BEHIND THE SCENES OF LIFE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 16, 31 December 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

BEHIND THE SCENES OF LIFE.

MORE PIQUANT STORIES BY LADA UOROTin* NEVJLL.

It is. perhaps, a singular fact that Lady Dorothy Nevill, whose hie extends over a period of eighty-iour years and who knew everybody who was anybody during the Victorian era, should, in her latest volume of reminiscences- - ‘•Under Five Reigns'’ _ (Methuen) - have singled out such diverse modern characters a? Air. Joseph Chnridierlain and Air. John Burns as two of the most interesting people she lias ever met. One of tlm photographs in her new volume shows Imr standing arm in arm wiih the President of the Local Government Hoard, for whom sh" says sh ■ entertains th • very highest admiration :d*hough she remembers him being oon-si-lered “a terrible revuljitionary.” while she publishes several particularly charming letters from ilie veteran meinh-cr for West Birmingham. Ove of thmn rel.it-rs to 'sir. Ch-im-T-orlaims t’drd marri.-> in 1338 to MBs Marv Endicott, of America. AVriting in that year to Lads' Dorothy, ho “I am ooing to America to marry ’"■'ss E"dicr.tt. one of those American girls win so importation into this fonntrv 'oui nce deprecate ’s<* stw-gly : nmv licnriiiz. A'oii said. 'I ’ike !he Americans verv veil, but there r.re two tilings I wish fhov v.ouhl loon to ihem'iolv‘S— tlmir girls and their tinned 10 1 sfer.’ I .-ini i- i’dv <n give nn f'm ]<>hs.‘or. so von must he prepared ta like the girt.” A QUEER CARE‘S-.

She tells an amusing story, too. about Dr. Wolff, father to Sir Henry Drummond AVo'ff, and husband of Lady Dorothy’.; aunt. Lady Georgiana Walj ole. Lady Georgiana was first captivated by the doc’or at an Exeter Hall meeting. Tn an outlu st. of oratory he waved his arms and struck a ladyon ths cheek. Pausing for a moment, ho asked in a wlr’scer who the lady might le. 'Lady Georgiana Walpole,’* was the reply. “That woman shall b? my wife.” he said, and went on with his speech. It was some little time before the two met again, but ultirmtclv Di. AVolff sat next to Lady Georgian a nt a Innchc-in party. Sri? chanced in drop her fork. The doctor L'nt d-.-wn to pick it iro and pinched her font. ‘ The caress,” says Lady lUrothy. “entirely rove 1 to Lady Geot"innn. amlo snr-h an impression upon her Hint site fell in. love with its givei ■md v-i-v *-onr. they became engaged.'’ The ch Id if I he mania :e was Henry D/nmmo' d AVolff. MET AT LADA’ JEUNE’S.

Apropos of luncheons and dinners. Lady Dorothv quotes an amusing storywhich wns told in connect ion n ith the widely divergent types of guest who were iron* to assemble at the house of Lady St. Ilelier (Lady Francis Jeune), one of London's most famous hostesses. An exp’orer who had ventured into a particularly wild and hostile region, “having boon captured by its savage and cannibal inhabitants, was bound to a tree by them preparatory to being roasted and eaten. At this very critical moment, however, tin ir chief appeared who, on seeing the unfortunate explorer, addressed him in fair English.

“‘I know your face.’ said he: ‘we have met at my friend Lady Jeune’s, and so. instead of dining off you, I shall ask you to dine with me and tel! me a|] the London nows.’”

Th re is a good dinner-table story of Whistler. “On one occasion, when f.rked to dinner by a somewlmf. p-mo-tiiions host, the party, after waiting for ?n unconsciously tong time, cventuallv sat .down to dinner. Soup and fish wr-r" served, and still no Whistler appeared, and when at last he arrived the host was in anything hut the best of, tempers, as his countenance showed. A bistler. however, was in no wise disconcerted. for. cheerily grasping a somewhat ’ lin.p hand, he rattled out. Don't apn’nasse for ha-vin<r wiHicut mr- T sh-i'n’t b" off,'mJ.-d in t.pj very least.’ after which, taking his seat, ho Im-ame th? life and soul of th? party ” DISRAELI'S MODESTY.

Amongst her personal friends Lady Dorothy numbered Lord 'Beaconsfield, who, she s-iV'S. “i-i iii.s House of Commons days was v< ry self-confident and )o. unassertive. Once, however, when addressii.g the Sp,al;.?r, he .said': 'Mr. Speaker, I have some modesty. I hope.’ A voice from under a hat 'below the gangway snuffled out. ‘Your hope, tolls a very flatterin'’; tale, I am afraid.’ ” Rofe ring to the story of the old ladv "ho, attending a funeral and being told Mr. Gladstone was present. saiiß “Oh, I do hope he won't make a- dis’ t’irb.nnce, ’ Lady Dorothy mentions tiiat during the General Election last Jumiary great crowds having assembled at Ipswich, a certain told lady was convinced tk.it tli‘’v were caused by the opening of the Quarter Sessions. '-They :re only waiting for Mr. Balfour,' 1 said an acquaintance. ‘AVell,'’ replied she, ‘I snppo e if the poor man has done nnvtliing wrong he will have to suffer for it now.’’ CABBAGE STALKS. Yet nnothe - .roliti-al siorv tolls how Sir WiTi-im Harcourt and Air. Cardwell cxTidiited some nervousness when addressing a meeting in a. country town. Which led a local tailor to remark afterwards, '-You thought too ighlv of 'em. gonlMmi-n. When ] ‘■peaks to such a crowd I treats them just as so many cabbage stalks.” Tt is a curious comm-ntary on co m' iv of to-day that L.ndv ' Dorothy scvill has no svmn:’. hv for what now.nriays is called ih o Smart Set. The rdjeetne .smart ' would have conveyed to tire- grcit la-lies of o lh;'r davs th" ulna of son e !<■?:chen-m iid dressed un in lirr Sunday best ; ih -v wonkl rer-E-nly not have regard, d it as a fi-it-rernig descriplrm of a ladv or of a gentleman.

As to the money spent bv soci- tv vremc -rein dr-ss. Lady Dn-o hr re-alis that when she “cmre our” her aß>>w- : rco "as only ? vear. and her mmher stout o> d es.', ct ? 'iho>it f’-00. v. 1,; .;, vm.- . tlio Wife of P ri'h pew. "ibit u-w ” '■nys T.-ndv Bn'utbv ‘ T f r-q w-mkl. in n great nrenv easre? Ire' Wlcre r “;-.' -'driv,' th" rer.-eet f : " Sh-’ wtire-i ’hat Dime" Vivre-i-i < re’ 1 ;. rL/t.--tv , , ■ ■' ■' •■ • ' ’<■ t "t : ziven i i her .-O"OU" at- “re--ffi' Heps’’ wh‘ the D->"hoss r .f i.,4 r ,‘-F‘ rre- f H;, ' •ml- -be O-ren -h-. went in a s ,' n ,_ J>!“ mnshn end'r ll ; d"rr.d in loka-' ’’Wire] ■- .-.1.-C- ~. J.. ( * 1 "’n rev bo-is" io • our u-’.-rc." THE RULES GF HE'LTIT Fresh are nt I.by’.i 1, A - g,._ ~ _• , an' r ir : • Pure w-.‘"r ,’p ’ I. .1 . r ■ '' *■' Milk Irenal fun ■ Dry. f r"'’’. lore" r-’o+hreng frequent