KING EDWARD AND HIS COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11689, 26 June 1901, Page 6

KING EDWARD AND HIS COURT.

GOSSIP AS RETAILED TO NEW YORK. The New York World of May 12 contains a long letter from its London correspondent, of which we give the following items: — Tilt; KIN. AND TOBACCO. While no official mention has been made of the matter, still it. is an open secret that the King has frequently consulted a throat specialist during the last three months. As a result the Royal allowance of cigars hag suffered serious diminution. Another result which has equally escaped the record of the Court chronicled is the. effect of "his abstention on the Rival nerves.

Many of the king's intimates have been astounded at the sudden change of temperament of the former Prince, of Wales. Cue of the most intimate— enough at least to say what he thinks about Royalty, if not to Royalty -declares that the King's " standotfishness" is not a result megalocophalia. as some supposed, but is simply a question of nerves, due to the sudden stoppage of his tobacco allowance. "It is a mistake to suppose that the King is suffering from an enlarged cranium." said this courtier. His real trouble is smoker's nerves."

"I don't mind saying," he added, "that there is not a man in the Household who wouldn't rejoice to see twice the old consumption of the Royal cigars if it meant a restitution of the Royal good humour." CAKDiNAL VAOUHANS MISTAKK. Still another instance of the Royal sticking- for-form, which escaped the Court chronicler, related to the recent delegation of Roman Catholic bishops which presented an address of loyally to the throne. When Cardinal Vaughan first wrote inquiring the Royal pleasure as to receiving such a deputation no answer was received. His letter did not even receive acknowledgment. Days and weeks passed. The Cardinal, chafing under the apparent slight, mentioned the fact to a Catholic peer with a view to his quietly instituting inquiries to discover whence the cause, arose.

When the peer, who is one of the best informed men on Court eitquette in England, took the matter in hand, he began inquiries by asking the Cardinal to describe the letter. He learned that it had been written on ordinary letter paper, bearing the Cardinal's crest at the top, but lacking the official mourning border. The peer explained to His Eminence that such a missive was merely so much waste paper in the eyes of His Majesty, who, during the period of Court mourning, can read only a letter written on mourning note papei. Consequently the Cardinal wrote again, this time on black bordered paper. hi duo course he received a reply that the King would receive the delegation. MISS ASTOB S"OI EXGACJKD. Frequent reference has been made lately to the alleged engagement of the youthful Duke of Roxburghe and .Miss Astor. As a matter of fact there is not a word of truth in the. report. The duke is tint twentylive, hardly properly to be described as youthful, as the term applies to young peers nowadays.

This is only one of the many imaginary engagements which crop up in the society columns of the weekly journals, where the parties concerned first'learn of their engagements when they see them in print. PHOTOGRAPHY A GROWING FAD. It is somewhat remarkable how strong the number of amateur photographers in London is growing. I was talking the other day with a photographic dealer, who said the season had already begun to be twice as busy as last summer or any previous year. '" Amateur photographers are very much interested just now in a magnificent camera just, ordered for the Sultan of Morocco, which will eclipse in a certain way anything in cameras yet dreamed of. It is made entirely of gold sheets. So elaborate is the whole alt" lid that it is to cost £1500.

The Duchess of Bedford is perhaps one of the best amateur photographers of her day. She is devoted to cats and makes these her chief study. It is quite a hobby with her, but many are the English society women who have hobbies of different kinds. In fact, there is quite a legion of them. LADIES WITH SPECIAL TAXKNTS. For instance, the Duchess of Sutherland and the Duchess of Leeds, both writers, have a pretty taste in literature. As authors who have made their mark are also Lady Currie, wife of the British Ambassador in Home ; Lady Helen Forbes, so recently married Lady Marjorie Gordon, laughter of Lord Aberdeen; Lady Margaret Sackville, Lord De La Wait's youngest sister; Lady Sybil Bayard-Cutting, mos' recent of brides: Mrs. Berens, mother of the former Lady Cairns; Lady Jeune, and Susan Lady Malmesbury. Lady Colebrooke is devoted to the fine arts. She has made her mark as a sculptress and is at present exhibiting a head in the Paris Salon. She is, as well, a wonderful earpentei. Lady Maud Wilbraham, daughter of the late Lord Lathom, has qualified as an experienced nurse. Lady Feo Davidson, sister of Lord Albemarle, also went through a course of training as a nurse at a London hospital. Lord Hopetoun's two sisters, who have taken up the breeding of Shetland ponies as a profitable undertaking, have met with considerable success. Lady G&lway and Lady Arlington are great authorities in matters of horticulture. The former contributes interesting articles to the London papers on gardening as a pursuit for women.