Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-03
A Wyndham Chat.

No English actor, few English gentlemen Of
any profession, enjoys wider social popu-
larity than Charles Wyndham. First he is a
vertable king of clubs" and it is vast land
is clubland. At the best London clubs the
actor is seen now and again, and very often at
club Of his own name, the "Wyndham," in
st. James square near to where the London
Library with its treasure-trove walls keeps its
grim scholarly state. The Savage" and the
"Beefsteak," these merry gatherings know him
WELL Then he has tiny little club supper
room all to himself. 1t is called the Yacht
and is in the Criterion theater building, off
Piccadilly circus. remaining" as he laugh
ingly says, anchored for purposes of personal
convenience and never going to sea-" This
yacht is little supper room fitted up exactly
like the saloon of an ocean pleasure yacht.
There port holes and huge compass.
There are cushioned seats ranged around the
wall, and the walters are in uniform smacking
of the sea. One becomes just wee
bit seasick on entering this odd little
room, but there is 'mal de mer'
about the exquisite supper, nor yet the WELL
selected guests, numbering with the host and
hostess never more than fourteen. An actor
or two. always a member. or two of the fourth
estate. the honored craft of journalism. a
doctor or two. painter and "a city man." For
| the latter is power. He who is something in
the city,, to use the talk of the financial portion
OF Dusy London, is most interesting charac ter.
This city man. at the Yacht suppers. is fire.
quently Col. North, the nitrate king" with
his rudy Yorkshire face and his brusque,
quaint manner aud his amusing north counties
twang of speech. There is something easy,
SOHO. breezy and matter-of-fact in the usual
representative Yorkshire man. Talking near
him Is the Rev. Hugh Chapman. or Father
Hugh, as he Is called the eccentric charitable
vicar OF st. Luke's in Camberwell, one of
London's suburbs. Father Hugh likes Charles
Wyndham, whom he calls my friend David
Garrlck, preaching tender heart sermons night
after night while l, alas can preach only on
Sundays'".
An actor often present is Henry Irving,
the particular .own familiar friend" of the
versatile Wyndham. The two began the
battle OF life together, and we're very poor.
proud and ambitious. Indeed Wyndham is
often called the Henry Irving of comedy"
=, Next to the Yacht suppers, presided over by
tne most ana hostess, Mrs. Charles Wyndham, a
charming lady, full of tact and gentleness it is
an event the first night" Criterion stage sup
per. After the play the stage becomes a huge
supper room. Guests specially invited gladly
avail themselves of the chance to see and ad-
mlre the other guests. The Duchess of Aber-
corn, a beautiful and gifted Irish lady, chats
with Miss Mary Moore and Mrs. Wyndham
The former Is Mr.. Wyndhams leading lady.
In private life she is Mistress Albery, the
widow OF James Albery, the distinguished
dramatlst, who wrote Two Roses" and other
delightful plays. Sweet Mary Moore" as she
Is called everywhere, seems like young girl
instead OF young widow mother of two sturdy
baby boys. She Is Mrs. Bronson Howard's in
innate chum, and Mrs II. is Alice" the only
sister of Charlie Wyndham." Mrs. Wyndham
Is great friend of Sweet Mary" and writes
her charming letters from the London home of
the Wyndhams. As long she could endure the
climate Mrs. W. remained here. but alas, like
the most of us, she got 1.-THE grip in New York
and hurried home to st. Johns Wood, where
at the Manor house" she keeps the home
nest, ready for her dear lords return.
And the Manor house?" you ask. All! would
could take you there on the swift wings of
fancy. 1t is stone mansion. flower embow-
cred and just off a lovely park. Twenty
minutes by rail about will bring you there
from the Charng Cross railway station. The
house itself is quiet and comfortable, but its
interior. filled with curios, would take columns
to describe Here come to dinner such people
as Rhoda Broughton, the novelist; Clement
Scott. Londons Willie Winter" of dramatic
critics; ID. l.. Farjeon, another novelist, son-in-
law OF our own and only Jefferson (hip Van
Hu@R), and score o other clever men and
women in that charme circle which, for want
OF better name, we call, in England as in
America, Literary Bohemia"
ANNIE WARpMAN