PRETTY PANSY.

NZ Truth, Issue 121, 12 October 1907, Page 6

PRETTY PANSY.

A PIGMENTED PILGRIM,

Paralyses the Prudes.

Pansy Montagu as Lady Godiva

Pretty Pansy Montagu, the young Melbourne woman who . astonished the people of the Australasian colonies by\ exhibiting herself clothed only m a suit of grease-paint, has also createda sensation m London .by exhibiting herself m a similar state of "beauty, unadorned" to the people of London., Mr W. .T. Stead, the celebrated journalist, expressed the utmost admiration of the various poses shown by. Pansy Montagu, but many other persons, particularly those of a Puritan turn of mind, felt greatly shocked at Pansy's exhibition, and denounced her. The best advertisement which she got, however, was that which she got through offering to act the part of Lady Godiva, who is said to have ridden naked through the streets of Coventry m order that she might obtain certain privileges for the people of Coventry. The legend is that she (Lady Godiva) so pestered her husband (Earl Leofric) with requests for the granting of liberties to Coventry, that, at last, , he pledged himself to grant her request if she would ride naked through the streets of Coventry. She took him at his word, and — everybody having been ordered to keep indoors and out of sight— act tually did perform HER NAKED PILGRIMAGE, At least, so the legend runs. Pansy Montagu's rendition of the Godiva act is thus described m an English newspaper :— Coventry on the day— Wednesday— of its much-boomed Lady Godiva procession, was divided into two camps, . One took the procession seriously, the other did not. Amongst those who were agreed that.they were witnessing a spectacle of vast historical importance, were the mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, aunts and cousins of the processionists. Amongst those who anticipated being able TO MAKE MERRY at the expense of the mile and a-halJ long column of civic dignitaries and representatives of historical and my-< thical characters were the large number of persons who were piqued be^ cause they hadn't had a chance of being m the show themselves. Each camp had support from visitors who had no particular reason to be prejudiced, and, at the end of the day, each was perfectly satisfied. | The only people who were dissatisfied were those -who had been making a tremendous fuss about Lady Godiva's costume, but had to admit, as did everyone else, that it was impossible for it to raise a blush. As a- popular attraction the procession was an unqualified success. Miss Pansy Montagu— "La Milo" of the halls— hadn't a single hostile cri-t tic. That was the great thing. As Lady Godiva passed by on her magnificent white Flemish charger with: turquoise trappings, the crowd applauded as only a crowd affected by a spirit of spontaneous admiration can. They would not have been human had they not remarked on HER SHAPELY LIMBS, where the long, flowing hair and white veiling failed to cover them. But there was nothing whatsoever to shock their sense of modesty. They, might just as well have tried to * be shocked at the mayor and councillors, who had just driven by m frock coats and tall hats of decorous black, Coventry itself boasts 90,000 inhabitants, and at least half as many again must have come m by train and motor and brake from the neighboring towns. When La Milo mounted and was ready to start, the Mayor and Chief Constable were asked to inspect the arrangement. There was no objection to the costume, and out came LA MILO, ALL SMILES, a few minutes before 12 o'clock. The procession consisted of hands of music, a trade section, decorated cars, the banners of workmen's unir ons, friendly societies, fire engines,motor cars, a road train, and cycles of ancient and modern dates. Everywhere the people were most enthusiastic, and La Milo bowed and smiled on the crowds as she passed along. The scene .was a gay one from start to finish.