AN ANONYMOUS LADY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 170, 11 April 1908, Page 11

AN ANONYMOUS LADY.

Tho English papers havo been publishing interested reviews of a book of reminiscences entitled "Leaves from'a Lifo" by an anonymous writer, who lived among celebrated, peoplo in mid-Victorian days. Somo of the reviewers say it is easy to guess at the identity of tho writer, and her readers may amuso themselves by guessing; In mid-Victorian days a littlo girl, the third child in a family of nine, took tho greatest interest in tho visitors who came to her parents' house -at Pembridgo Villas, and as her father was an artist who enjoyed considerable success and popularity these.visitors included .many notable persons. The Queen came, bringing several of her children. She was a little formal at first, addressing the little girl's father through a third person, but-in time grew less stiff and addressed him directly. Some years later her grandson, the present German Emperor, came, a small and restless boy, who was kept' in order by a sharp rap which the little girl gave him over the knuckles. These visits, it can be imagined, were great events, tho artist's children watching eagerly from the window for the arrival of Royalty and the pretty housemaid who opened tho door being none other than the children's aunt, who adopted this guise in order that she might come as near as possible to the Queen. The little girl and her sisters, being pretty children, often sat to their father's friends, and appear in. many pictures which were painted in the fifties and sixties. Leech and Du Maurier put them into several "Punch" sketches, and the little girl has for that reason always felt a personal interest in "Punch." Shirley Brooks, as well as Leech and Du Maurier, was a friend of the child's father, and at Pembridge Villas Brooks often gave a trial to the jokes which,would appear in "Punch" tho next week. Another friend of tho family was Dickens, but the child's parents took parts in tho differences between the novelist and his wife, and probably Dickens was not welcomed, by tho whole of the household. I well recollect being in a bos at tho theatre one evening with my mother and Mrs; Dickens; the latter burst into tears suddenly and went back into the box. Charles Dickens had come into the opposite box with some friends, and she could not bear it. _ My mother took her' back to her house in Gloucester' Road, Regent's Park, telling mo to sit quietly until sho returned. when she did sho said nothing to me, but I heard hor tell Papa about it, and add, "I thought I • should never be able to leave her; that man is a brute." Papa shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. Thackeray the child saw only twice. He had once made a remark which her. father had never fprgiven, and he ,did not come to Pembridge Villas. Perhaps this was as well, for if ho had come he would probably have met Yates, his quarrel with whom was still unhealed. One day tho child's parents arranged & dinner.at which Bret .Harto and George Augustus Sala should meet. M r - and: Mrs; Sala arrived early, and Mr. .Sala was talking to. mo in tho inner drawing-room when Bret Harto was announced. I noticed Mr. Sala start and look out. eagerly, into the other room; but' heforo ho could move. Papa came up with Bret Harte, saying, "I want to introduce my old friend Sala to you, Mr. Harto." Sala got up'j-bnt beforo anything else could' be said Bret Harto looked straight at Sala . and remarked, quito coolly, "Sorry to make unpleasant scenes, biit I am not going to bo introduced to that scoundrel." It was impossible to reconcile theitwo men', and in the end Mr. and Mrs. ■ Sala had to go away without their dinner. Tho causo of Hartels anger, it seemed, was that Sala had written'somewhat disparagingly of a wellknown woman who had. carried despatches during tho American War. Harto had taken up tho woman's defenco in America, arid had sworn- to shoot Sala, a threat which ho'might possibly havo carried out if lie had coino armed .to Pembridge Villas.' Indeed, Harte was in such a. furious rago that thero would probably have been a 'fight if Sala,' who admitted having given provocation, had not had tho good sense to retire. As it was, Harto's behaviour did not endear him to his host and hostess, who were old.friends'of'tho Salas. • latss, i Alfred Austin, the'' Brownings, Anthony Trollope, Thomas Ilardy, and Mrs. Riddell we're other writers whom tho ".tip girl met. • Of tho painters of tho sixties_ sho seems to havo known every ono Here is a story of Cruikshank and of the moral value which ho considered his pictures to have: The little girl who saw so many famous peoplo at lembndge Villas ,is now a woman of sixty, and she was still a young girl when marnago took her out of London into tho country. _ But her memory of her girlhood is very vivid, and she' has written ah. extraordinarily entertaining account of literary and artistic life m London botween forty and utty years ago. . MAN'S CURIOUS TASTE IN DRESS. i ; /' * There is no doubt that in matters of: taste, particularly those which concern dressj. woman far and away excels man (says an Australian woman writer).' It is when we regard the weird colouring that quite a mildlooking young man chooses for his necktie that we rejoice that the range of colouring and patterns available for his suits of clothes are somewhat limited. Sallow and cadaverous-looking youths will never hesitate about knotting a tie of brilliant purple or yellowy-green beneath their chins. 'The colour evidently pleases them, so they wear it. Yet few women are sufficiently lost to tho fitness of things to make mistakes like! that. True, they often choose brilliant colours, but they adapt them so 1 that all violent contrasts and unbecoming .lights are softened. . Besides, when l a woman has distinct failings in the matter 'of complexion, sho realises it more than anyone else, and so sho is doubly careful to wear colours that help to hide her defects as much as possible; . An- . . nother proof of. the lack of taste in man is to be found in the 1 . pictures of bridal groups, displayed by many photographers in _ their studio window. The bridegroom usually wears or . holds a pair of whito kid gloves, and his necktie is' also white, with the result that his hands appear enormous and ill- *** shapen, and the white bow is ' equally inappropriate. If only men would follow the King's example of always wearing for • - , .daylight ; festivities. grey undressed kid gloves, and either a black satin or dull groy silk tie, they would improve their appearance tromendmnsW

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