DUCHESSES AT A FREAK PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1205, 14 August 1911, Page 11

DUCHESSES AT A FREAK PARTY.

Many people who have been present at tho State ceremonies of the past week wero guests at an. entertainment, details of which are given in the "Daily Chronicle." Srr Philip Burne-Jones and Sir Richard and Lady Murk] Paget were the hosts and hostess of this "small jolly," as it was termed on tho invitation card. There were no chairs, but rugs had been thrown, about tho floors in artistic disorder in the narrow hall and in the little baekvard. The guests wero seated on the floor, or on tho stairs, and in odd nooks and corners, the men smoking long churchwardens and many of tho women cigarettes. If liquid rcfreshmtiits were needed you had to go into a corner of one of the rooms and help yourself from a big cask of "lager b:er wreathed in green hops. Songs with choruses in which all joined were sung in a free and easy manner, and ths lagsr was quaffed from mugs and tankards. As the night progressed Greek singers with mandolines sang delightful songs in the largest of Sir Philip's studios. Japanese lamps and Chinese lanterns illuminated the backyard, and Sir Philip's neighbour gave right to trespass, so that guests had room to prorjfnadc. The guests included the Duchess of Marlborough, the Duko and Duchess of Somerset, the Duchess of Rutland, Mrs. John Jacob Astor, Lady Betty Balfour and her daughters, Mr. Balfour's sistw, Lady Elcho, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Lyttelton, Lady Strathmoro with Lady Kose Lyon, Lady Tullibardino, and many others. Strangely inconsistent with the Bohemian character of the entertainment was a wonderful supper made up of delicacies such as red caviare and orteJans, vintage wines, all manner of good things, served on the floor, on the stairs, or on any ?ittle space where thero was room for a plate.