The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-19

al lidulent IN western Europe. ne dI-
tempt to cast the Liberal strength for the
socialist candidates, which | mentioned
last week, had the active support OF the
Liberal papers of Belgium, and was led by
burgomaster Bulls of Brussels, who has
usually been able to run the party, out it
came to nothing. 1t is said that 10000
Liberals followed his lead, but quite as
many either voted for the Clericals or re-
Insa3 10 vote at all, with the result that
the priests had it all their own way.
AFTER beWildering succession OF changes
IN the programme, which have been at
lehueu by all sorts of quarrels inside the
royai family, the ceremonial for Princess
Mauo's wedding on Wednesday next
seems nnally to be settled. The Duke of
Gopurg left the country last week in high
oudgeon, and Princess Beatrice and her
chlldren are ostentatiously to depart to
the seaside the day before the wedding.
II was only few days ago that the loyal
traoesmen of the fashionable West End
streets were able to learn whether it was
the royal wish that thev should decorate
their shop fronts and illuminate in the
evening. The principal bone of conten-
ton seems to have been the Batrenberg
mourning question, on which the Queen
lalo such obstinate stress that her own
sons and the Wales family generally are
furious. Now, by the most grudging of
concessions TO the latter, she has enraged
uduEuLer pressing
the otners. From the outset it was an un-
popular marriage in England, and is said
10 pc equally so in Danish aristocratic
circles, while the way in which it has been
muuoleo ABOUT for the last three months
mas not tended to surround it with a spe-
claliy Joyous bridal atmosphere.
(. me question whether Princess Maud is
gong TO wear the so-called "osprey"
plume at any stage of the proceedings is
perhaps what concerns the largest number
OF people: The Daily Chronicle has been
waging sharp war upon the fashion of
wearing these plumes, which can only be
secured by the destruction of small white
herons, or egrets, during the nesting sea-
son. and when, fortnight ago, one of
them was enumerated as part of the
Drloe's going-away outfit, the Chronicle
appealed to her to order the plumes taken
from her hat and to pledge herself never
TO wear them again. A letter came
promptly from Marlborough House say
Ing that the Princess had no intention of
AFTER the wedding, and the Chronicle
thought 1t had won a complete victory;
out at the Queens garden party this week
not only Princess Maud, but her mother.
sisters and aunts all Haunted the egrets
unashamed, as did innumerable duchesses
ana countesses. So the poor Chronicle
had Its work to do all over again. It de-
ana when Mrs. Frances Hodgson-B urnett
appeared on Thursday evening at dinner
given IN her honor by the Authors Club
with one of these offending topknots the
paper publicly rebuked her next day.
Apropos of this garden party, the Queen
has just thought of a way to mark her an
Gent adherence of second marriages so
that offenders will teel it. At Tuesdays
great gathering in Buckingham Palace,
Lillian, Duchess of Marlborough, found to
her profound amazement that she had
been placed away back in the precedence
list. AS Lady w. Beresford, widow of the
last Duke of Marlborough, who is now
Lady Egerton OF Tatton, was similarly de-
MED the style and place OF q duchess, it is
understood that henceforth women with
second husbands will not be allowed at
court TO retain or profit by the title OF their
first husbands.
Although Ii Hung Chang never touches
morsel ofiood or drink at any table but
his own, the rulers and diplomats of
Western Europe continue TO entertain
him at formal banquets, at which he sits
fasting beside his interpreter watching
the others eat The three Chinese cooks
in his suite prepare meals, which he con-
sumes in the mysterious privacy of his
apartments. 1t is reported that at the
Friederichsruhe luncheon Bismarck gen.
tally urged his guest at least to partake of
fruit, which, he said, God made pretty
nearly alike in all countries. The Vice
roy declined, but offered the ingenious ex-
cuse that he was compelled to make abso-
luteIy no exception TO his rule, since pos
sibly some time he might bite on some
thing which would cause his tooth to
jump, and then he would make facial
contortlon which would disgrace him for
ever in the eyes OF polite European society.
1t is natural that the comments which
otherwise would have been made on Ed
mond de Goncourt's death have been
largely discounted by the yoluminous dis.
cussions which the recent volumes of his
journal" excited. The book angered the
whole army of writing people, and hardly
pleased anybody else, so he is now dis
missed into the shades with rather curt
remarks. All Paris, however, takes the
keenest interest in the revelations of his
will, which are expected to come Monday.
His plan of devising his house at Auteuil
in perpetuity as the home of az A cademic
des Goncourts, and OF leaving his other
property so that it will provide an income
OF $1,000 year to each of the ten mem bers
as life annuity. has been public for
some years, but there is the deep
s s;. curiosity Snaf to see who who are are
had made and remade this list many
times of late years. Once lola, Lott and
Coppee were all on IL, but one by one they
were struck off. either because they
yielded to the destinations OF the French
Academy or because they could no longer
stand the intolerable egotism and AFRO
gance OF old Edmond himself. Of course,
Daudet has the list, and no one suspects
his prolonged Goncourt friendship of in
terested motives, but it is expected that
some Of the others will turn out to be more
or less of the parasitic type.
HAROLD FREDERIC
copyright 1896 by the New York TImes.l