WOMAN’S WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 19794, 18 February 1928, Page 21

WOMAN’S WORLD

[By DIANA.]

IN LONDON [Written by Cvnxhia, for the ‘Evening Star.’] January 6. The old-fashioned winter so many people have longed for has come, and thank goodness nas gone! It was an awful tune of blizzards, snow, frost, bitter driving winds. Snow drifts buried bungalows, and, speaking generally, it was the most miserable Christinas and New Year season I’ve remembered. No doubt the younger generation, who learnt the charm of tobogganing and skating in Switzerland, enjoyed some fine times, delightful I really admit for those who have only to think of enjoyment, but for those who have responsibilities it wasn’t all beer and skittles. Well, I’m told the frost and snow which are now turning into floods were the best thing for the promise of a warm seasonable summer. If that’s so, well, no one will grumble, and I only hope it may be true. Now London is out of it, as far as entertaining goes, though the hotels and restaurants were thronged for the New Year’s festivities, giving a welcome to 1928, but the best of the social world are in the country just now. The hunt ball season is in full swing, and many budding debutantes are making their first appearance into society realms, before the formal presentation at Buckingham Palace. I must just give you a description of a typical hunt ball, for to such a one I went the other night, and simply had the time of my life. A HUNT BALL IN ENGLAND. There are many functions which present English society in a very delightful light, but above them all soars the hunt_ ball. To those who have revelled in the excitement of foxhunting, and who are sporting folk, hunting companions stand out preeminently as of the .best class and breed, for one goes to the fine old county families for the truest English blood. They have not intermarried with aliens, except in rare instances, and there you find the honest cheery gentleman, the hard-hunting squire, simple minded, open hearted, who desires to live in peace with all men, and to carry on the traditions of his forefathers, loving the old homo with all its associations, a good friend, and one ever anxious to help those around him, and a worthy patriot of King and country. COUNTRY HOSTS. Such are the ones who regularly fill their houses with guests for. the annual hunt ball. To be one of that party is to be sure of a topping time. No one is expected to exist on meagre fare, and as dancing is the object, dinner before the ball is of the best, with plenty of fine old vintage port to keep the cold out. It’s a gay and lively lot who find themselves later in the ballroom, a blaze of lights, flowers, bunting, looking glasses, with trophies of the chase all round. Jewels glitter, and lovely frocks scintillate, for the county does itself proud at the hunt ball, and family diamonds come out in masses. They twine round perfectly coiffured heads, and clink and twinkle beneath the lights in the dowagers’ tiaras. Then what can beat the appearance of the pink-coated men? No uniform carries quite the same significance. These men in their

immaculate “ pink ” are cross-country riders, devil-may-care some of them, who stick at nothing when hounds are in full cry. How absolutely soigne they lookl Fresh of face and eye, and keen as children at their first party for the dance. The music crashes, and away they go fox-trotting or one-stepping, chattering, laughing, as merry as crickets, all out for a good time, and missing nothing to get it, MEETING OLD PALS. Friends and acquaintances roll up and jostle in the crowd: “Hallo, old bean, so glad you’re bore.” “ I £ay, do give mo number five,” or “Are you engaged for supper?” “ What luck meeting you,” are all snatches of conversation which greet the car in passing. Abruptly the music ceases, and tlie. roar of applause breaks out. It starts again, and the gay throng goes gliding on till the dance is done, when all stream out to find the cool sittingout places, and cosy nooks, where quiet flirtation beneath the drooping palms is part of the evening’s dePretty faces are seen everywhere, and if the men are smart, the girls are beautiful, fresh, and graceful, with wonderful skins and vivacious laughing eyes There’s always a coin of vantage at a Hunt Ball for the elders and nondancers, so that they can watch the younger fry disporting themselves, and this Ts full of county magnates, lord lieutenants from near-by counties, masters of neighboring packs, their wives, and the like. TnJi IMPORTANCE OF SUPPER. After the filling up of programmes, supper is the next important item, and is the jolliest repast imaginable, about which there is a glorious informality. The great thing is to get a nice partner and to be a member of a sprightly party, and the “bubbly” and tempting viands do the rest. You then feel, to quote an Irishman of my acquaintance, “You wouldn’t call the Queen your aunt.” Spirits “ let go ” after that, and toasting pals, and friends across tho room, and drinking everyone’s health is part of the proceedings which are sustained with a certain indescribable liveliness! But on with the dance, till one begins to get hungry again, and then between 3 and 4 a.m. breakfast of bacon and eggs, sausages and mashed potatoes, steaming hot, are served and washed down by delicious light beer! How good it is at that time in the morning only those who have tasted it know. THE LAST LAP. Listen! The band is drifting into ‘ John Peel,’ that’s the tag, and means the end, so away they rush and join in the final mad gallop, all round the ballroom, while “ Whoop, gone _ away,” “ Forrard there,” mingles with the music and other hunting yells, and after endless encores it merges into tho rolling of drums. All come to a standstill, as “Tho King,” is played amid silence. Then more chatter, and the waiting cars bear the tired, but thoroughly happy, revellers away through the dark loneliness of country lanes to the warmth of the luxurious comfort of home, and bed. The Hunt Bull is over, but it’s been ripping, every moment of it, and typically British. Now, this was my impression of a very delightful Hunt Ball which was attended by the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of York and Prince George, and X can tell you it was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. Hunt Balls are taking place at the rate of six or seven a night, and 1 have before me invitations to two very special ones, where I know everything will be done in tiptop style, and you may be quite sure L shall leave nothing undone so that I may attend them. PANTOMIMES AND THE CHILDREN. London is naturally ideal for children because of the pantomimes, and many fathers and mothers with young children spent the festive season in London. Children’s parties are toppling over one another, and here let me draw breath and retrospect for a moment. Are all these festivities, which positively satiate the kiddies, good for them? Doctors all say most emphatically “No." Still they go on; the

round of parties; pantos., and general jinks in London is enough to lay up all the grown-ups, so what about the children? Country is best, say 1, as if you happen to be near a big town there’s always a pantomime going, to which a visit can be arranged. But the London child gets positively bored with excitement. I was so struck with this at a recent children’s ball to which 1 was bidden. Lovely headdresses had been given away by the hostess, which must have cost quite a considerable item. Seeing one on the ground, and not apparently owned by anyone, I picked it up, and presented it to a little girl who had not got one. She looked at it and mo rather scornfully, and remarked: “ I don’t want it,” and pushed it behind the ferns and flowers on the platform. When I thought of the joy such ■ an ornament would have given me in my country nursery in my childhood, I fell to wondering if it was wise to make those children so blase. How my brothers would have struggled to possess such a beautiful emblem of party time 1 1 left that ball feling sad, and rather sorry for the London child, for what has she to look forward to in a few years, when she will bo launched into society ? How wise mothers are who control the number of parties their children aro invited to! OTHER SHOCKS. I’ve had other shocks, I can tell you, for at a children’s mayoral ball which, in the interests of the Press, 1. attended to note the frocks and the general interior of the ballroom. Scribbling down notes of the youngsters who took my fancy, I asked many of the children their names. Not only did they vouchsafe this, but a full description of their frocks was forthcoming! To one fair young person, who in my ignorance I concluded was dressed in apricot georgette, 1 suggested this color ns descriptive of the pretty attire she was wearing. “ Oh, no. My dress is of the new Java tint!” 1 gasped, and feeling about as important as a flea, smiled, and as well as I could I thanked her for the kindly information. So that’s that, and it gave me quite a. lot to think about, I can tell you! ABOUT SKATES. Sport on the ice, although a variable affair this year, seems ever to have found great favor with the youth of London. Fitzwilliam, the ancient chronicler, who wrote in the thirteenth century, tells us of the proceedings ot the London ’prentices -when ice formed on the waters which lay on the north side of the city wail, and which, by the way, gave its name to Fens-bury. Their skates, which are still found during excavations in the district, were the leg bones of horses or oxen, bound to the feet with leathern thongs, and as these hone runners had no edges each skater had to propel and steer himself with the aid of a pole. Things have indeed progressed since those days. The skating dress of the “bloods” is very smart, and all who know anything have the bladea of skates fixed into the sole of their high lace boot, which give such support. I in my skating days always -wore boots and skates in one. THE PRINCE AND SWITZERLAND. None of our Royalties care about snow and ice, and who can blame them? Winter sport for them is hunting, but while the frost lasted there was some talk about the Prince of Wales going to Switzerland. However, before this materialised the thaw came, and nothing more has been heard of it, as hunting is being resumed, and we all know the Prince never misses the opportunity, if ho can help it, of his favorite pastime. ANOTHER RUMOR. There is a possibility that the Prince of Wales will go to Hollywood in the New Year. His interest in the technical side of cinematography is well known, and the Prince enjoys a visit to the “ pictures ” as well as anyone. He was delighted with the latest Charlie Chaplin film, which was shown privately at York House recently, and I hear that he is arranging to have a complete miniature cinema installed at Marlborough House. The Prince’s liking for popular amusement is very obvious whenever lie attends some cheery social gathering in the less fashionable parts of London. In fact, he is one of those rare personalities whose charm is just as effective in the cottage as in the castle. Talking of Marlborough House, I have just been told it is ready for Edward P’s occupation, but he really hates leaving his cosy bacheloi quarters at St. James’s Palace, so when ho will change over is not really officially known. Further proof of the love of country pursuits by the Prince is at hand, for he intends to entertain 1,000 guests, farmers and others, at a ball at the De Montford Hall, Leicestershire, this week; but as it happens after the mail leaves 1 must tell you all about it next week. vSuch notabilities as the Duke of York, Prince Henry, Lord Lonsdale, and Lord Beatty will be present, and the company will include nearly all the principal farmers of the Melton Mowbray district. Ordinary day dress will be worn by those of the guests who are not in hunting “ pink ” The Prince has arranged for a number of hearty hunting choruses to be sang during the evening, so that those who do not dance shall not be loft out in the cold. “Sir Roger De Coverley ” and the Lancers are down to be played by the string band_ of the Welsh Guards, of which regiment the Prince of Wales is Colonel-in-Chief. WHAT AMERICA GETS FROM US. Is there any limit to what America gets from this country? It daily draws more heavily on British material and talent. When I met a noted novelist, playwright,_ journalist, dramatic critic, libretto writer, racehorse owner, etc., laH week, he had a good deal to say about the migration of many of our promising younger actors across the Atlantic. He cited a case of one young man who, after playing odd small parts on the London stage for some years, went over to the States, and in a very w months was appearing in leading roles in the very same plays in which he had once had only a. dozen lines to speak. There is a shortage of male acto in America, but their stage is well supplied with clever actresses. Here it is rather the other way about. But that isn’t all. Antiques, clothes, and cookery recipes are the three other principal things which you will find outward bound on every Atlantic liner. I am also told there is hardly an American leaving England after a'holiday who does not take home at least half a dozen recipes for dishes which he has particularly liked. Even clergy- \ men are going to the United S’-tes, the newest departure being Dr J. W. G. Ward, one of our best-known Congregational ministers. He is to receive £3 000 a year for his work at a Detroit church ~~a slary almost undreamed of over : here, where hundreds of parsons think } themselves lucky with £2OO to £-300 per annum. The Bishop of London \ says that English clergy are the worst | paid in the world, I think we can , guess who are the best paid. What j a thing it is to belong to a prosperous country! THE PIGEONS AT ST. PAUL’S. i I watched the pigeons being fed the t other day when it was freezing hard i It was most interesting. I There seems to be an idea that Lou- j don’s tame pigeons, whioi make the i

steps of the Guildhall and St. Paul’s Cathedral look like St. Mark’s, Venice, are an old institution. This is not so, lor their tame habits are comparatively recent. Nor is this the first time that, it Ims been found necessary to reduce the pigeon population. I think most people have the same sentimental attitude towards the pigeon that they have towards the escaped convict. They agree that the measures taken against both are necessary; but th .re was a certain amount of unholy j.„ when the birds won their C it round against the trappers!