ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7788, 6 November 1886, Page 3 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FBOM THE SOCiKTV BAP BBS.]

It appears that the Primrose -league are about to divide Englandi and Wales into provinces bearing tho respeoted and venerable titles of Mercia, East Anglia, Wesscx, and the like. "Repeal the' Union," said Can* ning; " restore the Heptarchy 1"; t The Tones seem to have taken the aphorism to heart. They are not prepared—just at present—to repeal the Union, so they intend, to make a beginning by restoring the Heptarchy.

The Queen is as rabid about these Battenburgs as ever her exemplary grandfather was about Lord Bute. Har Majesty would do well to restrain the exuberance of her ardour for Prince Alexander's cause, as she, Only makes herself appear ridiculous abroad; for everybody knows that the rulers of G«rmany 5 Austria, and Russia do not card one farthing whether the Queen supports Prince Alexander or whether she opposes him. ,' '

One of the most artistic pieces of . needle* work in the Edinburgh Exhibition is a baby's robe from the "Wemyss Castle School. It was much admired by the Queen and Princess Beatrice when they 'visited the Exhibition, and, according to the World, it has since been purchased by Bier Majesty in anticipa* tion of an interesting event that is expected in the Royal Family in the course of a few months.

The Prince of Wales has been very forta* nate in the weather since ho went to Hornburg, and, as it has been exceedingly fine and hot, there have been almost daily picnios in the Taunus woods, H.R. H. having himself given two, and there is to be another before he leaves. The Prince is taking the ; waters regularly, and goes through the usual routine of the " cure," which means early to bed, early to rise, regular and moderate feeding, and drinking numerous tumblers of very nasty water.

One of the papers announces that Prima Henry of Batten berg was bo anxious to start off to the assistance of his brother, that the Queen had great difficulty in keeping him from doing so. Of course, this .iB all nonsense; bat, as a matter of fact, the Queen •would have no sort of trouble in keeping Prince Henry at home, as, unless she proTided him with the necessary funds, he would lack the money even to defray the coat of » ticket from Ballater to London.

George R. Sims, in his weekly Sunday Journal, pays respect to the G.0.M., and narrates that the Gladstone travelling party arrived at Calogne at five a.m., and while the engine was taking in water they rushed off and did the Cathedral. The marvellous energy and unimpaired vitality of the aged statssman are never so much in evidence as when he travels for rest and recreation. He does as much in one day as would knock a fairly healthy person of thirty up for a weak. It is quits possible that he will celebrate his hundredth biithday by asoending the Mattsrhorn, and carrying the guides down on his back.

The Bat says: It is reported on trust' worthy authority that an attempt will be made this autumn to rescind the very objectionable rule which practioally prohibits Irish and Continental trained horses from taking part in English handicaps. We are glad to announce that; the Prince of Wales is most eager to see a rale abolished that has done a great deal to sever the close friendship that has ever existed between English sporttmen on the one hand and French and Irish on the other. In addition to the proposed abolition of this rule the Duke of Portland will be elected steward of the Jockey Club, Lord Londonderry having resigned on receiving his appointment to Lord Lieutenancy. The new steward entertains strict notions concerning turf management, and we may expect reforms which will go far towards cleaning the foul aroma that exudes from a certain quarter."

> The Court Journal is authority for a state* merit reminding one of an incident in Sue's " Wandering Jew —The twenty-two rooms in No. 13, Lincoln's Inn Fields, which have been for many years sealed up in accordance with the will of Sir John Soane, will soon be opened. Their contents have naturally; been much speculated upon, and it is believed by some that valuable art treasures will be found, while others believe that the opening 'of the sealed rooms will reveal a family secret, perhaps no longer closely ! affecting the descendants living, but interesting to them to know. The 22nd of JSovomber is a day of ill-omen to the Soane family, as many deaths in their ranks have taken place on it since the death of Sir John Soane The fixing of the 22nd of November, 1886, by him for an important act is therefore the more extraordinary. ' r

The St. Stephen's Review says: The Prince of Wales is delighting English society "at Homburg, but the fair Amerioans are almost monopolising his attention. Mrs. Canard is the reigning beauty there, and I hear that she and the heir ' apparent are to be seen driving about daily; There is a charm about the American women which it is difficult to express. Is it that they are more radiant and vivacious than the average English woman.

Fashion now decrees that furniture should be draped as much as possible. This applies alike to the full-sized piano and to the little rush work-basket. Piano ooverings are certainly a great addition to a drawing-room, especially if they are made of plush, and handsomely embroidered. Grand pianos have simply a piece of plush (or any other material) thrown over them mucn like an ordinary table cloth, but the draping of the back of a cottage piano is much more artistic. For this a piece of plush, satin, or even serge of suitable colour should be chosen, and fastened in one large square piece to the piano back. Of course it must be larger than the piano itself to allow for draping; °

At a recent wedding reception at whloh some of the members of the new Cabinet figured as relatives and honoured guests, the bride's cake was a simply magnificent structure—eight tiers, each varying in the style of ornamentation. Tho cake rested on a silver plateau, with handsome filagree work reaching slantwise from the; plateau to the cloth of blue velvet, or plush, covered with lace Three double (entwined) horseshoes were on the upright rim of the first tier, amid a grouping of fern leaves, in white sugarwork. On the top was an artistic grouping of the two families' shields, crests, &c., and the new quartering allowed by the marriage. The shields were about' 8 inches long, the orests at their. eepest point 2 inches long. The next tiers represented "The Seven Ages of Man, "founded on Shakespere's lines, On the top was an old woman nursing a babe.

A society journal recently invited its readers to compete for what is entitled " The Portland Stakes: who will have the Duke i" The object in view was to obtain from the readers of the paper a number of names of ladies from whom the Duke of Portland would be likely to select a wife; it was announced that a great many names had been received by the editor, and that, the list would be published in the edition of Sept 8. The editor's intention 1 did not, it seems, become known to the Duke until a day or two before, when his Grace chartered a special train to London to consult his solicitors upon the subject. The immediate result of the conference was the writing of expostulatory letters to the proprietors fend printers of the journal, and the serving upon each and all of them of legal notices requiring . them to desist from the intended . publication of the lists of ladies, criminal proceedings for libel being threatened in the event of the names being published. Under these circumstances, the editor undertook not to publish the lint in question. -■* . I : j;

Prince Louis of Battenbhrg, says Truth, . seems to have made himself Very busy , with - his brother's affairs in Bulgaria. : Seeing that • he is an -officer,' on full pay in the ' English Navy, and is merely abroad for a few weeks ' on leave of abienoe, his activity seems to me to be exceedingly misplaced ;r and; if he is to continue to act a sort of agent for his the sooner he resigns his < commission th& better, as not merely Russia, but also Austria and Germany, would have a. very, tangible ground of. complaint if he be allowed ' t6 continue bis unofficial diplomacies, s• ->> >