THE SOCIAL ROUND

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 244, 18 November 1914, Page 4

THE SOCIAL ROUND

Mrs Nahr (West Coast) is staying Bt tho Clarendon. Miss Pinclcney (Southland) is the juest of Mrs Tripp, Orari Gorge. Mrs Eastcott has returned to Nelson after spending a couple of months in Christchurch. Miss Reynolds (Dunedin) is at present visiting friends in South Canterbury. Mr and Mrs P. Wilkin have returned to Altaroa from a short visit to Christchurch. Mrs Leslie Rutherford lias returned to Macdonald Downs after a few weeks spent at Sumner. Mr and Mrs Cunningham arrived in Christchurch last evening from Invercsu'gill, and are staying at Warner's. Mr and Mrs Begg (Dunedin), who have been spending the last day or two in Christchurch, left for Wellington last night.

Mrs Gear and Miss Gear, who have been in Christchurch for the past fortnight,, left llfst night for their home in Wellington. Mr-and Mrs Algar Williams, who have been visiting the latter's parents, Mr aiid Mrs A. Boyle, returned to Wellington last night. Mr an (J Mrs E. Hay, Annandale Estate, Canterbury 1 , returned to New Zealand from England by the Tujcakina, which arrived in Wellington' on Monday.

Lady Kelbmn, who has '.been the guest of Mrs A. Boyle (Riccai'ton) for the racing carnival, returned to Wellington by the Wahine last evenj»g.

Madame Ada Crossley, with the assistance of Dr Muecke, is organising a patriotic concert that is to be the event of' the season, says the British-Austra-lasian of October 8. It is to be almost an A.N.A. affair. The honorary secretary, Mr .A. H. O'Connor, is a wellknown West Australian journalist, and it is hoped that; 'Mr Oswald Stoll, of the Empire Theatres,' Ltd., and also an ' Australian, will lend the Coliseum for the entertainment. A wonderful programme is being arranged. Oscar Asche has promised to contribute to it, also -Marie Lohr, Madge Titheradge, Esta D'Axgo, Albert Wheelan, Doris Carter, Fred Leslie, Jimmy Watts, the Alberto, and Ivy Schilling* The Grand Duchess of Luxemburg, who is stated to be held a prisoner by the Germans in a eastle near Nuremburg, is only 20 years of age. The Grand. Duchess Marie Adelaide, to give her full ra#me, is the first woman rnler of the little kingdom of 1000 square miles which was declared neutral territory by the Treaty of Loudon in 1867. Herpictures show her to be a charming-looking girl, very sweet in expression, and yet full of the dignity qnd poise for which her royal estate calls. It is interesting to know that the late Yen. Archdeacon Beamish, who was foxso long identified with the history of Warrnambool, in the fertile western district of Victoria (Australia), and whose death at the great age of 91 years was recently reported, was married to a sister - of Lady Roberts, widow of the late Field-' Marshal. His daughter-in-law and several of his grand-children are at present visiting England.

By a curious coincidence the two English diplomatists upon whom devolved the duty of delivering 1 to the German, and Austrian Foreign Offices Great Britain's, declaration of war against these countries were both men of German ancestry. Sir Edward Goschen, late British Ambassador to Germany, is a great-grandson c»f a well-known-Leipzig publisher.. Later members of the'family emigrated to England and engaged in the banking business and also entered the diplomatic service. The grandfather of Sir Maurice de Bunsen, who represented..his country at , the Austrian Court at the outbreak of the -war, was also a German, an intimate friend of King Frederick William IV, and served as Prussian Minister in London. Through his wife, who was an English wdinan, several of his sons became English citizens, and it is now an offspring of the second generation whose official duties compelled him to deliver to Austria bis country's declaration of war. German genealogists also call attention to the fact that King Albert of Belgium is the son of a Hohenzollern princess, the Tsar a grandson of a Hessian princess and a great-grandson of a Prussian princess royal, while th 6 Tsarina is a born German. The Russian regiments at the front carry their own special ikons or holy pictures, one of which, the ikon that represents the appearance of the Virgin to the Bussian Saint Sergius, has accompanied the Tsar's armies since the time of Peter the Great's father. In some instances women may not approach, the sac Ted ikon, though they may possess copies of it. Over the head of the ikon of pure gold at the Cathedral of St. Isaac in Petrograd is a brilliant of the finest water, oval in shape, given by the Tsar Alexander 11. Women hang their necklaces of pearls and diamonds, stars, crosses, and . earrings upon it, until it appears blazing with jewels. Among other celebrated ikons is

the one shown in the monastery at Kiev, that, covered with gold and set with brilliants, was the gift of Peter tfie Great. With such veneration is it held, that only a copy of the ikon is exposed by the door of the monastery, and the interpreter and courier of the place take off their hats to it as they pass through the entrance with the visitors.