MEMOIRS OF A PARLOURMAID

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 109, 1 February 1930, Page 29

MEMOIRS OF A PARLOURMAID

NOTABILITIES AND DISHES The Countess of Oxford and Asquith, it’has been suggested, is the mysterious lady who has signed herself the "Countess of. ” in an introduction to one of the funniest autobiographies of recent years. The autobiography, "Pantry Pages,” is that of a parlour-maid moving below stairs in the high- society, who tells intimate stories of such men as Lord Oxford, Lord Balfour, Winston Churchill, and Mr. Patrick Campbell. It is written as the author might ; talkmore or less phonetically. The, publishers in reply to .a query gave the assurance that the book was absolutely genuine. . . . “Then who is the Countess of ?” an interviewer asked. . “We cannot say for certain,” said a representative of the publishers. “Is it the Countess of Oxford and Asquith?” “We do not deny it,” was the reply, “but, on the other hand, cannot confirm it. You are, however, on the right track.” Lady Oxford herself could not be questioned. She had gone on a motor trip into the country and was not to be found. The author had a soft spot for many of the guests she served. The following is an extract: — “Mr. Arthur Balfour: He’s been' here three times since I came. He’s a.treat to wait on, he is. That perlite to the dishes you offers! The vegetables might be princesses; he refuses them that civil.” The parlourmaid, according to the “Countess of ,” is named Rose Meade, and has been in her service for three years. The mysterious countess says she persuaded the girl to write her “memoirs,” in an effort to raise money for her mother, who lay ill.