A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1926, Page 19

A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

GOSSIP FROM LONDON TOWN. PRIVATE DANCES AGAIN. (From Our Lady Correspondent.) London, April 15. People are coming back to town every day now, and there is talk everywhere of plans for the new season. It promises to be one of the gayest since the war, thanks very largely to the presence in town of the Prince of Wales, who has already accepted an imposing list of invitations. I am told that the season is to be remarkable for a revival in private houses entertaining, in preference to the hotel dinners and dances which have been the feature of the last three years. Several hostesses, whose ballrooms are not very big, are giving two dances, on successive days, to make sure that no one is left out. The first dance given by the mother of a debutante is tremendously important, because if it is a success the daughter will receive more invitations than she can possibly accept, and her first season is assured. At the moment the question of clothes is an ( important one, and the continental trains are full of mothers and daughters oft' on shopping trips to Paris. Lady Desborough is one of these mothers, and has taken with her her daughter, the Hon. Imogen Grenfell. LORD READING. I hear that Lord Reading, on his return from India, is almost certainly to be created a Marquis, an exceptional honour for a man who sfarted life as a commoner. There is also a rumour that the King is to confer on him the Order of the Garter, and thus fill the vacancy made by the death of Lord Curzon, although I understand that no definite announcement is yet ready for publication. Lord and Lady Reading mean to take a rest of some months before either takes up any work again, but it is now an open secret that Lord Reading does not mean to retire. AWKWARD. ' One of the most delightful stories told of Lady Reading has its setting in Calcutta at a ceremonial dance. Lady Reading was talking to an extremely shy and youthful aide-de-camp, and found conversation a little difficult because of his shyness. She did, however, manage to get the young man talking about business, and she asked him if ho knew the name of the tune which the band was then playing. The young man blushed crimson, and at last, with stutters, made reply: “Your Excellency,” he,eaid. “I shall remember your kisses, Your Excellency—when you have for-

gotten my name, Your Excellency,” and turned and ran. Some songs are awkwardly named for shy utterance. A WARDROBE-LESS GOVERNOR. Sir Leslie Wilson, the Governor of Bombay, who is home on leave owing to the state of Lady Wilson’s health, is as debonnair as ever. This despite the fact that his wardrobe was left behind in India. When he left Bombay his intention was simply to accompany his wife aS far as Aden, which is within the confines of his Governorship. Lady Wilson’s health, however, took a turn for the worse on the voyage, and he had to obtain leave to complete the trip to England. While the reason is deplored, Fli= Excellency’s presence in England is a source of pleasure to his countless friends. But, the ex-Chief Whip without clothes! He was always so immaculately turned out. THE MOSLEY RUCTIONS. The little ruction in the Mosley family between that good conservative, Sir Oswald Mosley, and his socialist son, is amusing their friends even more than the general public. There is no doubt that both Mr. Mosley and Lady Cynthia, his wife, are sincere enough in their belief in the future of socialism, and both work very hard for the cause they have taken up. But no one who knows their charming house in Smith Square, close to the Houses of Parliament, could imagine them giving up the very handsome income they enjoy, nor sly suggestion made by Sir Oswald Mosley in answer to the son’s rather elighting reference to the family Baronetcy, of which Sir Oswald is naturally proud. ROYAL AUTHORS. Since first “Carmen Sylva” made her bow to the reading public under that charming pseudonym, winning, among many laurels, the special homage of Pierre Loti, quite a number of royal ladies have turned serious attention to the pen. “Carmen Sylva's” own daughter-in-law, the present Queen Marie of Rumania, is a gifted fiction writer as well as a contributor of occasional philosophical and psychological articles to the press. Tne rate Princess Marie of Battenberg and the Infanta Eulalia of Spain both turned author; and I am told that Queen Maud of Norway has written a “typically modern” novel, but is too modest to give it to the world. Latterly Princess Marie Louise has joined this distinguished kinship of the written word with her letters from the Gold Coast, published in book form, and revealing her as an alert a nd receptive traveller with the essential attributes of the born raeontcuse. “THE BONNIE HOOSE.” Lord Airlie, the new lord-in-waiting, is the son of a lady who has long been a picturesque figure in Court circles, the Dowager-Countess, who generally wears wlrat used to be known as a “picture”

hat, which goes admirably with her beautiful white hair. In spite of her duties as Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Mary, she has found time to write several books, including one on "Lord Palmerston and his Times.” Her husband, the late Earl, a soldier of an exceptional type, as his published letters show, was killed at the head of his cavalry regiment in the South African war. The present Earl has not hitherto taken any part in public life. The clan Ogilvy, of which he is the head, was prominent in the troublous times of Scottish history, for the family estates, including ‘‘The Bonnie Hbose O’Airlie,” famed in the ballad, were near efiough the Highland line for the owners to be mixed up in whatever fighting happened to be in progress. They were involved in the risings of ’l5 and ’45, and it is only 100 years since tSie family honours were restored. A MAKER OF HISTORY. 1 once, heard a great lady confide to another at a fashionable wedding: “Yes, I gave a fan. X generally do. Even if they go out of date periodically, they’re bound to come in again.” Those who saw Prineesa Mary’s wonderful collection of gifts . will remember the very beautiful tortoise-shell and ostrich feather specimens of the fan cult that formed a noteworthy feature of the display. It is a cult that is now certain to gain still further impetus, since the Queen has had her monogram surmounted by a Crown set in small pearls on the handle of a black-spangled fan. Her Majesty has ordered it specially for the forthcoming season, and we may look for an outbreak of monograms in precious etones in the haut monde. The fanmakers are producing some wonderful effects in coloured gems. Some of the workmanship put into the hand-painted varieties will compare quite commendably with the inspirations of Watteau, Fragonard, and Qp.rlo Van Loo. There is little doubt that the fan will retain its place in history. DASHING DEBUTANTE. One of the prettiest and '‘slickest” — to use a younger-set adjective—young girls who will be making her first appearance at Court this seaso'n is Miss Doria Hope, daughter of Lord Henry Pelham-Clinton-Hope, brother of the Duke of Newcastle. Miss Doria is great fun, dances with never-ending zeal, and is very keen on winter sports. She was spending Christmas with her brother at Pontresina, a nd was quite the most dashing young person in the hotel. Her brother played crieke,t for Eton last year, and is a very promising ba t. SARTORLAL “AT HOMES.” “Personality” and “atmosphere” have become so definite a feminine cult that it is not surprising to find how the sartorial “At Home” has caught on. Milday likes to see how a gown will look in her own distinctive setting, just as she prefers that the artist-photographer shall give sittings to herself and her small folk ehez elle. Fashion parades in Mayfair drawing rooms are now a well-established feature of Society’s activities. But I notice that Lady Oxford is still an indefatigable attendant at dress shows proper. With concentration on the matter in hand duly assisted by her favourite brand of nicotine, “Margot” may be seen devoting special attention to the simpler tailored modes. When the more pretty-pretty frills and furbelows are being flaunted there is a perceptible relaxation of her alertness. She is interested—but not so much. SOCIETY’S YOUNGEST MATRON. Princess George Imerstinsky, who was Miss Avril Mullens before her marriage last October, has tlus distinction of being the youngest married woman in Society. She is still sixteen, and is not seventeen until the end of tins month, when her mother, Lady Mullens, is giving a dance in her honour in Belgrave Square. Indeed, she was married before she had been presented at Court, and she is therefore to be one of the fairly qpa-

siderable number of youthful married women who will make their curtseys at this season’s Courts. Another young bride who will be making her first, appearance at Court since her marriage is Lady Glenconner, who was Miss Pamela Paget before her marriage, and was engaged when still an undergraduate «t Cambridge. CLOTHES AND THE WOMAN. Both in frocks and furniture the floral bed is handpainted with a replica of the flower design that is stencilled on canvas wall panels, on chair coverings, and window-curtain borders. A conventional design of tulipe is very mudh the vogue of the moment, with carnations next in order of popularity. The big lealamaison variety is specially in request for gown decoration. Not the horticulturist’s product, however, but a feathered substitute, quite remarkably true to Nature in colour and form. I saw one effectively worn the other night, in the new style, that is to say at the knee of a black Chantilly dress trimmed with the same flowers in beadwork. This notion is also carried out on hand-painted gowns. The separatelyworn feather flower must match the | floral theme that is an integral part of the decoration of the dress. CLOTHES AND THE WOMAN. Sir John Lavery, who is back in town again after an American visit during which he painted fifteen portraits in four months, mostly of American millionaires and their wives, has some interesting comments on women sitters. He finds that French and American women more difficult to paint than English, simply because they are both so meticulously fashionable. If you alter their attire, the portrait is unlike them; if you don’t they look like a fashion plate. Consequently the artist is always in danger, either of missing a likeness or of painting a picture that will “date” as dreadfully as a Victorian photograph album. The real secret of our most successful West End photographers is here revealed. The one object of the real camera genius is to avoid reproducing anything but “character.” The suburban practitioner focuses just as assiduously on “clothes.” In ten years the difference between these methods is that between a portrait and a caricature. TEAPOT. ENTENTE? One of the somewhat unforeseen results of the Great War has been the invasion of the war-zone French lycees by English misses, whose papas became acquainted with these institutions when their Avails bore the emblem of the Red Cross. The platform at Victoria was crowded with schoolgirls to-day, returning after the Easter vacation to their French University colleges. Some were in the citarge of French ladyprofessors conducting organised parties; others were high-spiritedly “on their own.” Among the latter section was an animated sixteen-ycar-old, hugging one precious valise from whose company she refused to be parted for an instant. “If that teapot gets smashed,” she enjoined her three companions, “there’ll be a riot in our dormy.” It transpired, that the French demoiselles had exacted a solemn promise that tea "a I’anglaise” should be featured during the fcrtheoijnng term. Who knows but that the real spirit of the FrancoBritish entente may yet be brewed in a schoolgirl’s teapot? A NELL GWYNN NOTE. Between them, the Nell Gwynn film the Pepys are responsible for quite a Nell Gwynn cult. The candle-light illumination in vogue in Charles’s day is evidently inspiring the fashionable hostess. Recently a modish dining-table was lit with antique candles, in orange colour to match tdie gilt baskets of oranges nestling in glistening green leaves that emphasised the Nell Gwynn decorative theme. Dress-design-ers are coquetting with “period” frocks of similar iuspuatiou, and there m a

steady pilgrimage these days to* High, gate’s -beautiful park, formerly the property of Sir Sidney Waterlow. For the Nell Gfrynn relies enshrined in Waterlow Park is the bath that once belonged the immortal orange-girl. Never before, however, as it aroused the special the immortal orange-girl. Never be< interest that is now-attracting many visitors to the heights of North Londoia SPORTING YOUNG PEER. A hunting,friend tells me that a young couple who have made themselves very popular in the Shires during the season which has just drawn to an end aie Lord and Lady Manton. Imrd Manton is 27 and succeeded to the Barony four years ago on the death of his father, who was Mr. Joseph Watson, the soap King, and a man who made even racing pay him a dividend. The young Baron is keener on country life than on business, and both he and Lady Manton rid® keenly to hounds. Yesterday Lord Manton was riding his own horse at the Forcestcr Hunt Point to Point. Lady Manton, who two years ago presented her husband with a eon and heir, is on® of three daughters of Colonel P. J. Langdale, of Houghton Hal), and on® of her sisters is married to the only son of Lord Fitaalan and might somedn-® therefore be Duchess of Norfolk. "