A MAID IN MAYFAIR

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1931, Page 11

A MAID IN MAYFAIR

GOSSIP FROM LONDON TOWN NEXT. YEAR’S All the arrangements for next year’s Royal Courts at Buckingham Palace were made before the King and Queen left London on Monday for Sandringham. The dates will not be announced for some time to come, but hostesses and chaperones will be able, as usual, to make application on the first of January to attend one or other of the Courts to present daughters and friends, Lord Cromer, the Lord Chamberlain, I notice, is again making an effort io restrict the number of presentees. He is requesting women who attended last year or the year before not to ask for a summons next season unless have a daughter of daughter-in-law to present. The King and Queen recejvefi about six hundred people at each court last summer, and, although they held a fifth —and extra —one, there were still hundreds of disappointed applicants.' It is well known that their Majesties prefer to have as many debutantes as possible summoned. They hate the idea of girls in their teens being disappointed, and it is only by eliminating some of the elder women that Lord Cromer finds it possible to fit in more of the younger ones. SEVENTEEN GRAND-CHILDREN

Our older families have no trouble in resisting the lure of London at Christmas time. The Weet End is going to be very full, and some people are not opening their country housed at all, but there will be the usual great house parties— J big family ones, with all the grand-children. At the Duke of Devonshire’s home in Derbyshire, Chatsworth House, at the Duke of Portland’s, at Welbeck Abbey, at Lord Londonderry’s, at Wynyard Park, Christmas will be kept up in the old style. The Duchess of Devonshire is looking forward keenly to the holiday. She adores small people, and sixteen out of her seventeen grand-children will be up at Chatsworth with their parents. The seventeenth, Lady Anne Hunloke’s baby, remains with Lady Anne and her husband in London* being too young to travel yet. I hear of a wonderful Christmas tree for the family, loaded with parcels and lit by electric lamps, and of another .for the household and the tenantry, the present on which the grandchildren- will help to d istribute.

THE QUEEN’S HOOTER. . Even the Queen, I think, got a little annoyed with the traffic in the West End of London just before she left for Sandringham. Princess Mary, who was staying at Chesterfield House, calledk at Buckinghd.ni Palace to go out to the shops with her mother, and in Bond Street and Oxford Street I noticed the Royal car held up several times by the traffic. The Queen seems to have discontinued the use of. the musical hooter which used to warn the traffic policemen that the Royal car was in the neighbourhood. It was certainly not used on this occasion, and the other day, when the King and Queen were driving together, merely an ordinary hooter was sounded. The special hooter probably has the disadvantage during a shopping expedition that it enables people to recognise, the Queen’s car, which they miss otherwise. In that case she is frequently surrounded by a crowd in-, the shop doorway. As it is, it was surprising to see how quietly the two Royal ■ ladies were able to get about. BALKAN ■ ENTENTE. The engagement of Princess Eudoxia, King Boris of Bulgaria’s . sister, ■ is doubly interesting. Her fiance is. King Zogu of Albania, and the matrimonial alliance will strengthen a Balkan States entente that. has. particular concern in 'Signor Mussolini's Imperial ambitions. King Zogu. is an exceptionally handsome person, and, in his ornate uniform, looks like an operatic tenor. Princess Eudoxia is also of a. really distinguished patrician beauty, and her royal brother’s constant companion on hunting, expeditions. 'She. recently figured in an awkward little contretemps, when an elderly guest at lunch at her brother’s country house near Sofia, overcome by the lobster salad, collapsed with his head in her lap. There was consternation amongst the courtiers, -but King Boris promptly rendered first aid. CHRISTMAS ABROAD. “Leaving for Egypt” is the favourite holiday formula just now. Except for the people who have villas in the South of France, the Riviera is not nearly so popular' as it used to be for Christmas. The climate seems to be lees reliable than it was a - few years ago, and rain and icy winds arc nearly as prevalent at Cannes and Monte Carlo as at Brighton or Folkestone. In Egypt, however, you are at least sure of warmth and sunshine. Lord and Lady Salisbury, who usually go to the Riviera, will be having a quiet Christmas at home. It seems rather hard lines on them both that just as Lady Salisbury is beginning to feel better Lord Salisbury should have been ■ordered by his doctors to take things easily. Until her ; illness two or three years ago Lady Salisbury figured on an enormous number of committees. She has been back in harness most of this year, and there have been few things happening in the cause of education, child welfare, and so on for which■ she has not done her share.

A HUNT BALL FOR LONDON. A hunt ‘ball for London is_ a new idea. We are, however, to see pink coats in the ballroom of a West End hotel next month; enterprising folk interested in the Royal Veterinary College having conceived the idea of getting the hunts all over the country interested in a great united dance, the proceeds to go to' the rebuilding and endowment fund of the - college. Everybody seems very keen about it. especially the Duke of' York, who willingly consented to head the list of patrons. Such . well known masters of hounds as the Duke of Beaufort, Lord Rosebery,’Lord Bathurst, and Lord Fitzwilliam, who now hunts a great deal in Ireland, have promised to make up parties. I hear, too, that racing men interested in bloodstock, like Lord Darcsbury, who was Sir Gilbert Greenall, and Lord Glanely, who has had such good luck racing this year, Lord Crewe, the Duke of Richmond, Sir Leonard Brassey and Sir Walter Gilbcy are also giving the ball their support.

LADY SIMON’S CAMPAIGN. The marriage of Sir John Simon’s son to Miss Maude Hunt has involved a temporary interruption of Lady Simon’s -anti-slavery campaign. She is pursuing this with indefatigable vigour, and as her organisation grows she hopes that it will have the effect of rousing the public conscience. The trouble is that Great Britain is not the only country concerned. Where, as in Abyssinia, an independent foreign Power has to be converted, Die difficulties in the way are of a kind to appal even such an enthusiastic crusader as Lady Simon. Wherever she goes she finds her audiences astonished at the extent to which slavery still exists in different parts of the world. Much has already been done to obtain its suppression in the outlying Indian States. So far as Abyssinia is ’ concerned, where the horrible traffic is more rampant than in any other part of the globe, it is hoped that friendly and continuous pressure on the Emperor will not be- without effect upon a monarch who has shown himself particularly susceptible to European influence and opinion. TWO-YEAR-OLD PAGE. One of the last of the Christmas brides, Miss Mary Power, whose father, Sir John Power, is member for Wimbledon, had a charming wedding at St. Margaret’s, Westminster. There were many M.P.’s and constituents among the congregation. The bride wore ivory satin and her gown was veiled and decorated with lovely Honiton lace lent by her mother, who wore it on her wedding gown. There were six pink-clad bridesmaids, and Master John Power, who is only two years old, a nephew of the bride,-was brought to church in . wedding garments by his nurse, so that he might act as page. He was not asked, of course, to carry the bride’s'train, but was a charming little figure in the bridal procession. CHRISTMAS FLOWERS. The popular conception of Covent Garden at this season of the year is of a. place filled from floor to ceiling with great masses of holly and mistletoe. As a matter of fact, these seasonal decorations are quite overshadowed by the flowers. Never before has there been quite such a wonderful display of chrysanthemums. The flowers have been in bloom and ready for picking for some time, but. they have been carefully retarded by the growers to catch the Christmas . market. Most of them come from Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire, where glass houses are springing up to an extent whieh challenges comparison with those in Jersey. Coy ent Garden complains, indeed, of the increasing competition between growers. The market handles three times as many flowers today as it did a few years ago, and makes no bigger profit out of the transaction than it did on the smaller output. The growth of the flower industry in England, however, walks hand-in-•liand: with the tomato and cucumber trade. It does not pay to keep tomato (houses- empty for six months in the year. As soon, therefore, as the'vegetables are cleared out of the way thousands of chrysanthemums take their place.. - ', THE FASHION REBELLION. ’ ■ Tite latest dress news from Baris is that some of the “best” designers have bowed to the inevitable and produced, shorter evening dresses. It was bound to happen, of course. Dancing men were ths first to kick against the fashion of wispy trains dabbing about, all over the floor and getting in the way of graceful dancing.. Later on even non-dancing men played their part in the rebellion by raising supercilious eyebrows and smiling superior smiles whenever they saw a girl vainly trying to deal with her “tails” and look unconcerned at the same time. All this brought about a reaction in the feminine heart. Women demanded shorter skirts, and the designers, willy-nilly, have had to oblige. The sales show which way the fashionable wind is blowing. Very long dresses with tails that sweep up the dust are going “for a mere song,” however exquisite may be the materials of which they are made. ' DIANA’S TRIP WEST. Miss Diana Fishwick is a good deal embarrassed by the limelight which has been poured on her" holiday jaunt to Florida early in the new year. The impression has got about that something in the nature of a semi-official golfing tour is being organised, and there has even been talk of a team match against American lady golfers, with Miss Glenna Collett at their head. As a matter of fact, the trip has no international significance whatever, golfing or otherwise. Miss Diana Fishwick is merely one of a little party of girls who are going out to Florida in search of sunshine and surf bathing. Any golf they may play will be incidental to the holiday, rather than the main object of the trip. The Americans may try to stage an exhibition match between our youthful girl champion and Miss Collett, but I imagine that neither of the rivals will take it too seriously. What Miss Fishwick dreads most is the possibility of having to make speeches. She dislikes it intensely, and was very grateful to an experienced M.P. friend of mine who wrote one out for her on the back of menu cards while she toyed with the nuts and wine.

LAWN TENNIS TREK. Preparations are now in full swing for the Riviera tennis season. All the usual local tournaments and international events have been arranged once more and directly Christmas is over the trek of “stars” to the south will begin. From all accounts there is to be no falling off in the trek of all the talents. After her long holiday- Miss Betty Nuthall is going South for some serious play and will remain some time. Miss Ryan is also due on the Riviera early in the New Year. Partnered in the doubles as she will be by the German champi n, Fraulein Aussem, she should again carry off many of the trophies. ' The international spirit will not be lacking, for the Barov de Morpurgo will represent Italy for yet another season, while various French stars will pay flying visits south at different periods, though the ever popular “Toto” Brugnon will not be staying for long. The increasing number of junior tournaments arranged for the Christmas holidays is a significant sign of the steps that are being taken to encourage children to i meet on the courts.

FASHIONS IN FANCY COSTUMES. The young girl of to-day, with that most fascinating of all invitations at Christmas time, “Will you come to ny fancy dress party?” in her hand is beset with a very different problem from that which faced her older sisteis. They asked themselves one of half a dozen questions. Should they go as Irish colleens in a pleated green skirt with a handkerchief to match tied over ‘'heir hair? As Nell Gwynne, with a basket of oranges slung round their necks? Oi as a lady of Elizabeth’s time with quilted petticoat and kilted ruffs? Apparently, no matter how young you are you are guided by fashion in these matters to-day. No longer, it seems, do you follow the dictates of your heart and impersonate the character, which has <fiven you a thrill since fairy tale days. Unless you are very strong-minded you follow' the crowd and choose something ultra-modern, Red Riding Hood and the other nursery characters being quite out-of-date. At least, so a v # ry modern young woman in a fancy dress department told me yesterday.

A PERSIAN MARKET. I went to Grosvenor House, Park Lane, to buy Christmas presents in a Persian market. It was opened by the Persian Charge d’Affairs in London, and was crowded with well-known people. The native-dressed stallholders sold Eastern slippers, scraps of exquisite embroidery, beads, and perfumes in the approved Persian bazaar way—bargaining with their siiriiling customers, putting on shillings and taking ofl sixpences, and enjoying the fun as m uch as the buyers. The market was the prelude to the Persian ball, and all the goods offered for sale were genuinely Eastern, the idea being to make people familiar with the smaller things belonging to Persian art before the great exhibition opens next year. Ihe-rugs, of course, attracted the most attention. Strange how every woman longs to become the possessor of a Persian rug! And yet not so strange, for the colouring and workmanship are very wonderful. There is nothing in the way of floor coverings to compare with the beauty of these hand-woven treasures.

, EVELYN LAYERS SMILE. What a change there is in Evelyn Laye’s stage manner since she went to New York, and on to Hollywood. 1 could hardly -believe that- she was the same actress when I saw her singing at a private party a day or two ago. Her smile comes much more • readily. Her voice has improved, mellowed and grown richer, and she has a greater air of assurance than she had in her pre-America days. She has altered very, little from the personal point of view—is just as modest about herself and her work a® she always was. She does, however, dress much more strikingly. She attempts schemes which are the least bit daring, but which she can well carry off. Singing at an afternoon party her frock and little, beret were of golden tissue; there were touches of chocolate brown on the corsage of the dress, and the gloves exactly matched them.