The morning call., 1891-07-26
MRS. MACKAY'S PALACE.
The First Reception in The Bonanza Queens
New London Home.

Inc Talace OIL Alauuln opened Its hos
pitable doors last evening. on which occa-
sion its much-dscussed. much-envied treas
ures were made visible to the superior
smart hundreds who replied with ardor
and in person to Mrs. Mackay's invitation
to come and inspect her new palatial resi-
dence on Carlton House Terrace-once the
home of the Dukes of Leinster, now the
property of the Bonanza Queen''-to eat
her strawberries and cream and drink her
champagne. writes London correspondent
to the Philadelphia Times.
Mrs. Mackay received her friends at the
top of the magnificent marble staircase,
which cost poor Mr.. SANFORD 100000, and
which leads on to wide square lobby, hung
with the celebrated GObelin tapestries
known as the Columbus series, and CELL
inged in blue and gold "crochetted panels.
Mrs. Mackay wore very charming, ex-
tremely simple gown, of that SIMPLICITY
which has Worth written in every fold of
the rich brocade, every cascade of the price
less lace. She Wore no jewels of any kiud,
except superb diamond solitaires in her
ears. - 1 am tired to DEATH" she said, "of
always seeing my pearls, or my rubieS, or
my diamonds recorded, as IL no one else
possessed any gems as good, and mean to
go In for abstpntion in that way for the rest
OF the season." Her mother, Mrs. Hunger
ford, received with her, and looked very
picturesque with her snOw-whlte hair and
dark, sad eyes.
The drawing-room and ballroom are small
museums of art treasures, for all the price,
less articles de luxe that adorned Mrs. Mac
kays hotel " in Paris have been installed
in her English home among them being two
portraits by Cabanel-one of Mrs. Mackay,
in marvellous carnation satin gown: the
other is of Mr.. Mackay, wherein that burly.
good-natured King Of the West" is toned
down into veritable habitue of Partisan
salons and London drawing rooms, an ar
tistici license worthy even of that most
suave and mondalne of artistSl
Minister Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln and their
daughter were en- evidence. The prettiest
American present, and there were many,
Tor Americans, matrons and maids, came out
in full force to honor their country-wOman,
was, by all odds, Mrs. Hartford Taylor,
fair, fresh, clear-eyed, bea utfuly COM
plexoned young matrOn, who created a de-
cided sensation, and bids fair to become an
Anglo-American beauty" before the season
closes. Mrs. Taylor is sister of Mrs.
Reginald de Koven, whose husband is COM
poser of "Maid Marian"
Royalty was conspicuous by its absence;
but royalty is to have a special little func-
ton all 10 itself early next month, W hen
only the sacred few possessing the entree to
the Princes set are to be favored with invi-
tatious Rank ana title, however, were
much to the fore. and among these noticed
the MarchiOness of Londonderry, Viscount-
ess Parker, in lovely diamonds and lace;
"Charlie" Lawrence, Lady Theresa Boyle,
Lady Aylesford, Lord and Lady Abinger
and Mrs. Sheridan
The decorations were confined entirely to
roses of every hue and size and orchids the
music to the whit- Viennese band, and the
supper to ones individual fads and fances,
any one of which could find easy gratifica-
ton at the horseshoe" table, which fairly
groaned with every luxury" of the season.
By the way, l wonder how it "felt" to
Lord and Lady Henry FITZGERALD to be re-
ceived as guests by Mrs. Mackay in the very
house that was once the home of their fam
lily. Lord Henry must have recalled many
scenes in the past, when his father, the late
Duke of Lelnster entertained du monde in
those very s0lons. and he himself was gay
young unattached bachelor.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Wilson are reaping
bit of the whirlwind which they, or,
rather, she. SO industriously sowed They
issued invitations three weeks ago for
smart, very smart dinner. But alas for
human greatness, and for that strangely
epehmeral quantity known as lin the SWIM
the Wilson's found themselves very much
"out of it." One by one every invitation.
without exception. was answered by polite
regret, and the Wills on dinner party has died
en- unnatural death-kiiled by its own pro-
genitors.
had a very funny experience last even
ing. l attended and took part a. a dinner
composed exclusively of the weaker sex-not
black coat or white tie visible, save those
worn by the polyglot beings who waited on
US, and who seemed to think the whole
thing huge joke got up for their special
delectation. The occasion was the annual
dinner given by the Literary Ladies of Lon
don. and rather good fun it was. The menu
was excellent, champagne abundant and ci-
garettes, furnished as gift by ''the most
liberal minded publisher" of Grub" street,
of the most seductive brand. We had
speeches without toaSts, clever Mrs. Craw-
ford of Paris. the doyen woman journalist.
responding to ''her Majesty the Queen"
and Miss Adelne Sergeant to Fiction"
We also had honorary guests from the
daughter country" in Mrs. Joe" Penn
nell, Mrs. Chandler Moulton and Mrs. Frank
Leslie. who came in all her war paint and
all her diamonds, and who recited short
poem by Joaquin Miller, Miss Golden also
spoke and Mrs. Poultney Bigelow looked one
of the freshest and handsOmest "blue stock
ings" of the whole thirty-four.