The record-union., 1899-04-02
The Social Season at London Prom
ises to be a Good One.
The WhereWithal for Lavish Entertainments
Plentiful This Year.

the Large Mum Der OF Americans
Who Have Taken Houses
Fashionable Society Out of
Town for Easter.
Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press)
LONDON, April 1.-The Easter hoi-
days opened wet and dull. Most of the
people who can do SO are leaving town,
and many houses of business will re-
main closed from Thursday to Tuesday.
The London season, which officially be-
gins tomorrow, promises to be a really
good one Not for years have SO many
large houses been occupied by their
owners, while the general commercial
prosperity and the fortunes made on
the Stock Exchange, in which the aris-
tocracy has participated, promise to
provide the wherewithal for lavish en-
tertainments which for years have been
lacking. The feature of the season will
be the large number of Americans who
have taken houses.
Practically everybody who is in, or
who hopes to be in fashionable society,
is out of town for Easter. Joseph H.
Choate, the United States ambassador,
and Mrs. Choate have gone to Brighton.
J. r. Carter, Second Secretary Of the
United States Embassy, and Mrs. Car
ter have gone to their country house,
and Spencer Eddy, Third Secretary of
the United States Embassy, is in Paris.
Mr. and Mrs. Lambert Tree of Chi
cago, who have spent the winter on the
Riviera, returned to England this week,
and are now at their son Arthur's place
in Warwickshire. Judge Tree will re-
turn home on April 22d, Mrs. Tree re-
naming in England.
Influenza is still upsetting many social
engagements.
company on Monday night to meet the
United States ambassador, but late in
the afternoon word came that both the
from influenza.
The Speaker" thinks the season
opens with an omen, and says:
"A decade ago who would have be-
lieved it possible for an Earl of War
wick to convert his prestige and estates
into limited liability company? The
negotiation is typical of the change
coming over the habits of the upper
class. 1t cannot be said that their
houses are their homes. If they are not
dining out, their house is full"
In Paris Holy Week brought crowds
of foreign visitors.
The Riviera is fuller than at any time
this year, and members of royal fami-
lies are to be seen on all sides.
There was decidedly unpleasant in
cident in connection with the Queens
visit to the Riviera. A boat from the
royal yacht Osborne was sent ashore at
and three of her crew en-
tered a cafe full of Frenchmen, who set
upon them. The sailors retreated to the
quay amid a volley Of stones, and were
obliged to swim to their boat. Several
of the boats crew were injured. The
Captain of the Queens guardship COM
planned TO the commander cf the French
squadron, who apologized; but the Of
fair has left bad blood between the sail
ors of the two squadrons, and has ex-
tremely annoyed the Queen.
Her majesty had an amusing encoun-
ter during the week. While driving on
the St Juan read she overlook beg
gar, one of the features of the district,
who drives a cart drawn by two big ST
dogs. The beggar whipped up
the dogs and raced the royal landau, to
the great amusement of the royal party,
the Queen, Princess Henry of Batten-
berg and the Duchess of York laughing
heartily. The beggar, after getting
ahead, drew up beside the road and
waited, hat in hand He received the
customary aims, blessed the Queen in
the patois of the district, and turned
back home.
To-day publishes an article devoted
to argument against the Duke of
claim to princely rank,
and claiming to correct the alleged mis-
take of the American newspapers on
the subject. The writer found, he as
serts, that the princely dignity became
absolutely extinct at the death of the
first Duke of Marlborough. To-Day"
then says: "ConSue1o must therefore
be contented with the rank of an Eng
Iish Duchess. The princely crown does
not adorn her brow, and the princeIy
crown of the imperial eagle must be re-
moved from the Dukes escutcheon."
The Duke himself has taken the
trouble to inquire into his succession to
the princely rank, it is added, so he is
probably now aware of the circum-
stances.
IN. A. P" Cdainly About People)
says card playing was never so much
indulged in as at present The most
popular craze, it appears, is the game Of
patience, and the Queen, it is added,
heads the list of players.
Poker parties, according to the same
authority, are still very popular, partic-
ularly with the ladies, including the
Duchess of Devonshire, Lady Strafford.
Mrs. Arthur Paget and Lady George
Gordon Lennox, all of whom are said
to be excellent players.
The recent hurricane weather on the
Atlantic and the consequent losses to
have called attention to the
Board of Trades action in aboIishing
the winter north Atlantic mark for YES
sells over $50 feet long, and an agitation
for it's establishment has begun
Since January Goth nine steamers Of %
754 tons. of f529, 900 in value, having
300 persons on board, have been lost.
It is added that they were classed 1OOA
at Lloyd's, but it is believed they were
exempt from the winter North Atlantic
mark.
Mrs. Plimsoll, widow of the late Sam
uel Plimsol, the member of Parliament
who did so much good for shipping and
in behalf of seamen that he was known
as 'the seaman's friend" has taken the
matter UP as undoing her husbands
work. In letter to the newspap pers
she characterizes the abolition of the
winter North Atlantic mark as a "cruel