ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14223, 20 November 1909, Page 6 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FROM the SOCIETY tapers.]

An interesting link with the old slave days in America lias been severed by the death 'i? Mr. William Lloyd Garrison, the son of ih.fiamous leader of the movement for the iboiition of slavery. the elder Garrison began*life as a shoemaker, and eventually became a compositor, an occupation -which better suited his taste. At the. age of sixteen ■or seventeen he was contributing articles to the newspapers, a.nd bis vigorous expressions of anti-slavery views resulted in his imprisonment for libel. Returning to Boston, he, with the assistance of a friend and a negro |>ov, started another anti-slavery weekly, a periodical which culminated in a series of tearful viols. He lived, however, to see his mission realised, and to be presented by a number of grateful admirers with a puree of £6000.

Miss Ida Harbord; daughter of the late Hon. Ralph Harbord and niece of Lord Suffield. who was recently married at bt, Paul's Church, Knightsbridge. to Mr. Harry Atherton Brown, eldest son of Mr. Atherron Brown, of Oakfield, Atherstone, has received a small fortune in jewels among her hundreds of wedding gifts. Diamonds predominate, although such stones as rubies, pearls, sapphires; and emeralds are not forgotten among the number. The principal gifts of jewellery include: —Diamond necklace from the bridegroom's mother: diamond bracelet, from the bridegroom's father; diamond bracelet from the bridegrooms brother: diamond pendant, diamond crescent, diamond and ruby bracelet, and diamond and amethyst pendant from the bridegroom; diamond and ruby necklace from Lord and Ladv Ellenborough ; diamond and pearl pendant "from the bride's mother ; and, •i beautiful diamond and sapphire crescent from her brother. -

Mark Twain's daughter Clara was married at the humourist's country home in Connecticut to Ossit Gabrilowitch, the Russian pianist, whom she recently nursed through a dangerous illness. Mark himself received the guests— writers, artists, and Bohemians. He appeared in the cap and gown, which he wore when the degree of Doctor of Literature was conferred upon him by Oxford University, and after the ceremony, despite the cool weather, made a lightning change to a suit of white flannel. To the guests who twitted him, Mark Twain said, with a knowing wink: " Yes, ves, mv friends ; but it's very good advertising." , And so it proved, because every newspaper makes a bigger feature of the author's lightning change of dress than of the wedding itself. "To save being interviewed in church," Mark Twain thoughtfully prepared a statement which he handed,to the reporters, containing references to the bride, bride groom.,, and guests, and other matters. Twain chaffed all his guests in a characteristic vein, and predicted that the wedding would be a happy one.

Tall, thin, erect as a pine, with the dark eves still burning like glowing coals in the aged face, Mr. Gold win Smith, now over 80 years of age. is a remarkable example of vigorous and intellectual old age. He still enters his study for work every morning, writes weekly to a Toronto paper, and keeps in close touch with political and other events all over the world. He .is a splendid example of that love of work and sense of public duty which are " among the best .characteristic's of Englishmen. His late wife was friend, companion and even nurse to him. When I .asked him when he 4 was coming again to the j|* old country'' .he answered decisively that Be would ; never come' again • to the- ■ "old country:" and then his wife, • taking up the tale, spoke of how bad a •traveller her husband was, not being able to sleep in railway trains or hotels, and she indicated that she also was determined that xhe„should not make any attempt again tt face the perils and fatigues of a journey home. ■'■ The latest information I see in th« papers is a letter from the bereaved mat that he will give to Toronto for a Museun .: the beautiful home now made vacant, silent .*■■ and desolate, ' by the departure of his lovec -.companion. ; ; L } ; , ". ;. .*, V."-The'King, who confided the. task of tht •, * relaying V out of his ' Balmoral Gardens jtc . ? Lord I one lof " the ' cleverest land " scape gardeners' in ■ the. three Kingdoms, has " asked him 'to 'undertake a similar task at "Sandringham.,- A number.of new beds aric ) fborders flowers.and variegated "maples "have b«sen"4aid out near ? the hojrse, and ,0 * wonderful array of gaily flowering ; ; have been'planted along the edge "of the .'.-WwhlV tie corner, of ,wiU • f- blossomswind- another :of rare -flowers-offer , id to her by travellers from remote parts, 1,? And in which South' African roses and lilies f Specially flourish, will be left as before. ; ihe Queen's kitchen garden is planted witl hut, vegetables, and flowers alternating >nd which on a fine September day was « simply dazzling . with colour. And was il "<not a pretty notion to have, all the paths %. bordered with the flower known as " Rec Hot Pokers" - Had the gardens" been sel "•ablaze, no reds or yellows could have flamed more brilliantly than these homely red flow ! jrs. The Queen has a lovely bed of Rus 'jian violets in one corner of her Sandring %'©ami flower garden, and every day; wher : ever she may be, -when they are in bloom, 4 'i she has, a bunch, of her " Violettes Russes,' i the roots of which were presented to hei 'by her nephew, the Tsar, v sent to. her with ;*> out fail. ~■ _ ' . lv; Queen Alexandra has been, staying foi .several weeks at Copenhagen, and on this j account the little northern capital has a •special interest.' Since the' death of the *• late Queen of Denmark, social life seems tc .have lost some of its gaiety. The present ""•'■, Queen is serious-minded, and belongs to a * -strict set called " Der Mission." i The mem..'""•hers of this body consider it wrong to dance \ •or to ,go to the play, and among their ;1 , number are several important members oi "the nobility. But, all the same, many parties are given, including Court balls and musical evenings at the ( Palace. Society at Copenhagen is very small, and the season shorter than that of any other capital in Europe. • It. begins in the first week of Feb- ■ ruary X n d ends about Easter. But, though . phort, it is bright and busy, and there are .limners and other entertainments. Dinners

: are at a very early hour, generally at 6.30, and the long evening that follows is apt to he rather wearisome. Trains are not worn at the Danish Court, only smart evening %. costume. Blaek is not allowed : white is

| worn for mourning, and the prescribed mate;'rial is of a soft woollen texture. Men wear '"'■ their uniforms at Palace balls and concerts. -Etiquette at the Danish Court is different from that which prevails in London. Newcomers are expected to ask to be introduced ,to those whom they meet 1 at the houses where they make their first appearance, and after this it is usual for them to leave cards 'at once on the residents. English and Russians meet with a warm welcome on account ,of the Royal intermarriages. '" r ':

■\ The waltz, ! the Boston, and other oldfashioned dances will, it seems, have to Jive place entirely this winter to a new one, tie " aeronette." Clement Vautel, of the Matin, is the authority for the statement 'that the great masters of the Academy of | /Dancing have so decided. They wish to j be up to date and to follow the movement. With aeroplanes we must have the aero- \ plane gallop, and the aeroplane two-step. The figures will be highly fanciful, we are assured: —l. The pairs will move, as in all round dances/ in: two sharply accentuated measures, to imitate the rolling of the aero- " plane. -2. The aeroplane leaves the surfaces of the ground, to imitate which the dancers raise their elbows as if they were Hying. 5. The'";,aeroplane glides through space, Whereupon the arms are slightly swung up and down to indicate the swinging motion of the -flying machine steadying itself in the upper atmosphere. 4. The aeroplane lands, Vand. the dancers, after skipping along with ■_ ' "■ one -foot before • the other, suddenly come i|6; a : stop in that 'position and bow their heads slightly. To describe the effect fully one would require Lord Byron's muse of the 3 many? twinkling feet. .The " aeronette," prettily danced, we are told, is a vivid re-, minder" of 3etheny and other .aviation contests' V M.' Santos Dumont, says the writer, might be «sked to be the first to set the dance going in the. Paris salons tins- winter. pis partner is already found in the " DeinlwsclliC'" " '*' ~ '' " * ';' ■' ''■;''