“ALIEN’S” LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3511, 28 June 1921, Page 49

“ALIEN’S” LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

(Specially Written for the Ladies' Page.) IN THE NIEAXTLVE. April 27. If it were not pathetic it would be funny to hoar the laments over "the good old days” departed. Not only do we hear very little from the optimists contenting that wonderful new world that was to conic in with the peace, but the pessimists are bewailing the passing of the things that were in 1914. In answer to the query When were the “good old days”? one answers with a quotation from Fronde's "History of England,” referring to an earlier period, when “strong beer, such as we now buv for Is 6d a gallon, was then Id a gallon, and table beer less than lid. French and German wines were Is 6d the gallon, Spanish and Portuguese wines Is. "’his was the highest price at which the best wines might he sold, and if there was any fault in quality or quantity the dealers fox felted four times the amount.” And now they hare to pay 2jd for •• half pint of beer by no means strong”—that, is, 3s 7d a gallon ; and the worst- possible wines are at prohibitive prices. It scarcely comforts the spirit drinker that lie can now purchase spirits on a Saturday, the restriction having been removed that

barred that day, and have it retailed to him in email quantities to drink off licensed premises, while he still has to pay 12s 6d a. bottle at 30 per cent, under proof! Another looks backwards to the good days before the food-profiteering, and quotes an advertisement from the Illustrated News, 1843, as follows : J. CRAFT, PHILPOT LANE, CITY, offers to the public bacon of excellent quality, which ii© receives weekly from a farmer m Wiltshire, who attends to the feeding and rearing of his pigs in such a way as to make the bacon of a most delicious flavour, and which will be sure to suit the most delicate stomach. Sold by the side or haifside, 6d per pound, carriage free. While noxv the meagre rasher that lies upon the favoured breakfast plate costs 3s or more per lb. Surely, says another, there were no “good old days" if the world lias been moving forwards. “Yet many of us look back with longing to the days of the twopenny tube—ail the way for tuppence.” Others declare that the ‘‘good old days” were days of youth, when, hope springing eternal, one “dipped into the future far as numan eye could see” and saw the wonder of the world, and all that might one day be. A woman says there were no ‘‘good old days” for women. A woman’s day is now and in the future. Others say there never existed any good old days at any time; that the aged sage has always lamented over the degeneracy of the present, and regretted the good days that are past. Anyhow, England was a much more pleasant place to live in than it is to-day, with its scurry and rush, demand, and out-reaching. We have left leisure and have not gained satisfaction. And in the meantime ? Well, the moment is a very ‘‘mean” time, and those who want to hear the very worst that can be said of the sins of modern “Fashion” should get tlie book HOW out by the “Gentleman with a Duster,” entitled “The Glass of Fashion.” The author is understood to be Mr Harold Begbie, whose opinion of fashionable society is not high. He says: It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that great numbers of young men in fashionable society pick up their wives just as a sensualist picks up a woman in the street. ■ : ’ . The chorus girl whom they find so seductive at a table in a- restaurant, f*' rintoxicating in the padded recesses of a motor car, is a person of no education and of few morals; she would not for the world walk the pavements at night, but she would not scruple to sell herself into a union, legal or illegal, with a rich man for whom she entertains no deep affection. She belongs, as a rule, to the lower middle classes, and has spent her childhood in the suburbs. Iler solitary cleverness is a faculty for imitation; she can affect a drawl of boredom, lias all the phrases of smart society on the tip of her tongue, and can powder her chin in public with the very gesture of a duke’s daughter. Fundamentally she is as ignorant as a lied Indian. That a young Englishman of the highest class in the land, with all the brilliant and beautiful women of the world to choose from, should select such a trivial little baggage as this for the mate of his soul andl the companion of his life is not a matter for amusement or amazement, but a fact of great social importance. But that all the young Englishmen of high degree _ do not forget their social duties in their choice of a bride, and that the “trivial little baggage” is the rare exception a study of the society weddings of to-day will prove, and be ample reassurance of the pessimist. 1 he weddings ot last week were numerous, two of the most important being that of Miss Fiona. Meeking to Lord Somers, First Life Guards, and Miss Mollie Lascelles to the Earl of Dalkeith, heir to the Duke of Buccleuch. The Meeking-Somers marriage took place at St. Paul’s, Knightsbridge, and was attended by a large congregation, drawing a huge crowd of spectators. Lining the approach to the church were 30 men of the bridegroom’s regiment in their full splendid uniform, and at the gate were stationed four trumpeters who sounded a fanfare as the bride arrived. Miss Meeking was the daughter of a soldier, her father being the late Captain Bertram Meeking, and of Mrs Johnson Iler ste-p-father gave her away. When she arrived at the church door she was presented by one of the troopers with an exquisite bouquet of white roses and white heather from the men of ‘ D” Fi.urd Somers’s) squadron. The bride looked charming in a BotticeUe dress of Goth of silver embroidered with silver pearls, outlining the neck and forming the girdle, and the train of beautiful old" lace fastened to the shoulders with pearls. The long tulle veil was held bv a band of small clusters of orange blossoms and tiriv gi'een leaves. The two small pages—one tlie son of the Earl and Countess of v larondon, nephew of the bridegroom, the other a tiny mite of three, son of Lady As tor ivas too young to perform his duties, and remained with his nurse at the bottom of the church. There were seven bridesmaids, who wore dresses of tea-rose pink chiffon, with vieux bleu roses and green leaves at the waist, and hats of blue tu’le. ‘their bouquets were of pink roses, and each wore a diamond initial brooch surmounted by a coronet of pearls. The marriage service was performed by the Rev. H. L. Somers-Cocks, the uncle of the bridegroom, and rector of Eastnor, and the Bishop of Rochester (Dr Harmer), another uncle, gave the address. Canon Edgar Sheppard and Prebendary Le-dh Tbird also assisted. As the bride and bridegroom left the church the, troopers, who had line.d_.thc nave during the ceremony, fovnleo an arch with their swords. After the reception which the bride’s mother gave at Port-man square the bride and bridegroom left- to spend their honeymoon at Hever Castle, lent by Major the Hon. J. J. and Lady Violet Astor. As they departed the huntsman of the Hursley Hurit, of which the bride’s step-father is Master, sounded a “Tally-ho!” The wedding presents were very numerous and handsome. The King and Queen sent gold cuff links to Lord Somers, and Queen Alexandra sent a similar gift with the

crossed “A’s” in red and white and blue enamel. Five Royal guests, including the Prince of Wales, were at the wedding of Miss Mollie Lascelles and the Earl of Dalkeith, which took place at St. Margarets on the 21st. Some of the ladies in the crowded chuich stood on the pew seats to get a glimpse of the bride and the Prince of "Wales and his brothers. The Prince of Wales sat in the front pew on the righthand side of the church, and the Duke of York and Prince Henry on the left. The Prince of Wales wore the wedding favour of white heather and mvrtle, given him by a bridesmaid, and was heartily cheered outside the church. He was particularly interested in the wedding, as the bride is a kinswoman of Captain Lascelles, one of the Prince’s private secretaries, and the Earl of Dalkeith acted as extra equerry. The bride iooked a charming picture as she walked down the aisle with her uncle, Lord Richard Cavendish, who gave her away. Her gown of white satin was very simply made, with a short train, and hanging from tlie shoulders were draperies of lovely lace (Venetian). She carried a prayer book instead of a bouquet. She wore a wreath of orange blossoms, and her only ornament was a beautiful string of pearls. Two pages attended her and six bridesmaids. The pages were Richard Cavendish and Viscount and Viscountess Aster’s soil Michael. The bridesmaids were Miss Diana Lascelles, Miss Alix Cavendish, Lady Alice and Lady Mary Scott, the Hon. Elizabeth Brand, and the Hon. Margaret Smith. They were all dressed in white with wreathes of apple blossom and sheaves of cherry blossom—a delightful effect of spring. Dr Temple, the Bishop of Manchester, cousin of the gbride, officiated, assisted by Canon Edgar Sheppard, who christened both the bridegroom and the bride. Canon Cock also assisted. Among the presents were numerous gifts from the Royal Family. The dresses worn by the guests were in many cases covered by cloaks, which seem more picturesque and popular than ever. Lady Victoria Bullock wore one in fawn, and the Countess of. Arran’s cape was aeeordeon pleated in navy blue. Quite a number of the cloaks were of black cliarmeuse, trimmed with mole, beaver, or skunk. Tlie society weddings and the forthcoming three Courts to be held in May are a boon to the fashionable dressmakers, who have felt the depression in trade very acutely. The abolition of trains from the Court dresses lias made a great difference in the price of a Court dress, as the costly materials used on the trains ran them into hunderds of pounds. Now it is possible to have quite a beautiful dress for £7O or £BO. and even less if it is made by some of tlie lesser dressmakers. And in ordinary wear there lias been a great reaction from the elaborate clothes of a year ago. This spring has reintroduced the most charming simplicity. The crude colours of last sea: on have given way to softer tints, and white, oyster, cream, ivory, or pearl "ill be much worn—weather permitting ! The American influx of visitors will be greater than ever this season. In hundreds of thousands all told they are already arriving by every steamship from New York, and hotels are booked up far ahead. It is to be hoped that they "ill spend money lavishly ; but the majority of Americans accumulate money taster than they spend it. The King, the Duke of York, and 75,805 spectators, who paid £13.414 7s in gate money, witnessed the cup final which brought the Football Association Cup back to London, amid great enthusiasm. It had been raining in the mornijig, but an enormous throng wended their way to see the final tussle of the season with the Wolverhampton Wanderers, which ended in a goal for the Hotspurs to nil. The grounds were packed an hour before the game, and so great was the pressure on the barriers surrounding the playing pitch that one of tlie railings gave way, and several who met with accidents had to be taken to

the hospital. The game began in a torrential downpour that soaked everybody in the open. But the King and his sons went out and shook hands with the players, and took the greatest interest in the game all through. An indescribable scene of enthusiasm took place when, at the conclusion of the match, the leader of the Hotspurs received the trophy from the King, who also presented medals to the players of both sides. At night Tottenham was en fete. St. George's Day—the day of England’s patron saint—was celebrated chieflv by the wearing of roses and by placing wreathes and bunches of roses on war memorials and cenotaphs throughout the country. An enormous wreath of laurels and roses was laid at the base of the cenotaph in Whitehall by the Royal St. George’s Society, and iri.ies and daffodils were presented to the men in London hospitals in memory of the Zeebrugge raid on St. George’s Day, 1918. Flowers from Hampton Court Gardens were laid on Shakespeare’s grave at Stratford-on-Avon, and wreaths were placed on his tomb in Southwark Cathedral in memory of his birth and death day. Red roses were in nrofusion in London, though, of course, not English-grown. Empire Day, Any.ac Day, and all days that are festivals are honoured now by piling flowers on the graves of British .soldiers and in placing them at the cenotaphs. Go where one will the graves and monuments are sweet with flowers. On Primrose Day tens of thousands were gathered as offerings for the village shrines.