"ALIENS" LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 83

"ALIENS" LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

December 3. The birthday celebration of our beloved Queen Alexandra at Sandringham on December 1 has been the chief social event of the week. Surrounded by most of the members of her family, the First Lady of the Empire received congratulations from the world over. If her Majesty is “only ns old as she looks,” as it is said of other women, she is still youthful, for she retains her graceful figure, light step, and erect carriage, and enters into the in- ■ tercets and duties of State, society, and I her home with the same apparent gracious enthusiasm as years ago; and if sometimes she looks sad, it must be remembered how many of her kith and kin i connected with other thrones are or have been in jeopardy. It is marvellous how her Majesty finds the time or strength for the multitudinous demands upon her; but it was known that at the end of this last- season she felt the strain, hut the bracing air of the Highlands and at her native country banished her weakness. It is said that she will remain in comparative quiet at Sandringham during most of the winter to recuperate for the next spell of arduous undertakings, beginning with the opening of Parliament in February and the early Drawing Rooms. On the morning of her birthday the , Queen was busy most of the early part of the day examining her letters and telegrams of congratulation, which came from nearly every country in the world and all the courts of Europe. The birthday gifts were very numerous and beautiful. The Prince and Princess of Wales and Queen Maud of Norway visited the royal mother j in the morning, and a little later the ’ grandchildren Prince Dial of Norway and the English Princess Mary of Wales brought the"presents they had personally chosen. The Queen looked radiant when, accompanied by her daughters. Princess Victoria and Queen Maud, and the Princess of Wales, she joined the King . and the shooting party for lunch at | Dersert Ingham Fields. The party re- 1 turned early to inspect the magnificent ; display of presents, which had been set out in the salon, and afterwards her Majesty visited her grandchildren, who were given a-special tea in honour of the day. 'All the school <! lildren on the Sand- i Thigh am Estate rejoiced in a holiday and a high tea in the schoolroom, which was served to about a thousand buys and girls. In London a salute of 41 guns was fired at St. James’s' Park, and salutes were fired at Windsor and military stations, flags flying from the Prime Minister’s house and other official residences. In the evening the banquet at Sandringham was a. brilliant function, at which the royal ladies wore magnificent gowns and -ewels. Besides the members of the Royal ' rnim.ily; there were present Lord and Lady Salisbury, the Marquis de Several, Mr and Mrs Arthur Sassoon, Lord and Lady Itipon, Lord Derby, Lord and Lady • Ur and Kellie, Lord Howe, Lord Herbert ■ Vane-Temrpest, Lord and' Lady Woiverton, Mr Sidney Holland, and others. Herr Gottlieb’s band played during dinner, and afterwards there was a concert in the ballroom by the Russian Balalaika Orchestra. The day was one of rejoicing, in which the poor participated, for there is never any rejoicing at the royal palaces in which the borough does not directly or indirectly share. An authority cays that the “tips” to royal servants and presents to the poor a royal borough miring the visit of a Personage are conetimes' extremely handsome, and that the voung King Manuel would not find his State visit to Englan d and the non our of the Garter cheap, aa every potentate , not only hands over a large sum of money ; to be distributed among the servants of , the household and the poor of the parish, bub usually leaves “a cartload of diamond pins, snuff boxes, watches, and so forth, - tliat are presented to everybody who has played an important part in ensuring nis safety and comfort. The same authority ; save : ! “Windsor Castle has its traditions ot munificence, and royal servants can tell • •one another the status of the late Czar, the- Emperor Napoleon 111, the German Emperor, and all the rest of Che visitors who gave such a deal of trouble by tne amount of their tips. Napoleon 111 left a sweet savour behind him. But the record is still held by tire Emperor Nicholas. The Russian Czar handed over £2OOO for tips to the servants at Windsor Castle, and nearly half as ranch again for various charities. The housekeeper at the castle received a panire of diamonds worth £1000.” • The two weeks of the historic Budget debate in the House of Lords, which Gas brought between 600 and 700 peers, and in many cases their families also, up to town, has made a great difference in the West End, • which usually at this season of the year is abandoned by .the great families for their country seats and shooting parties and haunts. The Budget has affected the hostess as well as the country generally, and with another general election in view a great deal of social revision has to be done, not only as aegaids names, but dates. The political hostess ■suffers the most, and fixtures cannot be made far ahead 1 , for all the desirable somebodies of both Houses are very much engaged fighting each other ; and although the town residences are open, with my lord on the woolsack or in the lobby, no organised plan of entertaining can be carried out, so that restaurant dinners and theatre parties arranged for off nights are the order of the day, and theatre managers are rejoicing In an unusual preYuletide boom. It Is more and more becoming the custom, too, for country people to entertain an this way, inviting parties to a restauwmT dinner in London j ---+-drift.- ° maadn aiiaEßaida

(Specially Written for the Witness Ladies' Page.J

EARLY WINTER SOCIAL EVENTS.

book 10, 20. or even 50 seals for one party in a group. The Christmas pantomime season promises to be an unusually busy one. More than 120 will be performed in the United Kingdom, and a long list in London alone. The two chief in the West End will be at Drury Lane Theatre, the head of the pantomime world, and at the Lyceum Theatre; and Doth theatres win produce cbfierent versions of “Aladdin.” Tire peeresses have shown remarkable interest' in. the six days’ great debate in the House of Lords, quite a number ap- \ pearing in the Peeresses’ Gallery every I day listening to the speeches. The last scene in the House on Tuesday night, j when, by a majority of 275 to 75, the amendment was carried “ That this House is not justified in giving its consent to this bill until it has been submitted to the judgment of the country,” was «, memorable one. ‘‘The House was crowded to the utmost. The brilliant, heraldically emblazoned roof, lire scarlet benches, and the green carpet, with the flashing jewels of the peeresses in their Gallery, made a gorgeous colour-setting to a great scene,” says one who witnessed it. And among those ladies who , had the right to be there are some of j the most beautiful and accomplished ; women of England, and some of its most ■ charming hostesses, trained, many of them, ; as well 'as born, to the dignities and responsibilities of their position. A few minutes before 12, amid a dramatic and expectant, silence, the verdict was given. There was some hissing in the -Strangers Gallery. Big Ben boomed out 12 while ' the Lord Chancellor was announcing the result of the voting, and then the great ! crowd poured out into the quiet of St. j Stephen’s, for the police had cleared from • the square the crowd who stood expect- j aut outside the railings; but there was . no demonstration of any kind. Among the peeresses who were present ; at the close of the debate w,a-s the Duchess , of Connaught, the Duchess of Wellington, the Duchess of Somerset, the Marchioness of Exeter, and the Marchioness of Winchester. The great bazaar season is now here, and those ladies whose names help on the cause- of charity have a busy time before them between now and Christmas, for there are innumerable sales -and bazaars, all more or less artistically attractive so as- to draw full purses. One of the chief social events of the week was thei opening by thia Duchess of Con- ; naught and the Princess Patricia of the : great tableau picture bazaar at the Royal , Opera House, Covent Garden. It was a ; most successful function, the house being | crowded, half the social world being in the stalls and boxes. Lady Castlerea-gh, who -inaugurated the bazaar, and the Bishop of London m,et the Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia as they ‘ arrived punctually at half-past 3, the time appointed for the opening. The Bishop of London gave a short address, followed by a few remarks by the Duke of Connaught, then the Duchess declared the bazaar open. Her Grace wore a costume of smoke-grey w,ith a large plumed hat, and the Princess a coat and skirt of i dark velvet. The stalk were arranged all round the Opera Bouse and in the space where the pit tier boxes usually are, and stalls were close to the orchestra, the middle of the Opera House being left for promenading; but the crowd was so dense and the ladies’ hats so numerous that it was almost impossible to move about. : The tableaus were very beautiful, and represented by well-known society people, ! a number of the nobility taking part. The first tableau was after Sir Joshua , Reynoldses celebrated picture, “The Ladies WaJgrave,” three -beautiful women posing , for it. Mrs Winston Churchill reprej tented Lady Jane Grey in Paul DdaI roc lie’s picture, “The Execution of Lady : Jane Grey.” All the pictures represented ■ were bv famous artists. Marcus Stone’s • two pictures—•“ How Happy Could Ibe with Either ” and “ Two’s Como an v. Three’s None ” —were among the number. Princess Christian, too, has been busy in the cause of charity during the week, presiding at a stall at the P.oyal School of Art-Needlework, where the Christmas sale attracted a number of purchasers, many of them being personal friends of the Prin-ce.-s. Another interesting function of the week in. which royalty took part- was the opening by the Princess Louise. Duchess of Argyll, of the- Colonial Fruit Exhibition at the Royal Horticultural Hall. The Princess was accompanied by the Duke, and although the rain, poured in torrents there was a very large attendance of colonial visitors and others. Princess . Louise wore exquisite funs, with a brown velvet costume and ochre-coloured satin ! bat with feathers. The Princess made a ; tour of the exhibition with the agent sgeneral of the colonies, inspecting the wonderful fruits. After the opening ceremony the Princees was presented with an exquisite bouquet of white, mauve, and yellow orchids. The King’s Colonials’ Band played delightfully while the inspection was being made. The colonial fruits at the White City called forth much wonder at their colour and size, and this exhibitor! will deepen the impression then made. S The Duchess of Marlborough gave a reception at Sunderland House the other day. and among her guests raised nearly £4OO for the Church of England Waifs and Strays’ Society, which has rescued nearly 15.000 destitute children. i Veoferdnv woo

for charitable purposes, and despite a gale of wind and rain thousands of ladies thronged the halls and spent thousands of pounds in purchasing. Princess Henry of Battenberg opened a bazaar in Camelford House, Park lane, which was lent by the Duchess of Buccleuch for iho occasion, the stalls being laid out in the beautiful rooms. Lord Plymouth lent his house in Mount street for a Christmas sale of work in connection with the Ladies Work Society, which Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, opened, and where in the handsome ballroom the- exquisite embroideries were set out to great advantage, prominent among them being a lovely piece of work executed from a design by the Princess. There was a band stationed on the landing, and when Princess Louise arrived the- strains of “God save lire King” greeted her. She was wearing the handsome brown, velvet costume worn the previous day at the Colonial Fruit Exhibition, and carried the bouquet of orchids presented to her on that occasion. The Duchess of Portland opened the new Church Army Winter Relief Depot in connection with the poor of Marylebone. Lady Enington opened another charity sale of work at Chelsea, in aid of friendless girls, and a long list of other notabilities were engaged on similar work, not in. London alone, but all over the country, to catch the Christmas purchaser for the aid of the needy. And, alas! how many there arc! But the women of England set a noble example of aid. It ha.s so long been the fashion of the society journalist to report functions of pleasure that those afar off are apt to get a one-sided picture of the great ladies of the land. A nearer view presents the other side also—that of cultured and accomplished women, using their gifts as industriously as those of less exalted station in works of need. While the Princess of Wales can stitch through many evenings making useful garments for the

poor the ladies of England can scarcely despise the' humble needle, which through the evolution of womanhood' has played its part, weaving a fabric into the history of the world from the cradle to the grave. The most interesting wedding of the week—in political circles anyway—was that of the sister-in-law of Mr Herbert Gladstone, the Homo Secretary, unbeloved of iho suffragettes and persecuted in. public on all possible occasions for hie imprisonment of the offenders. Miss Hylda Paget and Mr A. E. Balfour were married yesterday at St. Peter’s Church, and •to avoid any “vote.s-fo.r-'women ” interruptions, as Mr Gladstone was to give the bride away, extraordinary precautions were taken to keep the name of the church where the wedding took place a secret from all but the guests. The Bishop of London officiated. The bride made a. charming picture as she walked up the aisle in the procession, wearing her gown of white satin, with long train draped with exquisite old lace and heavy silver trimming, which was repeated on the corsage. The tulle veil was held with a chaplet of orange blossoms, and the bride carried a. bouquet of real orange blossom, sprigs. Eight child bridesmaids wore long, pleated frocks, and made an effective group with winged caps of gold and filigree. Each carried an old-time stiff posy of pink and mauve and white.