MISS COLONIS IN LONDON.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2549, 29 June 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

MISS COLONIS IN LONDON.

ro vEIDENCES VO HER COUSINS ACROSS THE SEA,

London, May 10. THE SEASON. Dear Cousin, — Tho season is np^ l ” full swing, and wo tiro going £>“f' a K otK * deal in a small way. 01 ar J“ Mrs Ward will, durin" f >l‘ tS P I ' e3on,i month, bo the bright pary<Ailar “ stars" of tho Anglo ■ Colonial-Mt. They are overwhelmed with invitations, but your Treasurer’s public dinner engagements proven! thorn enjoying society as much as I HUMpcct Mr« Ward would like. You will have hoard all about tho big Now Zealand mooting at tiro Colonial Institute a fort_ua;hl. ago. Unfortunately it was held not at the Whitehall Rooms of tho Metropolc, but at tho United Service Institute, and there wero no conveniences for tho enp of toa and chat with one’s friends afterwards which form tho chief attraction of those gatherings to us women. Tho Treasurer’s wife sat in front close to tho relatives of tho now Bishop of Wellington, who wero thoro in force to hoar tho Bishop of Salisbury instruct us. Mrs Ward looked charming (as indeed she always loos), and was much admired. Sho lias a delightfully natural and unaffected manner, and. a, gvC’STexpi'SSsion v/nich makes -S’rtfjWdy like her. THE SERVAIvFqUESTION. I don't suppose tho correspondents thought it worth while to mention the little discussion which aroso_ during tho everting on tiro servant question, Yet in its way tho incident was irvtmctivo. The Bishop of Salisbury, who possesses a fund of humour of tho dry “ pawky" sort, dwelt sonri-soriously on tho fact that servants wore rare and expensive luxuries in Now Zealand, and that every woman emigrating like his friend He Wallis’ wife should bo prepared to do —or at least able to do if necessary—a fair share of hor own housework ond cooking. This wo all recognised as perfectly true, tiro males amongst us murmuring “ hear, hoar." Presently, however, a prancing swishy-skirty ycung woman garbed in a nightmare of ultramarine bounded on to tho platform and let off a series of gasps flatly contradicting tho Bishop. Sho said in effect tho Now Zealand servants wero the best in tho world, and that his lordship must have been unfortunately placed not to find this groat truth out. Later Sir Weatby Perceval endeavoured to reconcile tho statements of Miss May Yates and Dr Wordsworth, or, as ho called them, “ tho lady and tho Bishop." No doubt, the Agont-Oonoral said, servants wore few and wages high in tho colonies, as his lordship alleged, but it was certainly also a fact, as ho presumed Miss Yates meant, that tho colonial domestic did twice the work of her English prototype. His experience hero had led him to tho conclusion that every good servant required another one to wait on her. THE ONSLOWS AT HOME. It is most important if you really want to enjoy London society to got into a good as distinguished from a “smart" sot. Smart people are to tho stranger dull beyond words. They talk an “argot" one neither understands nor desires to understand. It is all about “ Billy " this and “ Jacky " that, and their goings on at one country house or another, feeble practical jokes, potty scandal, idle, irresponsible, trivial and uninteresting chatter. On tho other hand some comparatively unimportant people gather round them a delightful lot of friends. Lord Onslow’s is a pleasant houso to go to. His bachelor dinners served at a number of small tables and most informal in character, are, father says, unique. Lady Onslow’s “ At Homes" I can myself vouch for. Last time we were there I talked principally to Cranloy—l beg pardon, I should say Lord Cranley—who baa grown up,a lino handsome lad, just a weo hit affected perhaps, but Oxford will brush that off. His mother is terribly afraid of our sox. Sho suspects every girl who over smiles at her boy of designs, and being a mischievous young scapegrace, I’m afraid ho gives hor many anxious quarters of an hour. Lord Oranloy’s destiny is to marry an heiress and restore tho family fortunes. Crandon, tho Onslows’ beautiful home near Guildford, has been lot for a long time now, and I’m told tho Earl has also been obliged to sacrifice some of the magnificent timber in the park. The tenants complained bitterly as it spoiled tho shooting this winter.

LUNCH WITH THE DUKE OF . NORFOLK. Wo spoilt Easier at Arundel, a delightfully picturesque Surrey village which combine? the joys of exquisite country -walks through the loveliest old woods with propinquity to tho seaside. Rut the feature par excellence of Arundel is of course the Castle, tho ancient home of the Howards, and one of the most perfect combinations of mediieval architecture and modern splendour and comfort extant. Wo wore staying at tho Norfolk Arms Inn ns guests of Sir James and Lady W—-, who had taken rooms there for tho holiday season. Sir James, an oxLord Mayor, knew tho Duke of Norfolk, and learning ho was in residence, wrote to ask if wo might see tho Castlo. Presently looking out of the window I saw a man coming down from the castle with tho reply. “ From tho way tho villagers are ducking to him," I remarked, “ I should say that, inconspicuous though the littlo man seems, he is tho Duke's agent or secretary." But I was wrong. It ‘was His Grace himself, and he'd come to ask us nil to lunch before, we went oyer the Castle. I enjoyed tho afternoon immensely. The Duke is tho simplest, kindest, and most good-hearted of men, and tho Castle—well tho Castlo—is a dream. I must not turn this letter into a guide book, or I could go on about its ancient and modern sides, its beautiful chapel, and gorgeous now staircase now unfinished, for pages. It was a painful reflection that tho heir to all this wealth of beautiful things was a blind lad of limited intelligence. When, however, His Grace was called away to attend to other guests, I got some comfort from a dear old dependent deputed to not as cicerono, Tho littlo Earl of Arundel and Surrey, ho said, though unable to see and not very bright for Ids age, was not by any means the hopeless imbecile tho papers represented. Every year ho grows bettor and stronger. Is it too much to hope, I wonder, that ho may eventually be privileged to rise superior to his afflictions, and fulfil somo such destiny as that so beautifully sketched out in dear Miss Mulooh's “ A Noble Life."

FATHER BLACK. Of course you've read nil about tho scone at tho fashionable wedding tho other week, when an Anglican priest named Black protested against the Church breaking its own laws and marrying a divorced man whoso canonical wife was still alive. _Somo people were very angry with Mr ho took. But it ooomed to mo overt-before we met him and got to know what a remarkable man ho was, that ho had behaved perfectly logically. He know “ n just cause and ~ impediment" in the way of Mr Brinckman’s marriage, and as a churchman ho was bound to declare it. Ihe illogical people were the bride and bridegroom, tho latter especially, who, whilst (1) professing to be a churchman, and (2) believing and proclaiming niarriago indissoluble, and (3) inviting the Church to proclaim his union with Miss Linton indissoluble—yet came up to tho altar with his first wife alive to ask tho church to bless an ecclesiastically illegal union with a second. ” Nonconformists of course many of them countenance such unions, averring that each must stand or fall en its own merits. If a man has had (for example) to divorce his wife through no fault of his own, Nonconformists mostly say he may remarry and their minister will bless his union. But tho Anglican Church countenances nothing of tho sort. “ Those whom God has joined together no man

cun put asunder." If) But to return to good Father Black. I: Wo met him out nt dinner last Saturday it- evening. Such a charming man, tall, handsome, resolute and dignified. A splendid type of the church militant. One could imagine the tonic hia breezy cheerfulness would bo through the terrible cholera seasons in India. He had endless stories to toll of strange experiences in the far East. One, tending to show the swloua subtleties of the human con. science, struck me very forcibly. There Were, he said, a sect in India somewhat similar to the Thugs (save that they were high caste called Brahmins) Karhadis. Their religion expected them to sacrifice a human life to a particular god annually, but they must not shod blood in doing so. Father Black attended a trial for murder arising out of this amiable religious rite. The victim was a doctor, and hia assassins numbered four men, one of whom turned Queen’s evidence and with the utmost, sang froid related the mode of killing adopted. They procured, he said, a large packing case and lined it with waterproof material, making it air-tight. Then one of the party lay down beside the case and pretended to be ill, another kneeling

alongside and chafing his luy*}’ wh * lu . t tho other two rascals a BacJc hid in tho back-ground. '/ a unfortunate doctor was sent for down to examine Whilst thus the sack w->3*torously fhpped over his head four m,m whipped him into case i carried R to a suit(l and suffocated tho man by i<rfowning as wo should kill a superfluous kitten. Not a touch of pity, even momentarily, entered any of their hearts, and they listened absolutely unmoved to the recital of their comrade. Nothing disturbed their apathy till an English medical witness, describing the condition of tho corpse when discovered, deposed that tho skin of the neck was abraded as though chafed by strangulation. Instantly all four men sprang to their feet, unmitigated horror, repulsion and agonised fear pictured on their faces. It was, they said, simply impossible tho skin should be broken. They had taken every care to avoid such a catastrophe. “ Why," cried tho ringleader, “ it we had broken tho skin or scratched him so as to shed even a drop of blood, wo should be everlastingly damned."

THE INTERRUJ’TED WEDDING. With regard to the Brinckinan marriage, Father Black ;;nid ho could haw defended his action on many grounds. But- lie wished public attention concentrated on tlie main Church issue and not diverted into personal channels. Tho Brinckraans wore warned beforehand what would happen. Mr A. Brinckman, who subsequently had tho assurance to write to the Times, charging the good Father with surprising them, actually called on Mr Black two days before the wedding to toll him his nephew (tho bridegroom) would shoot him if he interfered. “ He’s bought a revolver for the purpose," said the avuncular relative with a bloodthirsty scowl. “ Do you really think ho means business ‘l“ enquired Mr Black, blandly. “ I do," solemnly responded the uncle, "■ all the hot blood of tho Brinckmans boils in his veins."

“ Perhaps, then, I’d bettor warn the police," quietly said Father Black. Tho disgusted “ Oh I" with which Mr Brinckman received this lapse from romantic and imaginative throats to prosaic realities much amused his auditor.

The Duke of Newcastle and another cleric accompanied Father Black to tho church. Just before tho service began a tall man came up and said, “ Mr Black, I am instructed to inform you by the Vicar-Genoral that if you interrupt this service you will be arrested at once for brawling." “ Both you and tho Vicar-Genoral ought to bo ashamed of yourselves," replied Father Black sternly. But of course tho Vicar-General had sent no such message. It is duo to tho consistency of the Church to explain that groat difficulty is experienced in getting clergy to officiate at these marriages. Dr Kerr Gray, who solemnised the Brinckman matrimony, bears a very lax reputation amongst clerics, or in other words carries broad church froo-and easy principles to lengths parsons like Father Black can’t abide. Dr Gray is a great friend of theatrical people, a sort of chaplain in ordinary to “ gay Bohemia." It was once, I believe, playfully said of tho good man that if you lifted up his surplico you’d find ho wore pink silk tights underneath.