romantic mansion and its adjacent lands. It is proposed to convert the latter into public recreation grounds.

Deauville Again. Everybody thought last year that Deauville day was over and that its popularity was on the wane. It became so crowded, and is so easily got at from England that its exclusive air departed, and society found itself sharing favourite haunts and rubbing shoulders with a more cosmopolitan crowd than it had known in earlier days. So there was much discussion as to the most suitable centre to take its place. So far, however, nothing has come of the suggestion that it should be superseded, and it is filling up as rapidly as ever with the yachting, pleasure-loving section of society. Lord and Lady Louis Mountbatten, who missed out Cowes this year are there.

At Lancaster House. It was when visiting Lancaster House •s the guest of the late Duchess of Sutherland that Queen Victoria, replying to her hostess' greeting, remarked: "I have left my house to come to your palace." This imposing impression is largely contributed by the magnificent grand stairway, and, standing at the top of the first broad flight, I have often admired a finely-executed piece of sculpture. It is the figure of a beautiful lady in what Trilby called "the altogether"— quite an innocuous example of the classical nude. I noticed, however, that it was gone, and that a big clock had been substituted on the occasion of the Government reception the other evening. When I made discreet inquiries, the explanation proved amusing. It is usual nowadays to take photographs of the guests at these receptions, and some delegates have, when the prints were circulated, demanded suppression of a picture that associated them too embarrassingly with "beauty unadorned."

A Rebecca West Play. Miss Rebecca West had a play staged in London —or, rather, the stage version of her clever novel, "The Return of the Soldier." Literary folk from all quarters were at the first night, for Miss West has a huge circle of friends amon» the foremost writers of the day. She adopted her Ibsen pen-name when she began to write, but it always seems to me that her own charming name, "Cecilj Fairfield," suits her radiant personality better. She has sparkling dark eyes. brown hair which is shingled, and regular features and is one of the most attractive women among the "moderns" of to-day. She always dresses very beautifully, which seems to astonish people who meet her for the first time Perhaps "Rebecca West" suggests clothes which are dark and serviceable.

"ElitabnffV Watering Can. I saw to-day a little painted watering can which the Queen ordered for Prin cess Elizabeth when she was at the Chelsea Show. The little Princess was fascinated by the attempts at gardening which Princess Mary's small boys made when they were at Windsor for ■Easter, and was very anxious to have a small fork and trowel and other gardening tools like those of her cousins. The Lascelles boys, of course, can garden to their hearts' content when they are up to Yorkshire. '