The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-02-12 00:00:00

CERIUM IN FETE
(Pr... lAA World )

It is a fine day, but the hoar frost lying thick over the
misty meadows and the hard beat of the horse's hoofs on
the Wimbrorne road paw airu anything but a hunting
morning. Nooverthelem to-dsy there are more riders and
carriages wending their way towards More Crichel than
East Ddnietahire has ever witnessed, for the Prince and
Princess of Wales are to exhibit themselves under Lord
Alington's auspices to the gentry, yeomanry, and
entry for moles round. Mallorca is at the beet of 117.
but a dull town, though boasting ancient lineage and even
royal attributes, but now it ham decorate4l itself right
gulp. Flue stream from every available LcAill
triumphal es arch span the rued ever and moon (an es
good word is due to that of your devoting, Mr. yd-
Junes), mid words and mottoes of loyal devotion greet the
eye at every turn of the winding road. It has been my
lot to witness many outward and visible SWII of rejoicing
In many lands. but I cm safely say that I have never, for
their metensions seen decorations more taste( ul and in
° y more harmonious than those pot forth by the
old Saxon capital, Wombonse and not only in the
town iteelf, but for the fire or six miles which
Intervene between it and Cnchel. where they visited.
Sometimes by the side of a quiet farmhouse • testy arch
of triumph spanned the road; sometime. whet • no human
hatoltatoon was visible a string of bunting waved over our
heeds or • little forest of fir-trees waa planted in
sricome ; but never did the good "Darsetaliser" folk,
from Winsborne town to Lord Alingtows brand-new
lodge and rater, fall to make it known they were in
earnest, not merely in words but in deeds. Crichel
Haim is not remarkable for architectural beauty. The
pseudo-Greek matches ill with our inhospitable climate;
but there is a picturesque effect in the undulating perk.
In the lake, literally covered with wildfowl (never .
sd
by sound of gun), and above all in the thousands who are
assembled to greet the royal guests "Hound, meet 1L46
—no hreakl set," la Lord Alington's nutmegs to his friends
and acquaintance ; but +nen we draw up by the ht.
gardens in front of the house, them Is nothing to intimete
any jouoootate stan. By and by we learn that Lord
Portmaa's pack. summoned at the last moment by
telegraph, will not, in consuquenov of the frost, be on the
ground before half-pat one There is, however, no
grumbling. People hare .trie to see the Prins. and
Princes& and hunting ie quite a secondary consideration.
and patience, too, seem reventially a Donostehire virtue.
The wane reminds one rather of • race-meeting than a
tomt of foxhounds. Quote up to the .ummit of the low-
lying has are stretayed vehicles of every imaginable
description four-in-hands, tandems, barouchee, dog-
cart., waggons, and every imaginable conveyance
on two and four wheels. Similarly the home-
men are of mixed descroption, and from all perm,
not only from Doresteldre. but also from Hampepho
and Wiltshire. The pioks" look comparatively few by
reason of the dome mass of black and dark coat.- but
there, like one of Ackermth's old prints, is Mr,
Trgon-
well, faultless In deep-skirted coat and velvet cep ; and not
far off him, in modern contrast, is 1.11114, Bank.; of
Kingston Lacey, estoning • lady ofmare than ordinary
beauty. There are two young ladies, evidently Oaten,
who smart " buttonholes" do not take off from the work-
manlike art of their habits and the excellence of the
moods which bear them. Ban, with broad blue in
Loo_-riding maghatral. from the neighbourhood of
,„"'"'"
0,4. alongside of lady " billy-cock" hat,
whom father is a magnets at Breernore and Fordingbridge.
The secretary to the Tedeorth i. talking to a military.
looking man of fealties, attire, and round about may be
men the familiar facesof Sir William Marriott Mr. Filet,
Lord and Lvly Ashley, the two Farquharson+, and Mr. 1
and Met Fain- Sennett-Stanford But harkt a cheer
break.omo the ear, ono Lord ALl:goon on foot coms, out
to chat with his many frauds : while Lad/ Westmoreland
stick in hand, is bidding " good-morrow to thou whom
she has kno.on ever sine. she Comma and Stuns became
one Gosh. Meantime sherry and sandwictiee are the (wooer
of the day, _for his Royal Highness Is receiving an addressfrom the Dorchester Town Osmeil ; but presently excite-
ment breaks out again. "Th. Prince and Prince.e are
coming out on the terrace r And when they do
appear. in hentong garb, there is a round of
c.sog such as Corbel has rarely Board_ rho pflooost
looks in delicate health, her husband shouter than is his
wont And now, Mr. Portman and hie dogs being among
the latest arrivals, the greatest anxiety is to gee the start
Most of the crowd &mamba in front of the dour of the
ha., ohms they have the satisfaction of gamut on Lord
Hardericke—whom hat, blue-striped shirt and loather.
defy description—mount his seighhcarriers • of Lord
carington, with up-pointed moustaches Lady Karma
Baring, on a serviceable but not particularly hand..
buster; of Clay-Kew-Savant • and of Lord chart..
Bereoford, who at once Proomas to scintillate with the
jests for which he is renowned. But where are the royal
victoria driven Start, In
by inwuhliati, nehindpbeswiady,
with Msrthyr
into at no extempore, but their Royal Highnesses are
not, Bee, :here they go I Wisely, very wisely, they have
mounted at the buck of the house, and are even now
speeding one the dewy turf. The crowd breaks and
follows them. and the horse and foot men. follosed by the
majority tanwes, pelt helter-akelter up the inelinei
over OA Hills to the Harm Doom, There is no end
of joke-cracking on the jrurney. Errry hon. I.
not neasmarily a hunter, and by the time that two covers
have been unsuccessfully draw, the as thin se the
locks of a man of fifty. In ismosston plantation, how-
ever, "bold Bernard- in found at home (as some my,
nodes a beeket), and alter • brief struggle for 11. 1.
collared on the still hard ground, am haotto, onoto
SO tooteflef.
on the following Ilitbt Meant. another appear.
rem • iliewlight I. shedding ite bright white glare over
the boa^ and two long lines of comae. are &pooh..
these oom, to the ball, which has excited the miriade+.
of thaw who have been invited, andthe eaya of thoos-
who have not, for walks loOvt. And yet all bafia are vsey
mach the same, and that In gale** is not NI eXoeto4l
to the rule. Some three hundred
are &mem
-and the dreams are
.Perbans tranetilliNan thaw usually
worn at country garnermen Tb.
mem forming the end
of a suits is rather too_ riwiloff.fer dancing, but the door
I. undeniable. The 1,11°°°64 oreseed in black toll. with
diamond stars looks in better beak* than ahe dot the
preriou. day: and she denim_ freseautly with her host,
with Oliver Montego, with wet (wind., sod with
Charley /3tresford. who is in " very good forts " to-night, and makes his en_rasooot ;oho., ready to
die with leuxhing at his Infinite wit and humour.
The Trinee too la toying
himself, and "treads
a mama* now ene pooh.. Kooohootor
fwbob surely cannot he to the sprightly lady
b, .r eider); now with Ms Bean._
radiant In newly.
acquired diamonds, sad lomblgi"
o.
.Imin younger er Grace; now with Km Albeit than h
beauty is admirably suited le Ca. 894 "c" "lc".
Mies Farquharson of ; now with
wuk liar Kw stun of Os ---""wthisoote lahcola: witat"lr
Ws Thum 011oplha. botrkr Ss aisilleusgs

of her jewels and the ezienialte appearance of ber aki-hlue
reit. The lady with auburn locks, decked like Flora
with all the Bowen of earth, is Kra ClarKer-flerner ;
and no one who was in India during Lord Northbrook's
vioe-reign eaa mistake the ilelscate form of Miss Emma
&wing, with bunches of Virginian creeper on her white
gown. Lady Westmoreland queens it in black, and is
even taller than the two 1.1141.11 Bridege.., WM.. Mee
eves are evidently an hentage trout their father. the
the Morse, but shine brighter by transmission.
Lady Herdwiejte, Lady Rivera, Lacy Cecilia Bingham,
lady Bradford, and Lady It. Ashley are grouped together,
wham Cootie and Tines, are diseouraing the sweetest of
their many sweet studios ; sad there close be the door is
one who for beauty is unexcelled by any lady in tbe
room. She comes with the Kingston Lacey party, and is
married. Shall I pay tribute to the charms of two ...term
in whit., or wa the praises of a dame whine hair
glittered with the dust of silver! Shall I record Lady
km.; diamonds or the perfection of her pink attire!
Shall I recount Lady Cornelia Guest's fair lenheseht,
or shell I simply any that lor dives, beauty, and
etagensele the bell at Cricuel could not, in go far as I know,
have hieee equalled! As I stand liy the aall watching the
dancers kicking one onother'e ShID. mean the sena.
, eneies4 I pity those unfortunate men of the SOth who have
' been inveisi d to appear like stars of meeinitude in scarlet,
but still more do I admire Napier liturt s generous ea.,.
bons in their cause. I notice, that omen have taken to
wearing dowers once more, and that all the house party
have them of a similar make and composition. I admire
the grace of Dawoon Datuer's only daughter, I inwardly
deplore the dancing of Marcus Bereeford and the deems.
sloe of little George Bootjack, when a welcome sound is
heard —"Supper." There are rooms end many rooms at
Crichel, but not enough for Lord Alitutton'. views anent
terpdcborean entertainments ; and accordingly, as .a.
oounced in the World 4 laid week, extra apartments if
&elect interior have been erected for the piurposes
of
supper. The tent—as I suppose it most be called—
meaeured, at. rough gores, one hundred and twenty leet,
It wee brilliantly lighted, and through its entire length
rein a buffet laden with every kind of delicacy, from new
potatoes and asparagus to oysters, of which there seemed
an interminable supply ; while at numerous round tables
—perfection for supping purposes—feasted tee on
ta, peacock., green peas, and soup.. frit:Marley
str:sarord appreciated these attentions., and told q
stories of his youth to his blushing partners ; L'orl.
Rardwicks, crowned with • red-paper ciao. marred the
splendour of his satin•faced coat, wont matter! Were
Lord Alingtotis ancestor, Sir Nathaniel Napier, to ',tun,
to earth, he would aeauredly declare hie descendant to 1.1
worthy of hie race; and I doubt whether • former Prince
of Wales (AI terwards George IV.) ever enjoyed hi, tenancy
of (kichel more than his successor in the princely title.
"And," says some one, "how about the sho ding r
do not shoot ; but I can say that I believe some 5,000 bend
of game have been destroyed, Of plieseanta Lord Aline
ton provided In one cover theme of the silver breed, in
another gold, in • third the ordinary kind. What more
could be do! As Count Etherryanerbisky is reported to
have said. "11 saddle been dew* pair."
Xxxornoa.