UN GOLDEN AUTUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 74

UN GOLDEN AUTUMN.

September 10.

" Hie Tain it raineth every day !" A wet summei would have been atoned for by a golden autumn an<i gathered harvest of grains and fruits, but quite shamelessly the -weather forecasts appear every morning : "Fair at first, cloudy later, -with occasional showers" ; " Cloudy at first, with slight showers in many places," ;" "Very cool northerly winds, showers in the east" ; "Gusty and 1 very changeable ; some Sharj showers ; temperature falling"; "Cloudy at first ; north-easterly winds, slight- showers in many places." The ''fair &i first" is a delusion. It is so "first" in the day's programme that the item is missed by those who do not attend the day's pageant at dawn. The occasional eliowers choose for the occasion all the daylight hours, and the slight showers in many pkces -get mixed it. their courses so that we have them all, besides raining all t»h« way tiiere* and) back. " The "fair latei," being interpreted, means that it is so late one has gone to bad. The golden proar'ise of a mo»tih ago has not been realised, aoc 1 fields oj ruined aad ungarfi'^red gradn have saddened the farmer's "harvest home." ,' This month, under normal conditions, Is one of the most beauiiinl in England, aU ruscKt and red and gold, the wisteria hanging its scarlet garlands, and the •woodlands the envj of ths artist's brush. But, ctank and so-d'isn, it seems that this year's foliage will fall untirsted into the mud, like the yeETS of sm unbeautifui old age. Already th>3 nests ar- empty,- and the groves all but idlest' of bird-song. The southward migration leaves the upper air fiee for the human aviatca-s, <m whose flight the world has lately bosn tern ing its eyes. The cuckoo and the butcherbird and the swifts have gene, laTge flocks of tJiem with unerring instinct winging tlieir way to sunny dimes, and soon the hou.^s martins will follow the sand martir?, and last of all will go th.3 swallows. The Kin^ has returned to England m jeiicot health, and has been the guest during the week of Lord and Lady Savile at Rufford Abbey for the Doncaster races. This is his Majesty's tsnfch visit to Ru-f-iovd Abbey, made each succeeding year after his return from Marienbad,_ and for eijht years he has attended th<3 &t. Leger Week "at Dorccaster. Lady Savile is a charrrriiig hostess, and has had the honour of entertaining the Queen at various times. Her Majesty :s: s now away in Norway— also the Princess Victoria and the Prince and Princess of Wales. The same guests are nearly always invited to meet the King ai Bufford Abbey. Amcnj them this year are Lord and Lady Londonderry. Sir Hedge wori.h Williamson, Lord and * Lady Dalmeny, Mrs Hette&ge — .vho is a daughter." of Lady S&vile's first marliage—Lady Sarah Wifeon, and t. number c-f others. Clifford Abbey is a very beautiful old pta.~o, situated in a bea-otifnl part ■=©! the north. It was formally a religious houe3 belonging, it is said, to ' the Cistercian Monks. Henry VIII granted it to the then Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford in return for estates -is, Ireland, and James. I and Charles \ used it \\ig~D hunting in h'hej'wo-d Forest. The prsstnt hoase is built on the site an.d incorporated with the old abbey, and all the present -day improvement?* are pefcted to tJie picturesqueness of the old house. The old rsdbrick hall of tie Abbey, heavily beamed, Is a portion of the- historical building, arrd here, with its magnificent oak, one could picture the monks, and the haunters returned from the chase, and the theu primeval forest gathered round the magnifiosni fireplace. The Donoaster race meeting is not on svica a huge scale as Ascot, but the conntry houses of rapjry society foJk are in the neighbourhood, near enough to motor to tfe course, and many people return from t^3 shooting end the Contixtent to bs at thi«j smartest o* the autumn meetings. York is not, too far off for many • tc come from there each cay, a-rsd the Earl and Countess of Scarborough are entertaining a party of friends at Sandbeck Park ; the Earl and Counters Fitzwilliam a large party at thenbeautiful Wentworth Wood hou*-c, which is om of the largest private houses of England's many beautiful family mansion?. Th.9 Duchess of Newcastle is alio entsrioinin* at Clumber, and Lord and Lady Wer.tJcck at Escrik. I'be Earl and Counters of Scarborough havt> a grand old pir.ee, Luin-ky Castle — an cM feudal s*at, Tihich dominates the V«ll«y of the Weir ; b.:.t t.hey ccc entertjdiMng their guests for ihe St Lef-er nt tfiei? favourite country house nsar Eotherhaen. The Couniv»ss is jiiymg the pretty ar.d c.ha.r-cinj hi si-esses of lh* tiny. Lord »! J Lady Gal way are also taa'ong the popular hosts in the region of DoiK«.ster. rv.A have friends rt Ser'ey Ha-11. Lady Ga-lway i- .-cry handsome, tall ard dark, with a ta?te for amateur tlt-eatricals. nlio bcrseif ha\inv; written a comedy, in whic'i s-hs t-ook part. She is :'J--o r.otf-d for her liolitJcal ;,<_U'. ities, and make* r.n excelled spseth on cxaMO!"-. gir Thomas an-d Lady Katihleen Pilkmcrton are others oi the popular owiveis of houses ■ near Donea«ter, ar.d at Cbr-veL Park. the party i« aJways a dUtinguishc.l one, Lady Pilkington herself being alvay<« arnoDT .the liandsome&t and best -dressed women on the coiwse. The ram this w€ek spoilt a good deal of tbe pleasure of t! s meetings. The opening day was not favoured with fine weather, and altliongli dresses that with the sunshine would hnve been forthcoming were not worn, son.c very &mai-t ' costumes which forecast the

fashionable modes and colours for the autumn were on the course. The magpie combination of black and white is considered extremely smart this season, and .during the week there have been some striking examples of the combination. T!he King, whose Tacing clothes set ths fashion among the men, wore on. the opening day a black frock coat and tall black silk hat, anr 1 a red tie. Some of the ladie* 1 costumes give an idea of what is being worn. Lady Stivile wore a wide-brimmed hat encircled with ostrich feathers in an indeterminate «hade of pinky heliotrope and a lather elaborate dre-E'S~ in which grey w«j tLe predominant note. TBt Duchess of Roxburghe was wearing a full shade of Oxford Wue, with featliers of a paler shade in a big hat, and a feather boa. Lady London- ; derry was beautifully dressed in black with touches of pink. Lady Sarah Wilson wore black of a novel cut, with bright blue intrc- j duced on the bodice. Mrs Skeffington-Smyth, in a willow-green striped material and a black velvet mob j hat with a. tawny osprey. Mrs Ruperc i Beckett wore an immense hat with out- I spreading tangerine .vings and a black and grey £oile;te. Lady- Muriel Herbert was ill bright pink clcth. Lady Xanburnholme, in j grey with a green hut. L*dy St. Oswald was in pale grey cloth with a. black hat. Mrs William Lay;son was in blue serge. Lady de- Bathe hr.'d ojie of the new CoSsacx hats with a very smart gown. Lady Exeter's blue cloth was braided, and j she wore a becoming hat. liaSy Barbara i Smiih wore ons of the few linen dresses to I l>a ?een. Lady George Dundas was' in a rt'Sjrberry-pink cloth, with a. beaver soft ha', i Lady Wilmot had t-cuches of blue with n. insuve dress, Lady Berkeley Paget woi& pale grey with blue flowers in her hat. and i Lady Lonsdale had embroid€ri33 on a black drers s.nd a back and white hai. Lady de Trafford were pale ciiuianKMi-browa cloth. Mrs Arthur SoincTe-et was in bue and fawn. Mrs Fetherstonfcaugh chose bright chocolate frieze, Lady Crofton kad a mushroom hat with a blue dress, Miss Naylor was in pal? grey, .and Mrs Godfrey Bering wore a burnt straw hat with a black dress. Miss Jane Ihornewill was wearing pastel shades with a heliotrope hat, and Mrs Godfrey Heneage was in cinnamon brown. L-ady Dou«aal, in dark blue cloth<and a black ha-t, snd Lady Headfort, in mauve frieze, with roses in a flat hat. Lady Fitzwilliam had a bns vei=t with a dark blue dress and a pink h«t. Lady Ilchester was dre.=^«d with. ; quiet distinction in dark blue, with wing? ] of a brighter shade in • her n«t. and Lady j Helmsley, too, was- wearing a darkish shade , of b!ue. which was certainly the popu'av ! colour of the day. Among the co&tumes on another day were : Mrs Chauncey wor> a wonderful trottoir cofitume of prune-coloured serge that' looked as if. it had come straight from Paris ; Lady George Uuadas, in olive-green corduroy, velve'toan. The Duche?s of Roxburghe was in black, with the fashionable blßck antl white bat. Nesr her Fat Lady Ilohester and Lady Londonderry, the latter wearing purple. Lady Sarah Wilson were white with a becoming white and black hat. Mrs Rupert; Beckatt clio&s a well-made blus serge ccat and ekirt with a, lcrge _h»t trimmed with pale i^ink. Mrs William Lawson was dressed in blue, and Mrs Godfrey Heixcage was mcsl smartly attired. The Duchess of Newcastle wore paJe fawn colour with a terracotta coloured hat and he: cousin Lady Noreen Bass was dressed in a complete costume of Parma violet. - Interesting news comes of the Queen's j holiday it Norwaj*. It is said that her Majesty and Princess Victoria lodge on '\ board the 'royal yacht Victoria and Albe/fc,- which has been moored in the beautiful Christiania fjorck This plan, of course, seewes the utmost 'uxitry to the KngHsh. royal visitors, and lessens the ex- I pe»*e to the King oi" Norway, whose civil list is not great. His subject* are simple- : minded and democratic in their tastes, ! and the entertainment if the Queen of ! England it royal statr would be disliked "as a pos&ible step towamds the establishment of grades of rank." Kdng Haakon's royal household consists of only six per- j sons, acd "Queen Maud's of three, and j they heve a snm!l list of domestic ' servants — a quite primitive household coroparad wibh P3r.gland*s royal state, j Queen Alexandra does most of the enter- j taining oi. ti» royal yacht w'nile she is in j fho fjords of Xor«-ay. While on this noli- I day her Majesty rests from lunations as much as possibse, and spends the greater j part of her time driving about or taking j excursions. When her Majesty goes on to Denmark, a.ud v. ill nave tli£ boc-lety of her sifter. T&ai>iua ilarie, and her biother tlw Kir.g of Denmark, and a rrumber of oilier "elaticns. Princess Victoria, who is a ivont devoted companion of her mother, w'n'\ stay behind fevthret week>, the 'j;vp?i, of her sister Queen Maud, and will then ,io emiuny her sn.d Ki^g Haakon on their annual v>Lt to Copenhagen. With the <uitmim .^-ea : on most of the theatres we open .lyiin. eiih-er with levivaLs or n«w pp lay.=.1 ay.=. So far no p-a.rt:<cul«n play appears to have taken the toun by stoim. Ih*? most Lntens-e]) c-i-amatiic event of the w»>ek is the lival claims of the two arctic explorers, Dr Cook and Commander Peary. Each cbims to have been the fiivt to h-ave reached t:ie Xorth J-'cte. The w.:nideis of Avuiioi' Wc-ek a.t Khcims, when ihe Pwd-men fil'-ci al! tlie papers with piint and illustration?, nov. iufl flat. Mr Cody's record aeroplane flight at Aldorshot ye>t^rday, during whi'.h h-e established a world's rc-coixl for cross-countiy flight?, i» baioly interestin-^ among t!ie coluiuhs of €x<ixirhg controversy as to the \eracity of Dr Co°k ! F .-.nnounc-eraent that he i^ tlie discoverer cl .he lonjj-s-oiig.ht North Pole. It is one of th« mo?t draniatic coincidences in the world's history that it wa» at the d:nr.3r jriven in hit honoirr by scientfetn who believed that he was the th^t to reach the. North Pole — ar.-| among whom wc-ie Ijr Nc.rmm Hr.ns«-n and Captain Hvcr<u!p, whose t-our-e Dr Ccok ;-a>id h & M hi, cd — that PeaiVs telegiam : '"Have nulled the- l^tars and S^tripea to the North

Pole," was handed in. The banquet 1 went on, however, just the ssan«. Dr Cook was decorated with a chaplet of roses, an>d high honours conferred upon him. Hi&.rigs!Jk to these Peary denies, and claims for himself , asserting that Dr Cook was never within hundreds of miles of the coveted goal. All the world awaits the verdict, and Dr Cook's proofs. There is ! an odd feud between the two explorers, and however much right Peary has on his side, he certainly lacks dignity, and nis vntuperatdon of bis rival is in thft worst taste. Dr Cook, on the other hand, is reserved. At Copenhagen last night Dr Cook said-. — " It is hardly possible that he has tailed to find traces of my journey." He accepted Commander Peary's claim without the slightest hesitation, and said, musingly, several tinves, " He- must have got there after me." He has sinoe rather increased Ms reticence as Tegards bard fact?. His lecture contained no attempts at proving his own claim, though the King of Denmark wa9 among his hearers. " Wait fcr my complete book, is sJI be will say. But Denmark continues to believe in Dr Cook, and his story though the few who doubted all along are becoming more asser tive, and, while they do not directly attack his statements, are boldly asking, "Is it possible that two years in the Arctic solifiides has somewhat- confused his memory on his leniarkable experiences?" There never was a man more collected, patient, and unassuming. He is apparently as s*,ne and transparently holiest ns his ! admirers could wish. If nis account of how ; he reached the Pole shcruld prove in parts a j fca-iry ta'e it is almost certain that he him1 self believes he really reached bis goal with I Ahwe-lsh and Etukishnk. Mr Egan, the American Minister, has been j Dr Cock's advi?er ajid staunch supporter S ev«r since the explorer's- delirious welcome. ! Dr Cook has appeared constantly in th« nriacir>e.\ streets seated beside Mr Egan in Legation carriage's. He hss occupied one of the best rooms at a leading hotel, where ev>sry p.v:u]aA>'e- hour has been soent with' his secretary in dealing with shoals cf telegrams and letters. A presentation group of polar bears pdorns hi 9 writing table. A. dozen vases ere filled with, choice flowers, the gifts of admirers. Though-his mind appears to be perfectly clear and aleTcj^t is posaib'e that lcug absence. from ivilinauon has made bin* indifferent to tbe simplest precautions for sustaining his remarkable story. Why did he not bring his diary ajid observations with bira to Copenhagen? Why did he not bring his two Eskimo comrades, or at leasi sworn statements by them ? Why did las come to Copenhagen at all, having already challenged the world with his tremendous claim, without being prepared to n*eet the sternest, keenest criticism ? 'Yet when onetalks with Dr Cook, doubt seen?? to vanish. '"This m*.n must be speaking the truth" is the uppermost thought hi cne's mind, and he -is so candid, so modest, (hat it seems an insult to suspect him, even of a mental delusion or - unconscious exaggeration.