The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-09
LONDON GOSSIP.

THE PROGRESS or THE ArGHANIsrAN ADVANCE
COMMON LAw CUSTOMS Aporr Fox HUNT
ING-PRyAIE THEArEIcALs.
LoNDoS, NOV. ~. lsIs
What with the Afghan war pie into which the
Duke Of Argyll has just put his finger and stirred II
around tho meeting OF Parliament at an unusual
time the prospects OF another collision inquiry
which may last weeks and the great cotton strike NJ
Oldham the country has enough TO think about just
now The snddenness and thoroughness OF the
British victories and the Afghan collapse on tc
northwest frontier of India have taken the BRUSH
people as much by surprise as their enemies. rev
people thought that within week from the hrns OF
the first shot Ali Musd would be captured, the
dreaded Khyber Pass forced and Dakka al the ohcrend
of it occupied. The military promenade OF the khy-
Der division of tine invading force has been repeated
by the southern or Koorum column for position.
which looks to be strong defensible one the map.
fanked by streams, and height. known as Mo-
manned Aims Fort. is now lost to the defenders.
OF course this triumphant advance has been hailed
with paans of victory throughout the country. The
World tries to moderate the hooraying Really.
really there is just little too much swagger about
the taking of hill fort in the Khyber
Pass with q most absurlly trhng loss on either
side Ii Englishmen could hear the remarks made on
such silly growing by foreigners think they would
not boast quite noisy. We might at least remem-
Der that too have fought great battles in our time
m then at all events, we did not make such fuss
about really great events now do about really
little ones. In the Times the AorIn3 Chronicle
for 1915 the OF the battle of Waterloo take
up much less space and far more matter offact
and modest in than those about this mud fort.
which was commanded every sidc badly armed
and badly defended by half starved, half clothed
savages
Fox hunting circles have been much excited over
the late decision in court of law against riding over
other peoples land. The best and gravest journals
in the country have had editorials on the subject and
have published not few letters from sportsmen and
others, commenting upon the and upon the
ancient. national and manly sport generally In one
OF the best of these letters printed in the inns the
writer. who dates from the Bulesdon country, Lei
cestershre. says that it is enough to upset
ones gravity to speak of fox hunters as public
bcnefactors for as q rule, they the very
aud he is down upon the absurd theory OF com
mon law right TO pass over land in fresh pursuit OF
fox" Fox hunting. he says, EXISTS only by court
esq., and its followers indebted for their ainuse
ent solely to the kindness and forbearance of Others
viz. the owners and occupiers Of the land over
which they ride and TO whom far from being bcne-
factors, they are positive nuisance Farmers as
class have great deal to put mp with in connection
ing Many q well-to-do farmer VINO has courteously
prevented the field from doing unnecessary damage
TO young crop has been insolenty asked by some
vicious young in scarlet, Il say, fellah. who's
yeaw Ian 'lawd?" "A better man than you .
key the reply of an irascble old farmer,
but the majority show their contempt for such inso
tence by preserving discreet silence Undoubtedly
the sport degenerating, and is kept up nowadays
not 80 much tor the resident aristocracy, country
gentlemen and sporting farmers for the visitors
whose main object often seems to be to present bril-
liant and fautess appearance in the held and to vie
with each other to who is best able TO catch the
poor fox without the assistance Of the hounds
COUNTRY HOUSE DRAMA
Private theatrcas IN country houses are one OF the
institutions of English society most English people
think they born actors and actresses and 1T has
fallen to my lot to sit and yawn through many
dreary and commonplace attempts to render some OF
the stock pieces of the English stage. The women
passable, and, when they get thawcd out little.
QUITE too awfmlly dreadful. The sclf-comscious
selhshness Of the aristocrat Englishmsn cannot be
Graduated even by dressing him up as Hamlet or put
known whom nothing would induce TO
shave of their mustaches insist in taking part in
plays Of the period of the last century and drawl and
saunter unabashed through the Of the piece.
careless of the glaring and ridiculous discrepancy Of
heavy whiskers and mustache with the peruke and
frills Of that closc-shorn period when hair the
face regarded with shrinking horror
BETTER THAN USUAL
There was private performance at Chipstead
place not long ago which above the average. An
original conedietta given entitled "A Year Ago.
in which Mrs IL Oppenheim Mrs Ronalds. Of New
Hon A. Yorkc. son Of Lord Hardwicke and equerry TO
Prince Leopold took part The following is the pro-
logue which was written for the occasion. in which
some graceful lines anent the homage of Britain
MIA to Columbia
Alas what ills the lnckless light endures
Who lists in yonder troop of amateurs
There chaos reisris anew In bre-thless fear,
J. n deserter ~ for refuge herr.
Look below ~ some stern celestial said,
A wood descending totters DER my head,
Quick TO avoid meet a mishap.
Upset the thunder and fall through trapi
The title of play You II seek to know,
A sim pie story Of "A Year Ago
An ancient legend and still older plot
OF maids for-aken and OF forgot,
@Yorkc- and Now York combined to night you'll see.
And hear the sotcs Of Western melody.
Columbus little Thought. when lac unfurled
Ills flag to fiutter in = novel world,
How Europc'r foreign feet would sue,
And the Old World pay homage 60 the New.
Nor did be deem that in this colder CLINE
A rival star would rise in Oppenhsim,
"A Year Ago" to please can scarcely fail.
Since, though It's late you'll hear Nightingale.
In the right place we've got the proper man,
The modern orpheus, Arthur sullivan. B. o.