RANK AND FASHION.

Patea Mail, 28 October 1880, Page 4

RANK AND FASHION.

London is very gay this July, and up to within the last lew days a visit to Hyde Park would give a stranger an opportunity of seeing all the rank and fashion of London. It was indeed a grand sight. The Princess of Wales and her three daughters were (here, with the Prince on horseback. But the grandest show of all since I have been here was the Fete at Kensington Mouse, in aid of the snUorors from the loss of the Alalanta. Airs Langtry, the great beauty, with Lady Augusta Yaue and Countess Lonsdale, had a stall for the sale of button-hole flowers. Mrs Langtry is a most charming woman, and was dressed in bright gold satin. But the Princess of Wales looked lovely. She was dressed in a peacock green satin with gold spots. Bonnet to match with golden grapes. The Princess Christian had a stall in a corner of one room, and she drove her trade right briskly, gathering in the money as if she had been used to shopkeeping all her life. She is a very stout, ordinary looking woman, but I daresay kind-hearted enough. The

Princess Mary of Teck did I think the host business of the whole, lot, for the time she was at it. Talk about stoutness, she is a terror, but she carries it very well. Blue satin dress. Most of the dresses there wore flaming red, and I sec Marshall and Snclgrove are going in strong for scarlet, or rather cardinal red—black and bugle trimming. Kensington House where the fete was held was built by Albert Grant, of Emma Mine notoriety, at a cost of £350,000, and is now in the bands of the liquidators. It is a most elegant place. The crowd at the fete was really nothing to boast about, and I looked round to see if the patrician had anything in his appearance out of the common, but I must say I have seen as well dressed, and as good looking a crowd in the colonies. The fete was a great success, £I,OOO being taken in money alone, independent of the tickets at 10s Gd each.—London Correspondent.