TALES OF BEAUTIFUL DUCHESS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1929, Page 6

TALES OF BEAUTIFUL DUCHESS

DAME ETHEL SMYTH IN A DILEMMA.

Many entertaining stories of King Edwards’s days, when a lady of fashion had to spend 20 minutes putting on her hat, are told by the Duchess off Ser moneta, a great-niece of the ex-Ernp-ress Eugenie, in her attractive book of reminiscences, “Things Past” published to-day with a foreword by Mr Robert Hichens.

The duchess was the reigning beauty of Rome, and was well-known in London. No smart party was complete without her; and these pages testify to her unfailing zest for life. At Earn borough Hill, the ex-Empress’ house, she often met the composer, Dame Ethel Smyth, who used to bicycle over from her cottage and change into evening clothes behind bushes in the park. On one occasion when the guests were assembled in the drawing-room she advanced towards her hostess running and curtysing at the same time the result being a series of kangaroo leaps. A minute later my aunt beckoned to me and whispered: “Emmene Miss Smyth et arrange unpeu sa robe.” Whereupon I obeyed, and a certain amount off hitching up went on in the long gallery outside. “My dear,” said the great musician still breathless and wriggling, “I’ll tell you what’s tlie matter. I bought a new pair of stays at the grocer’s and 1 beieve be sold me, a bird cage by mistake.” A PATHETIC INCIDENT.

The duchess recalls a pathetic incident. She was .being shown a saddle with brokeii stirrup leather, the leather biloke wjlien the Prince Imperial tried to mount his horse a few minutes before lie was killed.

While we were looking at it a shadow fell across the open doorway, and there stood the black figure of the Empress. She saw what we were looking at and covered her face with her hands, “C'achez cela” she ordered.

Once the duchess was a guest at Halton of Mr Alfred Rothschild: In the 'bathroom I found an array of at least 2o different kinds of bath salts and fifty bottles of various scented toilet waters.

“Hooray!” I said to myself. “Little Alfred pays for all this!” And I filled my bath with generous samples of the whole lot. I was punished, for my skin was nearly burnt off, and I came out of that bath like a boiled lobster!

Another story is of King Edward. A series of Suffragette outrages was being discussed in his presence. He said nothing till the end. . Then he spoke one word with quiet decision. It was “Beasts!”

Have cheap eggs all the year round by preserving a supply now with Sharland’s ‘ Moa ” Brand Egg Preservative. Keeps eggs wonderfully fresh.— Advt.