People Talked About

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XIV, 2 April 1904, Page 2

People Talked About

King Ed ward’s Household. By half-past 6 o’clock every morning a subdued hum may be beard in every part of the Royal residence (says “Cassell’s Saturday Journal”). In corridor, break fast, room, lift, personal apartment. bathroom, and what not. there is work to do, and the trained servants of the establishment pursue their tasks in busy silence. To each is allotted a specific duty, and the watchwords of the household are precision ami fidelity. As the light grows stronger, the table deckers enter the break fast room and prepare for the company who will pre sently assemble. In the morning Household and guests alike observe the traditions of Liberty Hall; but the kitchen staff must be at. hand to serve up an early meal to those whose work begins betimes. The busiest hour of the day in the Royal mews is often that which follows upon the early breakfast to which the grooms and stablemen sit down before going to the coachhouses and stables. A general idea is formed from the list of guests and the known movements of the Royal family as to what horses will be needed during the day. and where necessary they are taken out into the park for an early canter. Some gentlemen of the Court are assiduous members of the liver brigade, and telephone to the mews overnight to have a hack ready for them at half-past 7 or so. After a heavy day's work in the height

of the season, with endless visits to railway stations, and drives about the town to the play or to dinner, the carriages require a lot of attention, and the harness must always be in readiness for instant use as soon as the occupants of the palace are astir. No less activity is displayed at the Royal gardens and in the dairy. There are early fruits to gather, fresh milk to be delivered, flowers to cut for the tables, salads to prepare. When the Court is at Buckingham Palace supplies are sent up by an early train from Frogmore. and even when their Majesties are at Windsor this work has to be done in the early morning just the same. The first post is delivered by a special officer as soon as the Postal Department is at work. The task of sorting out the correspondence for the many different classes of people in the palace is a laborious one, and the personal attendants are entrusted with the duty of conveying the early post to tho apartments of their immediate chiefs. Before the King has had his bath the private secretary has made a special pile of letters addressed to His Majesty in person, and has familiarised himself with the contents of the missives which fall within his province. The huge stack of newspapers which arc furnished for the Royal family and the Court are got ready, either for the business rooms, the library, or the per-

sonal apartments of those who sub seribe tor their own copies. All this time the personal attendants upon their Majesties have been hard at work making ready for their first summons to the Royal presence. The King’s confidential man has laid out the clothes required for the first hour or two of the day. has put the cigarettes within reach, looked to the fire in the dressingroom, and cleared away the raiment, of tho night before. The Queen's dresser has discharged kindrod duties in her own sphere, and is ready at the proper moment to arouse her mistress, or to await the tinkling of the bell, which announces that Her Majesty is awake.

At half-past B—sometimes earlier—a round of toast and a cup of tea are brought to the King, and he becomes immersed at once in the duties of the day. Perhaps the equerry is summoned, and a few necessary orders given; perhaps the private secretary is required to make a report upon a matter of immediate interest. Half an hour later- the Queen’s early breakfast is brought to her. and an hour afterwards their Majesties assemble for the more substantial dejeuner, whereat, fish from the early market, crisp rolls baked in the morning oven, and eggs of the newest are displayed temptingly upon the table, and the labours of sovereignty begin in earnest.

Who’s Who on the Stage

MRS. PATRICK CAMPBELL AND MRS. GEORGE ALEXANDER. Many actresses are hard-worked, but no woman I ever met could rival Mrs. Patrick Campbell in industry. Rising early, she linds a great batch of letters on her breakfast-table. Here is an invitation from a Cabinet Minister’s wife, an entreaty from a great painter—perhaps that she should lunch at his house to meet half a dozen •’really charming people, my dear lady.” Dozens of missives from trademen asking her patronage of their wares; letters, too, craving her charity, her photograph, autograph—what not? To all her work she attends herself. Yes. Mrs. Pat. is an example of what a woman can attain when she sets her mind to it. Fighting against the odds of delicate health and of the unwillingness of an English public to accept an actress-manageress, she has yet made her way. Of marked individuality, she is in private life an anomaly. Her poetic sense, her “temperament” are undeniable; yet. allied with these, she is possessed of the shrewd common-sense and capacity of a business woman; knows her public, gauges its strength and weaknesses, and knows when to defy or flatter it. At home, in her charming old whitepanelled house in Kensington Square. Mrs. Campbell is seen at her best. She is a perfect hostess, and. entertaining some of the brightest spirits of 1 he day. understands just how to make everybody talk and feel happy in her presence. The strain of Italian blood gives her gaiety and enthusiasm, and of English mauvaise honte she knows not hing. In her home are everywhere evidences of her taste. Burne-Jones. Morris. Sargent. and Watts have painted pictures for her. and Sarah Bernhardt executed a piece of statuary. The little drawingroom. dim with dark-coloured draperies and wall-hangings, is crammed full of objets d'art.

Among her friends she numbers Princess Louise Duchess of Argyll. Mr. Balfour, Sir William and Lady Harcourt. Mrs. Asquith. Mr. George Wyndham and his gracious wife Lady Grosvenor, and many other delightful people. Her only son. “Beo.” is doing capitally in the navy, whilst her daughter. Stella is still working hard at school. “Mrs. Pat” has many talents, and even greater than her gift of acting is her taste for music. When still a young girl she won the Mendelssohn scholarship at the Guildhall School. She has wit, too. and perspicuity. Mr. Pinero has said of her that she is the most interesting woman of her day. MRS. GEORGE ALEXANDER. “Happy the manager whose wife does not want to act the leading part at his theatre!” exclaimed a dramatic critic whose word is law to his countless disciples. When he gave utterance to this sentiment he was thinking of Mr. and Mrs. George Alexander, and of the invaluable help which she renders by confining her attention to the dressing of other folks to appear on his stage: and he was right, as anybody who knows the enormous work entailed by an important production will readily admit. To have everything that concerns the costumes and the furniture in the trustworthy care of a tasteful and energetic wife must, indeed, be a relief. Fortunately for the general peace, since “the artistic temperament” is not overburdened with good temper. Mrs. Alexander has tact as well as perception, so all goes smoothly and the result is delightful for the St. James’ audience. The management of that theatre, by the way. professes some amount of faith in the luck-bringing properties of a black cat. according in consequence in honourable position to a particularly fine specimen of the race. ’l’he London home of “Mrs. A lick.” as her friends call her. is in Pont street, pleasantly situated back behind a garden enclosure which keeps the traffic at a respectful distance: but week-ends and any such welcome little holidays are

spent at a pretty cottage near Chorley Wood, that easily attainable paradise of busy Londoners with a passion for golf, where the refreshing air is pronounced “worth a guinea a breath.” The Japanese Minister. Viscount Hayashi, the Japanese Min ister at the Court of St. James'. ha> been very much to the front of late, though few know anything of his personality, says a Home paper. Of medium height, and dressed in faultless English style, one would hardly take him for a Japanese. If you met him in the street and inquired your way. that would hardly assist you. for the Japanese Minister's English is perfect. No ambassador is more amiable, though if you expected him to talk on the controversy in the Ear East you would probably find him exceedingly reticent. Nevertheless, he is a very popular figure in society, and much sought after. He is decidedly a man of the world. He has travelled extensively. having twice visited the United States. Before he took up his abode in London he held the important post <»f Japanese Minister at St. Petersburg. lie has travelled all over that great empire, and probably knows mon* about Russia and her ways than anyman in London. He has a very high regard tor the Czar, whom he has met several times. Mr. Gregan McMahon. Mr Gregan McMahon, of the Hawtrey Comedy Co., is, besides being a promising “character’* comedian, a graduate and honour man of Sydney University, who threw up a prospective legal career for the stage. and was fortunate enough to receive his earliest training at the hands of Robert Brough. Returning to Sydney from a foreign tour with the Broughs. Mr McMahon was re

engaged by the same management, but subsequently was passed over to Wil liam F. Hawtrey. He had his fust large opportunity a> Horace Parker in “A Message from Mars”; made a success of it. am! has since been busy establishing himself as a cult tired ami versatile comedian. o o o o o Wanganui Collegiate Schoolboys’ Dinner in Loudon. A highly successful dinner was held al the Troeadero Restaurant recently, when the old boys of the above school met to do honour to the headmaster, Mr \V. Empson. who is just about to return to New Zealand, after a month’s stav in this country. Tin* proceedings were marked by tin* greatest enthusiasm, the climax being reached when the toast of the guest of the evening was drunk, with musical honours, a very striking proof being given of the high esteem in which Mr Empson is held by bis former pupils. The dinner, which wa< confined to old boys and ex masters of the school, afforded an excellent opportunity for tin* renewal of many old friendships, and was thoroughly representative of the colony, those present hailing from every quarter of New Zealand. During the evening a musical programme was gone through, and shortly before twelve the proceedings terminated with the sing ing of God Save the King and “Auld Lang Syne.” The dinner, which is to become an annual one. was attended by the follow ing: Mr G. G. Russell (in the chair). Sir Kenneth Douglas. Bart.. Rev. W. P. Besley. Messrs E. Bowden-Smith. A. \\ . Harvey. J. Whiteman. M. Bet hell. W. T. Ritchie. J. S. M. Ritchie, N. Gavin. FF. D. Gillies. J. Allen. X. Whyte. B. Whyte. W. Fancourt. AT. Earle. M. Spindle. W T. Collins. TT. IF. Enderby. I. Xairn. P. D. Russell. W. B. Martin. G. 11. Dive. IF. X. Coleman. F. B. Logan. IL W. Wil liams. TT. Christie. J. Borlase and T. Fl. Thatcher.