A MAID IN MAYFAIR

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1933, Page 14

A MAID IN MAYFAIR

GOSSIP FROM LONDON TOWN. LADY LEGISLATORS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, November 17. Lord Salisbury’s proposal that peeresses should sit in the Upper Chamber does not seem to have been taken up with very muctt enthusiasm. Unless the privilege were extended to the wives of lieers, the proposal would not concern a very numerous class, for peeresses m their own right are few. Women lators in the Commons have doubtlessly come to stay, though one hears a good deal of criticism at their failure to make their influence felt so far as the present Parliament is concerned. This is due, in some measure, to the national character of the assembly. When the Government of the day has an overwhelming majority, there is not much chance for members of the rank and file to assert themselves. Womens interests, too, tend to be obscured when Parliament is largely preoccupied with international concerns. "THE MERRY WIVES.” Shall we soon witness the revival of the political salon? The question is prompted by the .activities of a group of society women who are to-day devoting themselves to the furtherance of the Conservative cause. They call themselves The Merry Wives of Westminster, and they include amongst their number several brilliant hostesses who are quite competent to step into the positions held in old days by the late Duchess, of Devonshire and Lady Londonderry. In one instance, indeed, the gift to be hereditary, for one of the Merry Wive? £ Lady Rachael Stuart, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Another x very popular member of society who is helping in the same cause is Lady Stanley, daughter-in-law of the Earl and Countess of Derby. “The Merry Wives” possess some of the most delightful town houses in London, and if they set themselves to the task we may see the revival 1 of several political salons , in the near future. NEW PAGE OF HONOUR. His Majesty’s new Page of Honour, Mr. Patrick Henry Douglas Crichton, is following in his father’s footsteps. This young man, who was 13 last August, is the third son of Sir George Crichton, who is so well known as the Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain’s Department. Sir George was the second son of the 4th Earl of Erne, and is uncle and heir-presumptive of the present Earl. The new Page of Honour is the grandson of a belted Earl both on his father’s and mother’s sides, for his mother was the younger daughter of the 2nd Earl of Dartrey. The duties of a Page of Honour do not involve any great interruption to school work; but they do bring certain welcome breaks which must make the Page an object of envy to his school-fellows. Quite distinguished men have held the position in their youth. It is strange to reflect that the present Lord Ponsonby ; was at one time Page of Honour to Queen Victoria. I wonder what the old Queen would have said at the idea of her Page of Honour becoming leader, of the Socialist Forces in the House of Lords! HOW THEY REMEMBERED. Walking down one of London’s most crowded streets just before the Great Silence, I was interested to notice the large number of women wearing medals. Some, of course, had been nurses during the war, and were proud to bring out their medals on Remembrance Day. Others were obviously widows, mothers, and sisters, wearing their men’s medals "in memory.” One of them, old, poor, probably a char-woman, had a whole row of medals pinned to her .shabby black cloak, but she forgot her shabbiness and became almost regal as she glanced down with shining eyes at the tokens of her man’s valour. I noticed, too, a kind of subdued glow among the moving crowds—the glow of Flanders poppies. Never before, I think, has the little red memory flower been so generally worn. It glowed in the buttonhole of oyery person I met, from the small van-boy who stuck his into his cap to the old soldier who mingled his with the ribbons that covered his breast. HEIR OF AN ANCIENT RACE. The birth of a son to the Hon. Robert and Mrs. Devereux will give great satisfaction in the neighbourhood of the Welsh border. The . infant is destined to become in the fulness of time, 19th Viscount Hereford and premier Viscount of England. The title was created in 1550 in favour of the third Lord Ferrers, in recognition of . his distinguished services in the French wars of Henry VHI. The Devereux family have held lands in Kngland ever since the Conquest. The most romantic and unfortunate Devereux was the second Earl of EssexElizabeth’s. ill-fated favourite, who was executed on Tower Hill. With him died the Earldom of Essex, but the Viscounty of Hereford was continued by his son.LINK WITH THACKERAY. I wonder how many people have now, in their obituaries, been called “the last of the Victorians”? The latest last is Miss Emily Ritchie, cousin of W. M. Thackeray’s daughter, Lady Ritchie and friend of Alfred Lord Tennyson as well as of Jenny Lind, Joachim, and Fanny Kemble. Music rather than literature was her long suit, and she played Brahms and Beethoven well. Miss Ritchie was a stately lady, tall and handsome, but with a winning smile and an engaging sense of fun. The latter was sometimes, in her later days, directed somewhat satirically at the modern flapper and her lipstick vagaries. It is a curious thought that, judging by all available evidence, women were far better fitted to . exercise a citizen’s franchise before they got the vote. The Victorian ladies were a main factor in Victorian stability. FEATURES OF THE SHOW.

The item in the Lord Mayor’s Show which most interested women was.the jolly little band of girl pipers who, preceded by a very efficient young “drummajor,” swung along in great style. They wore their kilts and their bonnets with a fine air, and the skirl of their bagpipes was almost worthy of a true “Hielander.” Another interesting spectacle,

from the women’s point of view, was a group showing how London housewives got their water supply in the Seventeenth Century—from wood kegs suspended on yokes from the shoulders of men who, presumably, ladled out the rations. “Ole Bill,” the famous bus, came in for rather wistful cheering as, decorated with Flanders poppies, it made its mute appeal for Armistice Day. NEW< PRESIDENT’S WIFE. The photographs of Mrs. Franklin Roosevelt in the newspapers can hardly be said to do her justice. Though she is a woman of the advanced type, she possesses any amount of grace and charm. She is a woman of many interests, professional and otherwise, but will, I imagine, be able to give little time in future to the furniture factory and the girls’ school in which she is interested. She is very practical, and something of a “hustler” where work is concerned; but even she will find the White House making enormous demands on her time. Physically, her husband is still a semi-invalid, and since his health broke down he has come to depend very much on his wife to relieve him of.-en-gagements making any serious strain upon his strength. GERMAN AMBASSADOR. Like the American Ambassador,. Iferr Von Hoesch, the new German Ambassador, will have to get a near relative to do the social honours for him in London. For Herr Von Hoesch is still a bachelor, despite his extremely good looks and the fact that he has a reputation of being one of the best waltzers in Europe. He will find his diplomatic task in London much simpler than the one he has so successfully carried through in Paris. He makes friends very readily, and the good relations already existing between England and Germany assuredly will not suffer in his hands. He is not, of course, new to London, for he was secretary at the old Embassy in Carlton House Terrace before the war, and was one of the little group of diplomats who had to pack up so hurriedly and return to their own country in August, 1914. WINE PRICES. If America should go “wet” as a result of the Presidential election, it will be’interesting to see what effect it will have on wine prices on this side of the Atlantic. European agents of American firms are already busy buying up all the stock they can, not, only in France, but

in Germany as well. Italy is only affected to a minor extent, because, as everyone knows, Italian wines, with the exception of chianti, vermouth and asti, do not travel well. There seems little probability of a wine shortage, however, so far as London is concerned. Under the influence of heavy taxation, consumption has gone down from year to year. I see that quite a number of West End clubs are offering old stock to their members at ridiculously low prices. Even the cocktail fashion is changing under the demand for economy. More and more fruit juice is introduced, and there is one cocktail that consists almost exclusively of tomato juice. And very nice it is. BEAU GESTE. Some time ago the Prince of Wales gave his fellow members of the Marlborough Club permission to park their cars in the forecourt of Marlborough House. This, in view of the congestion existing in available parking stations, near Pall Mall, was a most welcome concession. Now H.R.H. has followed this up by throwing open to Marlborough. members the squash rackets court at Marlborough House, which has not been in regular use for some years, but is now being reconditioned to make it thoroughly good for play. There is a little comedy behind it aIL Five years ago Marlborough, House was prepared for occupation by the Prince; but he is attached to his bachelor quarters in York House, and, though all sorts of artifices were used to force the issue, declined to move. He has now, by throwing Marlborough House forecourt and squash court open to his fellow clubmen, given a sort of defiant gesture to the would-be evictors of his St. James’ Palace quarters. THE QUEEN AND “GLUCK.” Queen Mary paid a visit to the collection of Gluck drawings at the' Fine Arts Society’s Gallery. The collection is attracting a good deal of attention in art circles just now, and the Queen had the opportunity of meeting the artist herself. I would give a lot to know whether she addressed her as “Miss Gluck” or as “Gluck.” For Gluck is an artist of the Bohemian kind, wears

an Eton crop, affects a masculine type of dress, arid tells you she dislikes the prefix “Miss” and prefers plain “Gluck.” Queen Mary was accompanied by Lady Joan Verney and Sir Harry Verney, and spent a good deal of time inspecting the whimsical pictures on the wall. They are. astonishingly clever, and not a bit conventional. In her portraits Gluck is far more concerned to hold the mirror up to the character of her sitter than she is about presenting a faithful “lifelike” study. EASY. Well in time for the festival of the Christmas dinner, some alert genius has shows' just how io carve the turkey, got out an instructional film which I witnessed a demonstration release of this educational film, and as I watched an immaculate chef neatly dissecting a beautiful turkey’s anatomy with lightning celerity and with unerring certitude, a dismal feeling of domestic inferiority complex spread through my soul. I have carved a good many Christmas turkeys in my time, but occasionally still encounter a bird whose eccentric anatomy causes caustic comments by the ribald onlookers, varied by festive injunctions to “Put your knee on it, old man!” But I have discovered that my inferiority complex was caused on false pretences. The film turkey is a w-oden one, ready cut ’up for demonstration carving. . TRAINS. Miss Isabel who is very nearly my favourite actress, and hgs./a most fascinating role in London’s latest play, “Springtime for Henry,” has shaken the foundations of New Bond Street. She calmly sauntered on, in the new production, attired in a most attractive costume with an indisputable train attached to it. It caused a shudder of thrilled excitement to go right through the backed auditorium. What does it mean? What are the sartorial oracles saying to us across the footlights? Are Victorian trains coming back? It is at once an intriguing and a harrowing thought. It recalls an episode that dates right back to the old original Tivoli music-hall the night Lottie Collins first sang Ta Ra Ra Boom de Ray. I was taken by an uncle,. a man of polished manners, but strong views. As we came away after the show’ the whole dress circle crowd was held up, on the steps leading down to the ground floor, by a majestic dame. whose train was spread out like a peacock’s. I remember my uncle firmly, placing a foot in the middle of

the display, and, when the fair owner turned indignantly on a sound of rending fabric, lifted his hat with the most perfect apology imaginable. . GRAND DAME. A generous patroness of the admirable Albert Hall Sunday concerts is Lady Cunard, who has even gone the length of giving in their aid a luncheon party at her house in Grosvenor Square. Lady Cunard is really—and obviously—one of the grand dames of London Society. Music is her special hobby, and no finer or more discriminating critic of the art exists in this country. The late Earl Balfour, who numbered her amongst his many admiring women friends, declared that Lady Cunard had done more for music than any other Mayfair hostess of her generation. Nor was this the only tribute paid by A.J.B. to this distinguished and gifted lady. Arthur Balfour was himself one of the most fascinating talkers one could encounter in all London, and he declared that Lady Cunard was the most entertaining conversationalist he knew.

ADVERTISED BRANDS THE BEST.

YOUNG FAMILY’S HEALTH. You mothers are the hope of civilisation. Upon you rests the responsibility of creating posterity. And upon you depends the vital task-of developing that posterity to the point where they, in turn, will carry on for humanity. The creation of children gnd the process of their birth are instinctive and to a great extent, automatically perfect. But the development of the new life to a happy, healthy maturity is largely a matter of thought and intelligent judgment.

Upon the alertness and the wisdom of the mother depends whether . th« child will develop into a vital useful adult or a weak, useless burden to society. In this wonderful job of raising children modern mothers have many ’advantages that were denied to their own parents. In the old days, all through childhood’s changing diet, the delicate little body was subjected to ifae risk of foods of doubtful or unknown origin. The parents themselves, and . their very ability to carry on for the child, were open to this same hazard.. Tfiese foods, in bulk form or bearing unknown labels,- were often wholesome. But no mother could be sure of regularly obtaining the same brands of purity and uniformity with which she was familiar through testing in. her home. ■. ■ To-day, however, the most popular makers of honept products publish their responsibility broadcast in the/ newspapers of the land. There is probably no type of generally used goods to-day which are not available to ipothers in brands backed by responsible manufacturers in- widespread advertising. Of course, there are worthy products that have never been advertised. But when a manufacturer does advertise, it means that he is so confident of the merit of his article that he is willing to stand by it, before the whole world.’ The manufacturer who is , a naUonal advertiser has established an unescapable responsibility for himself. His product must be pure and wholesome all the time. For the public would know instantly whom to blame. And all the advertising money spent in building good will would go for naught’

Advertising makes millions learn about a product where only hundreds would otherwise buy. Hence advertisers have a tremendous production which brings down manufacturing costs. This advantage is passed on to you in the form of lower ptices for advertised goods. Or in better quality at no higher prices than for ordinary goods. ',

It is true that stores , still sell products that are not nationally advfertased. But they sell them most easily to* people who do not read national advertising. Some of these stores make strenuous efforts to sell these unknown brands instead of advertised brands. But they do that usually because the unknown manufacturer pays them an extra profit No storekeeper with his own or his customers’ welfare in mind will accept this extra profit by deliberately substituting an unknown brand for the brand of known, advertised quality which the housewife may demand. DASHING LITTLE MAI’S.

Dashing little caps are sported by many smart women just now (states the “Daily Mail”). Astrakhan-trimmed black felt hats, which are made to descend aver one eyebrow and sweep up to the high angle at the back, ipe seen over and over again. And there are Cossack caps made from beaver-fur fabric. This type of hat, with its height, is a significant change from the flat models of yesterday. Paris has gone crazy over the “pork-pie.” This' Victorian revival is a determined newcomer, even though it seems to be made of nothing more than an upright ring of felt and one of half-crown size. And it can be worn either tilted over the nose, and only slightly to one side, as our be-bustled grandmothers used to wear it, or at the modem angle, over one ear. Either looks chic—sb long as you can keep it on! Little or no trimming is needed with a hat of this kind. A feather is stuck in the front or at one side, or a mysterious letter in metal which may be your initial, or may not, is sewn in the centre of the brim. In one of the most interesting collections in London a little tricorn was worn, and this, too, followed the prevailing line. The crown was shallow and the point in front came over the forehead, while at the back the hat was built up very high. A Chinese Princess.

The ex-Emperor of China’s sister will arrive in London shortly with her husband. As far as is known, she is the first Chinese princess to visit England. The princess and her husband will be staying there as private persons, and they wish to be known as Mr. and 'Mrs. Cheng (Cheng being the young man’s surname). Mrs. Cheng is a pretty young lady not -yet 21 years old. She speaks a little English, and was married last April in Manchuria. She is a daughter of the famous Prince Chun, who 30 years ago was sent to Berlin from Peking to “kow-tow” to the Kaiser for the murder of the German Minister during the Boxer rising. It may be remembered that the Prince declined to “kowtow,” but handed the Kaiser a letter of apology. Mrs. Cheng’s brother, who, as a small boy, became Emperor of China, is now Regent or Chief Executive of Manchukuo, the new state which was set up after the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, and which is now the subject of deliberations at Geneva. Mr. Cheng, too, is not much beyond 20 years of age, and is highly spoken of by those who know him. He is a grandson of Mr. Cheng Hsaio-hsu, the Prime Minister of the Manchurian State. He speaks English, and met many foreigners when he lived in Shanghai. It is the wish of the young couple .while in London to meet privately representative English men and women. They will probably, during, the first part of their stay, be the guests at Kew of Sir Reginald .F. Johnston, who has known both the princess and her husband since they were children. It was Sir Reginald who was the tutor of the princess’ brother and saved the lad’s life by getting him away to the legation quarter in a motor-car during the troubles of 1924 in Peking. Mr. and Mrs. Cheng travelled to England in the Japanese liner Terukuni Maru, due there on December 14.