A MAID IN MAYFAIR

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 260, 2 November 1929, Page 4 (Supplement)

A MAID IN MAYFAIR

FASHIONABLE FROCKING

ODDMENTS OF HOMES,

(From Our London Lady Correspondent.)

Some interesting impressions of postwar Germany have been given to me by Mrs. Raven Hill/ the advertising manager of "Punch," who has just returned from the Publicity Experts' Conference in Berlin. She and her husband, the famous artist, motored all the way to the German capital, and both were greatly struck by Germany's general air of disciplined vigour and business concentration. These characteristics are now combined with a remarkable physical culture vogue, and Mrs. Raven Hill was particularly impressed by the German children. Though they passed through many industrial districts, they saw during the whole journey only one child, even amongst the poorer classes, with a dirty face. The Germans are decidedly friendly towards British people, but have rather a "down" on Americans. Nothing can stop, in Mrs. Raven Hill's opinion, the complete comeback of Germany.

A FOURTEENTH CHAIR. The Prince of Wales has set a fashion at Le Toquet which should assist hostesses who entertain largely out of a difficulty which arises with surprising frequency. Many guests are superstitious, and every hostess knows the panic into which she is thrown when she discovers that, owing to last-moment defections, her party will sit down to dinner thirteen in number. The Prince thought of the idea of having a fourteenth chair placed at the table, which was occupied by one of those enormous dolls which are fashionable at the moment. These dolls are now being sold in' London—they are made of felt in the French manner— and are being bought eagerly by hostesses, who are charmed with the simplicity of the Prince's solution. "PETER PAN'S WEDDING."

I never saw a bride more delighted— more overwhelmed, I might almost say — with the beauty of her wedding presents than was Miss Jean Forbes Robertson, who was married in London to Mr. James Hamilton, the rowing Blue who is now a publisher. And well she might 'be. Not only her silver, and crystal, and the various artistic things that go to the making of a modern home, but gifts that are priceless from the point of view of old associations, were showered upon her. Perhaps the best thing that most pleased the little bride was the gold and silver belt which Ellen Terry wore when she played in "Much Ado About Nothing," and which belonged in other days to Eossetti. She will also have in her new home some lovely old silver candlesticks used by Ellen Terry. They were given to the great actress by the bride's father and mother, and she prized them very highly. Now Ellen Terry's son and daughter, Gordon and Edith Craig, have given them back to Jean as a wedding present. THE FASHIONS EXHIBITION.

It seems very .fitting that Miss Marie Tempest should have been asked to open this year's Fashions Exhibition—a great display at Olympia. of. beautiful British materials made up in British designs—■ for this popular actress is regarded in London as one of the most perfectly dressed women of the day..- She is always exquisitely turned out on the stage, for she chooses lovely clothes that "are perfectly suited to her temperament as weir as to the role she has to play. And she is just as attractively garbed off the stage no matter what the occasion. There is a daintiness about her which is more than fascinating, and she dresses without the slightest suggestion of any-, thing that might be termed "arty" or bizarre. Miss Tempest's charm is her greatest asset, and it is expressed in the most attractive way in her clothes. A LIGHTHOUSE HOME.

Society people have adapted queer places as homes during the last few years. Tumble-down cottages in the pountry, dilapidated' farms, the mew 3 over London stables, all have served their turn from time to time, but I never heard of a" lighthouse becoming a holiday home until this summer. Lord and Lady Onslow have been fortunate enough to Becure the old lighthouse at St. Agnes, one of the smaller of the Scilly Isles, and have turned it into the most wonderful little retreat. It has been given up for such a short time that it was not in a very bad state of repair, and Lady Onslow's delightful taste in furnishing has made of it an extremely picturesque home. This summer they have been more or less fortunate in the matter of weather, but St. Agnes is, of course, noted for its terrific storms, and some wonderful rough sea scenes may be enjoyed there by those who do not mind being buffeted by wind and rain. WEDDING "MANAGERS." * The modern mother who'wants her daughter's wedding to be a success leaves nothing to chance. To niake sure that all arrangements are carefully planned and run smoothly, it is now.- quite the normal thing to engage a "manager," who is usually a well-known figure in the entertainment or restaurant world, and takes everything in hand, from the issue of the invitations to the departure of the bride. One of these managers, who is normally in charge of a Bond Street club, charges a fee of 50 guineas for his services, and for this fee includes a guarantee of "sunshine" for the cakecutting ceremony. . This is provided by a concealed, spotlight, which bathes the bride in radiance as she cuts the cake, and emphasises the beauty of the suitable complexion which she has adjusted for the occasion.

THOMAS HARDY'S "TESS." It is quite useless to give devotees of Thomas Hardy any advice about seeing the dramatised version—Hardy's own— of "Tess of the D'Ubervilles." If tbev do not see it they will carry regrets with them through the rest of their lives. If they do see it they will come away, one fears, with a totally different picture of Tess from the one" which they had conjured up in their minds as a result of studying the novel. One cannot lielp feeling that, although the master himself adapted the story, someone else could —and some day, perhaps, will—do it very much better. It is so obvious that he undertook it when the worst of his fits of depression were on him. In the book one never felt impatient with Tess.- On the stage, there are moments when she is almost irritating. The overwhelming pity that used to surge through one every time one re-read the story is never created at all during the ?lay. And it is not the fault of the Pessex Tess. In spite of her limitations she is quite fine, and has several moments which just miss being great.