Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-08
HE'S A ROYAL GOOD FELLOW
King Leopold of Belgium the Lion Of
the Week in London.
LORD DuFfERlN MAY LEAVE PARIS
Becrbohm Tree Makes Desirable
Contribution to Current Literature
by Publishing ~ Prompt Book
on the Play of Hamlet.

| LONDON Dec. THE great attractions o.
the week in royal circles have been the com
ings and goings of King Leopold of Belgium
and his charming daughter, Princess Clemen
tine, who is about % years of age and unmar
rled King Leopold has always been popular
here on account of his so-caed democratic
| habits, to which he attracted considerable
attention on his arrival here. He was met a
| Charing Cross railroad station by number
| of officials and royal carriages were placed
| at his disposal to convey him to his destina.
| ton. But after acknowledging the courtesy
shown him. the king said he preferred walk
| ing, and so he was allowed to have his way
and strolsd across Trafalgar square to hotel
before going to Windsor to pay his respects
| to her majesty, Queen Victoria. Later King
| Leopold saw all the sights of London, incog.
| and is said to have enjoyed himself inn
| mensely.
| King Leopold and the princess returned
| from Windsor yesterday and Will proceed tc
| Sandringham en- visit to the prince and
| princess of Wales. There is the usual amount
| Of speculation about the real object of the
| kings visit to London but little seems to be
really known about 1t. The usual report that
his journeyng is connected with the financial
affairs Of the Congo Free State is uppermost,
and references are made to his devotion to
"Merodipold," otherwise Mile. de Marode, the
| most beautiful dancer at the Paris opera.
The presents, horses, carriages, jewelry,
ETC., which the king has bestowed upon the
popular dancer are said to have cost him a
| small fortune and this Is not his first escapade
OF the kind.
CAN'T STAND THE EXPENSE.
1t is now reported that the earl of Derby,
formerly governor general of Canada, Is to
succeed the marquis of Dufferin as British
| ambassador at Paris, although the name of
Sir Philip Currie. the British ambassador to
Constant!nople, is frequently mentioned in
connection with that highly important post.
Should the report turn out to be correct 1t
may safely be said the special qualification
Of the earl OF Derby as a successor to the
marquis of Dufferin is his enormous wealth,
and it is no secret that the marquis is greatly
hampered in filing the position as it should
be by the fact that he is not wealthy
enough to entertain, ETC.. to the extent con-
sdered necessary.
Vanity Fair commenting upon this stua
ton, says: Paris is the home of so many
American millionaires. whose lavish expsndi
lures give them undue prominence in Partisan
society, that the English visitors dislike to
see their representative play second fiddle
to Mrs. Passmore. Mrs. Davis, or some
other wealthy American"
BITS OF SMALL TALK.
The way in which many London mattresses
are compelled to work was shown during the
brought against the proprietor of coffee.
tavern" for wrongful dismissal. She was
discharged, 1t appears. for coming down
from her room at o'clock In the morning
instead Of 4:3O, and 1t developed that the
girls never retired until 1 a. m. For thsse
twenty hours of labor per day the mattresses
were paid the sum Of IL shillings, SO per
month, and were glad to get it, as many
hundreds were ready to fill their places If
vacancies occurred. =
mia tint ia 6e
the duke of Norfolk. postmaster general and
the recognized head of the Roman Catholics
Of England, In suppressing the Italian postal
cards received in commemoration of the
cards were SO objectiona to the Vatican that
the pope communicated all who received
them or aided in their circulation.
The many Americans who have passed the
old church Of Saint Mary lie Strand. whose
handsome clock tower Is one of the land
marks which first greets the eye when turn
ing into the strand from Charing Cross will
learn with interest that the church will be
completely remodeled shortly after the new
year.
FOLLY AT A FANCY BALL.
The first fancy dress ball of the season
was given at Covent Garden last Wednesd
evening. and came as a relief to the jaded
young men about town. The male frequent
crs CT the ball were recruited from the ranks
which are generally to be seen at the EN-
hotel at midnight for supper The lady
frequenters of the ball are, for the most part,
rather fast actresses and demi-mondaines, al
though on Wednesday last several parties
Tho had boxes included some of the smartest
women in England They however, kept
carefully masked, and as a rule remained
N their boxes looking on at the gay scenes
on the floor.
few years ago at one of these balls, Mrs |
Langtry and her party. in one Of the upper
hn
old. quet-looking gentleman was seen to be |
sitting In the midst OF her gay party and |
from time to time the old man was subjected |
to all sorts of practical jokes. He was pulled |
around the box, wine thrown in his face, and |
Finally amid cries of horror from the people
below. he was thrown. after an apparent
struggle with one OF ths men, to the floor
below, where he lay motionlesn, 1t was
soon discovered that the old gentleman was
a skillfully constructed lay figure but the
gentlemen Of Mrs Langry's PARTY were all
arrested and had to appear at Bow street the
next morning
Last Wednesdays ball did no, begin until
O'Clock the fun was at its highest about
0 clock and 1T was almost daylight when the
last of the people left the hall
CHARITY HAS AN INNING.
The charitable season is row at hand and
most CT the theatsrs are generously proffsr-
Ing their aid in behalf of various ms itu-
tons. Royal patronage he's been promised
IUI matinee 10 De given at the Haymarket |
ol December 16, in aid of the Siddons house
4 proposed theatrical institution, umsthng
On the plan of the Forest Home. II Is in
tsndel to be refuge for ac ors ami actresses
when struck down by serious illness
In the course of an interesting article en-
titled, ''Hamlet from an Actors Prompt
Book" published In his months Fortnightly
Review, Beerbohm Tree states 1T has
been my aim by the practical au,s,an of
IN actors prompt book, to show that Ham
cts supposed madness was a feigned mad
less. and that many Of the difficulties of this
masterpiece are really little
Use than ths outcome Of sIper-acute but
impractical comment If to the pure all
hingu are pure. to the plain seekers many
hings often appear plain. And IL some of
he alleged obscurities Of Hamlet have been
ispelled by an actor-manager's prompt copy, |
he reason for the miracle may lie in the
act that Shakespeare was an actor-manager |
imself. The fact must never be lost sight
4 that his plays were designed for the stage |
nd not for the library; that, though the
,rea test of poets. he was an experienced |
ctor as wfll. and that the prompt copies Of !
lis plays mus have been filled with stage |
u9lness in the highest dsgres illustrative OF ]
ho text. and the greatest part of which has
cen lost forever
In this opinion. Mr.. Trees idea Sf the I
Dane coincides with that OF ths | '
,to Edwin Booth. who was ever wont to
seert when asked the question, Il do not {