ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9635, 6 October 1894, Page 3 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FROM THE society PAPEBS.]

Yachting is evidently a favourite recreation for some of oar London actresses. Mrs. Langtry, nob content with owning racehorses, is owner of the White Lady, one of the smartesb little pleasure yachts now to be seen in the waters of the Solent. Another lady yacht-owner is Miss May Yohe, who, leaving the honours of " Little Christopher Columbus" to Miss Florence St. John, is enjoying a holiday "lazily, lazily, drowsily, drowsily," aboard the Siesta, a schooner of 127 tons, which she has recently bought. Some of the yachts are veritable palaces, but for comforb and luxury none of the yachts could compare with the Hohenzolleru. The drawingroom, which extends the whole width of the vessel, is upholstered in pale blue silk. The Emperor's study, with its rosebud hangings; the bedroom, with its maple and roi»wood fittings, pale blue hangings ; nicklo-silver bedstead, and adjoining a fitted bath-room and dressing-room, with elaborate shampooing apparatus ; the nursery, with its rows of little cots ; the little Princess' cabin, and the head-nurse's room, well lined with cupboards and presses, are only a few of the rooms on board this floating Imperial palace.

Mr. and Mrs. Phipps, the Americana who have rented Knebworth from the young Earl of Lytton for a term of years, gave a garden-party the other afternoon, to Which half the county, and a detachment from London, including the Blue Hungarians, were bidden. The first poems which Mr. Phipps cared for aa a boy in America were Owen Meredith's, and when he came to settle in England his first thought was to eeb Knebworth just as it stood, with all its furniture, and books, and belongings undisturbed. In this, as in everything else undertaken by him, he succeeded. In those rooms and grounds it was that Roberto lytton laid the plans for his life—the very romance of politics, of friendship, of literature. His boyhood there was unsatisfactory ; for Jhia father, whose rococo taste is impressed on every gable and gargoyle of the house, had hardly a father's care for him, and his mother was what all the world saw her and what she proclaimed herself to be. The money now ab Knebworth was nob there with the Lyttons. Owen Meredith was penniless when he wrote " Lucile;" and it was literature that saved him from suicide. His marriage rewarded him for all the pastthe bitter memory of which only gave accent to his happiness as husband and father. His career in diplomacy established him ; and it was no small pride of his to be the son and nephew of men who had both won peerages by their brilliant gifts, and to be able himself to transform the Lytton barony into an earldom. Knebworth, in its store of books presented by struggling authors, who never wanted for any kindness the Earl of Lytton could give them, indirectly bears witness to the dark period of his life, which taught him to have a fellow-feeling for the needy author. Ib is pleasant to think that the present tenancy of the place is only another phase of his own literary fame; and one charming hostess and her daughters have given place to another charming hostess and hers by the exchange.

Miss Mary Anderson is " beautiful} exceedingly," girlish and fresh in manner. The young American actress was somewhab misunderstood by the American public. A Puritanism, an exclusiveness were attributed to her which did nob seem to be parti of her, for all her goodness and sincerity. It has always been said of her, as of Jenny Lind, that she considered the stage beneath her, and unworthy of her more noble aspirations. I doubb very much (says a writer in the Gentlewoman) the truth of this, for there was no suggestion of priggiehness about "our Mary." It is true that she was one of the only actresses living who found the profession seriously trying to her health. A distressing nervous break-down, nob long before their marriage, was most) probably the cause of her wishing to leave the stage for good. Longfellow, who, lika Tennyson, entertained an unbounded admiration for Miss Anderson, once gave her this piece of advice, " Every day you live read a piece of good poetry, see a good picture, hear some beautiful music." It must have been a trying matter to accomplish, bub I believe was daily accomplished by Miss Anderson. Off the stage she was even fairer to see than on it. And although rouge, picturesque frocks, and the glamour of the footlights are usually said bo lend a fictitious loveliness to womankind, this is by no means invariably the case. Besides Miss Anderson, I may add that Mme. Patbi, Mrs. Cambell, Mrs. Tree, and Miss Mary Moore are all infinitely prettier in their own drawing-roooms, then when wearing the borrowed plumes of Rosina, Paula Ray, Ophelia, or Ada Ingot.

Madame Carnot, accompanied by her two sons, Sadi and Ernest, visited her husband's tomb in the Pantheon, in Paris, on August 4. She took the beautiful wreath of solid silver palm leaves sent in memory of the deceased President by the St. Petersburg Municipality. Ib bears the inscription, written in French and Russian:—"A. M. Sadi Carnot, President de la Republique Francaise, Hommage de la Municipalite de St. P6tersbourg." It is estimated that since M. Carnot's remains were laid in the Pantheon over 10,000 persons have visited the tomb. Since her departure from the Elysee, Mdme. Carnot has continued receiving letters and addresses of condolence from France and abroad. She is deeply touched by the homage thus paid to the memory of her husband.

The Prince of Wales is just now at Hornburg, the Mecca of his London season. His great ancestor, King George, was nob more faithful to Brighton than he is to Homburg. The Prince has not found in circumstances the opportunity of creating a town, as did King George, since Hombnrg was ready-made before he was born. Bub his fidelity to the place does much to maintain its fortune?, by keeping ib well advertised. There are scores, of well-known Londoners who, hesitating whither to go at the end of the season, choose Homburg because the Prince will be there. As for good Americans, everybody knows when they die they go to Paris. But they like to take Homburg en route, since there for three weeks in the season they may daily feast their eyes on the Prince of Wales going about with quite republican simplicity. Regularly every morning, when at 7 o'clock the band strikes up a psalm tune by way of opening the day, the Prince of Wales briskly walks up to the well and takes his first regulation glass of water. The only distinction made in his favour is that, whereas ordinary visitors are served out of glasses, many of them hideously coloured to suit German taste, the Prince is handed his in a silver cup, served on a silver salver. For the rest, he walks up and down the tree-shaded alley with the throng of visitors, takes his regulation breakfast of coffee, butterless bread, and boiled eggs, his early luncheon, his early dinner (taken al fresco ia warm weather), and his early bed.

Emperor William never rides any but his own horses, which are trained specially to be guided by pressure of the knees on either side. This is necessary to Hia Majesty, for when his sword arm is occupied the left arm is quite incapable of controlling his horse. His horses are beautiful creatures, and trained to obey his voice and even a gentle pull at the hairs of the mane.

If economy makes another summer gown oub of the question, buy a tea-jacket instead. It will be more convenient, have aboub the same effect, and cost half the money. A simple tea-jacket to slip on before dressing for dinner is made of baby blue China silk. It is trimmed with La Tosca lace, arranged in a deep frill ovei the shoulders, and another frill finishing the waist below she hips. The silk drawn in at the waist-tine with narrow blue ribbons, which tie in a bow with long ends. The sleeve is new and exceptionally pnffy. The huge silk puff reaches to the elbow.! Below this are two rows of shirring,, separated from one another by white embroidered beading and a deep frill of the lace. This same design may be copied in inexpensive crepes or fine French flannel, making a comfortable litfclQiioasa sack mwy occasions. '*