ROYAL DUKE IN AMERICA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15396, 7 March 1912, Page 5

ROYAL DUKE IN AMERICA

HUMOURS OF THE VISIT. COMMOTION AMONG HOSTESSES. SOCIAL AMBITIONS. (FiiOii On Ou.v CoßiiMrfj.vi)EXT.l LONDON. January 24. The Dnko awl Puehcw of Connanght anil Princess Patricia have Iwcn paying a fliort vitit to SH' York, and have boeu treated right royally. Delirious excitement, However, wired on oortain •ectiotis of totriety, who feared that if their names did imi apjicar as pre-se-nt at ono of the various funv lions arrangod in honour of the royal visitors they wodd be rolcgiitod for ever lo the outer jiab. Mis Ogd«'n Mills .ii.d -.Mi - Whitclaw Roxl wc-re credited with lb' ambition to offcct a diastic reduction in the nuinlier of those claiming membership of circles socially e.lect, and thai they intended insko tlio royal visit tiio (i<c.i>i<in ior tibowiug who beloiig«vl lo "scx ieiv." Tli.'re la<lios piihlkhed i.-idignant di.'<Jaimers. and ii was explained that " .Mr and Mr» Wliit"law Roid havo licen .•<> long alwnt, irum inotrofiolitan srxaely that ihev eaniiol. |itetoml V) know oven a lithe of those entitled to »>cial distinction. The idea that tlie list of tlioso invitnl lo meet the Duko and Duchess is designed lo <on.stituto a' new locial register is. in lacl. so dist;ist<'.ful to tiiern that tlioy will lvfmin from publishing the list." Tho iieusiKipcn m.vle tnorry at Ihe expen.'n of .wnety |,oopl.i, In no other i«untry," obwrtes I lie New York Times, "would tho advent of an uneje ol the reigning monarch, aoromnanied by his ttifo ium! (tiiufhler, cause nearly so great a ft'inJ stir, fiijjciider so many soti;d (nmplications, or otAiAion so muoh lieartbuniing as in this country, wlnwo tlie superiority of kings and tlio social Claims of IJieir kinsmen are supposedly not r<*«giMsod. Tho obvious reason is that we havo no luislocracv, and • illicitly no IrvMlnrship whieJi Ls not purely ollioiftl." Additional comfort is conferred on iho uninvited bv tho Now York Sun. wliWi compUms that oven tlio publication of the list of tho people asked to meet royalty would cast no social slur on Irwlies ami gentlemen wlki have not I teen asked. W'itJi Mveel it points out that, a-s tho royrd visit is oocurrmg at the shortest notice, many people of ino tiest soe.iely liavo already arc-opted invitations to functions previously arranged. Tho New York American suggests that it will bo a good opportunity for Princess Patricia to cliooso an American millionaire for her hiulwnd. After recording as a fact that the Duko has npprmed t.he list of the 200 people invilfd lo ineel him, liio Americon proooods: " Princess Patricia will liavo tlio first opportunity of inspecting the young men of Amoriea at. close range. Every door will lm opon_ lo lier. so tluit she can'judge of tho American suitor on his own soil." SNAPPING THE DUKE. ArmieJi of nowKpa]ior reporlers were enpagtyl to follow tlm royal party about Now \ork, and it Ls admitted lliat liie publio Waived iplc.iitf.dly, very different from 10 years ago. wlion l'rino' I Icnry rf Pnissia was gre<'ted with eritw of "Hullo, lien, how's brolhnr Hill?" Tho Evening Journal Urns ilesc.rilies the Iblke: " It was a very good-natured, kindlv, jovial iiiemlier nf English royally lluii'f'H out from (he honie of Wliitelaw Reid shortly n'ter 9 litis morning. Tho Duko was accompanied by Captain Rivets liulkelev, his A.D.U I •'or tlie information of those disomies of I Wan Hnimmol who love to copy English styles it niavlw said that tlm hrftlJmr of (.Ikj Into Kin? !'/lw;ir<l wnro n black Derby hat, a dark sac suit, and a large blue overcoat, of I'lster pattern. You could not havo told his oullil from tho regular kind that aro sold in New York clothing stores for 20 dollars (£4). The photographer* gavo tlw Duko a .sahile of 21 wiaps, and tJien foil into line Idiind Uio reporters. Tho Duko soemed greatly nffoctttl h_v this liilmlo, so deeply that, ho w*us grimnng- broadly as he slrotio alotjg at a rapid rale. Now tn'en, pfiotograpln'ni, ran in front of Iho Duko, mako sum lie is all tWe, and then| lake a Tew snaps of him." J'his lo a!>p.-aI Ixnond nioasiiro to ms So||(4) of humour, for lie smiled outright. 1 in, gentle reader, menilK'r.s of txiyally can laugh just as hoaJtilv a? a longshoiviiiiut olf duly can." incrkdiwa; di^iocuatic. Th:s Evening World that" tj'o (Mliiocratto manners of the I hike aro «o |nyf(vl M to Ihi incredible. Full of adiiiir.itipji, it tlorerilxv, bow the ~t first ad.iuiafit to tiie npiKStU of tJie phoun graphers, but, finally topped, and, laughing Ji«irtily. exclaitiinl. •' I eapilulate. I an your prifl'iior. Priino your weai>ons, geutlenen. a rid fire aivav." After the pictures wore l.iiien |Jk> victorious army of photogniplu'rs raised tilieir hat* to 'salute, and the Duke acknowledged the saluto by raking his Di'rby. Th« reporWn; then tried to interview Uio Duke, but ho showed liimfelf lo lm a rare diplomatist, 110 smileil Jtiost aiT.ll)l}' wlimi a (piostioii wus put. to him, but I tot a word did ho utter. His wnilo was so charming that tlio reporlers could not' jxwsibly feel-tho letist bit peevish. Doscribing another wonc, tlio (ilol»says: " 'IV D'lktt and Dtiehtva nee.med atuioyetl at. the throng of tlio curious, but tho txwitiful Pnt, smihyl licjiipnantly ami onioy.;x| tlio scene hugely. l>]> 45 storeys of tho highest Imilding the lioval party was v.bisked. jMitil at iai allitu'do of 7Coft Mr Rei<l_ cxliibiled to them a bird's-eye viewof Now York. Gas]* of wonderment esmncd tlw lijw of Royalty. " Isn't it marvellous?" Such was (Ih> appreciative cotnlitont that ratno from tho lijvj of ftdricia, vhilo her lioyal mother exptvtwod her irontlorineut in a moro royaj and Ik-iico more (otiservalivo manimr. 'Ihe DuJ;o, iimling ho a now poir of in-eghtsay;, drovo to a I'orty-MVond street optician. He purchased ctes in iui aluminium tvise. ana Loirthor drmr a wnlh>t from bin hip |xiolvvt, expoMtl a roll that msombled foveriil million dolkirs. rml |wid tho optician. Tho Duko thanked the optician fervently, and as ha left the shop lifted his hat, while tlie «hop force jraztxl on tlio r«Mio in Waj»k nmozntient. "Hiat iho Duko?' Iho optician, wiping his brow and shouting 'Goo',' Moro ho would rot say for publication." Mr Rrid's mansion, where the Royal puests aro staying, h.w l*vn lieseigi'd by "cranks" desiring to promote their pet johcHnos with tlio aid of the Duke. Ono ag.>l woman, carrying a tracts, rung tlie Ml :u'kl exphtinod that sho attemhxl a rnvptipn given by Ihe Prince of AVahn at a Kiftli avtimio hotel two lions atfi. " I do not know tlto Duke.' 1 the blandly remarked, " kit 1 wiint to tell him all about tho visit hotv of his ,'dear hinieul<xl brotlior. .1 iwall the visit xvry clearly. Tsioi\> wns an awful cnnnl at tho hotel. Aftor tho old lady had departed n iwin in clerical dr ( «. appeiovd and tieclartl*!, "I must see tlio Duke. 1 want him to petition Contrtvss to tuko the lax otf Kx'r."