St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-26

-du rranCl>CO ArECEALl
dare say you may remember a story which
got out last year about a practical joke that
was played at Cowes during the yachting
week, on lady named Mrs. Gust, whose
house at that time every year IS a fsvorite re-
sort Of the Prince OF Wales and his follow
ers. IL seems that Mrs. Gust was told that
the French cabinet minister, Monsieur Wad-
dington, was in Cowes, and the
Prince requested that he be invited
to dinner by her TO meet his royal high
ness. The invitation was, Of course, given,
and the dinner TOOK place. After dinner the
gentlemen came iatO tue drawing room. and
there. 10 Mrs. Gusts presence, an alterca-
ton soon arose between Monsieur Wadding-
tn aud Lord Charles B=resiord The rudest,
most insulting epithess were rpDiied to the
French people In general, aud Monsieur
Waadlngtou in particular, tae war Of words
ead;ng Ia Monsieur Waddington being
hustled out of ths room, into the garden,
and thrown over the wall into the road {.
Shortly after lie presented himself
again, covered WITH dust when at the earnest
solicitation OF Mrs. Gust, who vas al
most in faint, peace was patched up.
Another row sooD began ending as before.
The prince throughout the proceeding was
convulsed with laughter. Somehow the affair
reached the ears OF the French ambassador
in London, and he wrote to Lord Gran Vile
about II. Then the truth had to come out.
II wasn't Monsieur Wsddington al all, but
''BGll Run" Russell, who had dressed mp TO
represent him; the whole thing being con-
cocted by Lord Charles Beresiord, for the
amusement of the Prince Of Wales.
Il -. A
happened this year. After dinner, when as
before all the guests were assembled in the
drawing room, an old woman, dressed in a
French costume with very short skirts, sud-
denly made her appearance and one OF the
company being requested To play some lively
opera bouffe air on the Uianoforte, she pro-
ceedcd to dance the can-can. She danced
with much spirit and vivacity, not alto
gether, perhaps, as a modest old wo-
man should, and, as usual, the
Prince Of Wales was in shouts Of laughter.
At last she sat down amid a round
Of applause, and then a quadrille was
formed, the old woman requesting the prince
q be her partner. Although not exactly be
Proper thing, be couldn't refuse. After the
quadrille she as suddenly disappeared, and
people were wondering who she was, when
the door was thrown open aud in walked Sir
Harry Keppel. II needed but glance to see
tina: he it was who had been disappearing
as the ancient French damsel, and great was
the merriment thereat. On the whole, when
one reflects, il was not very elevating sight.
Sir Harry Keppel is man OF seventy-tive,
and, notwithstanding his age, is one OF the
princes most constant companions and fol-
lowers. There are people who accuse him of
being great toady, and If one might judge
by the exploit just mentioned, the charge
is not very untrue. Fancy man Of his age,
aud an admiral of the feet, consenting to
such an exhibition of want Of dignity on his
part, merely for the sake Of amusing the
prince Of Wales!
Mrs. Gust, the lady at whose house this
sort Of ridiculous tomfoolery occurs every
year for the delectrtiOn. Of ''Tummy," is q
woman Of over sixty. She is a Scotch woman,
and has always been very fast, notwithstand-
| ing the two facts that she was Miss Mac
Donald, daughter Of the Chief Of Clanranald,
and very plain in looks. She Is an aunt Of
the present Earl Of BrOwnlow.