Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-22
A VERY DULL SPOT
London is Trying to Brighten
 Up For Christmas.
RECENT DEFEATS A SET BACK
The Fashionable Set Has Left the City For the Country-AIrs Maybrck Still land' Was Not a Success.

TOT the Country-Mrs Maybrick Still Lingers in Prison-''Alice in Wonder land' Was Not a Success.
 London, Dec 22.-There will be a merry Christmas in England. though m consequence of the recent defeats in South Africa. London is already one or the dullest spots in the United Kingdom. The fashionable world has deserted the metropolis and sought refuge in the country places. There will be such q round of house parties as has been unknown for several years. They will be accompanied by the revival of the queer. old cusComs winch, century ago, made the season the occasion for unreStrained merry making among rich and poor alike. It would seem that those who are able 10 celebrate realize the necessity for de- tracing public attention on the eye::ts in South Africa. At Osborne. 1l4e queen will De surrounded by the Duke and Duchess of York. the Princess of Battenberg and several of her grand children. At Sandringham, the Prince of Wales will entertain fle Duke and Duchess of Fife and their children wi Il Christmas trees. Welbeck Abbey. Bleinham palace. Hatfield house and all the stately homes of England's aris- tocracy are filling up with scores of guests prepared to make the most of Guletide. Balls. amateur theatricals and entertainments without end have been arranged. conspicuous among which is the old English custom of a dance in the servants hall. At the Duke and Duchess of Deyonshire's. Earl and Countess SpencerS, the Mar Quis and Marchioness of Londonderry's and other places of nobility. Christmas eve will be marked by the strange spectacle of buffers dancing with ducheSSes, foOtmen with countesseS, and grooms with the daughters of belted earls, while ladies maids. cham bermaids and cooks will hang on the arms of cabinet ministers and other male heads of illustrious lines. The ancient practice of the land owners enjoying the servants quadrille had al- most lapSed. except ill the case of q few families. The revival is, perhaps. no little due to the increasing necessity for pampering the British servant. The Onlooker says the householders now have to study the comfort of their domestfcS as much as their own, and quotes one country house where a set of rooms is specially allotted to them for recreation. comprising a ball room, music room. library and billiard room.
 In striking contrast to this is the treatment accorded to Bernard Nich- oils, the American golfer, who defeat ed the English crack, Peter Paxton, Thursday. Nichols, who is of Eng fish birth, returned here after having passed many years in America. The Footing Bee Golf club compelled him to lunch in the workshop, though the club members were glad to face the December storm to witness his play. Nichols said: Had 1 never been in America and witnessed the lavish kindness bestowed on Vardon and other English players. 1 might not have resented this reatment, but you may be assured 1 will rover remain in Eng land long, and if it were not for meet ing Braid Sa turlay. who is q personal friend. ' would not play on another English link. You may depend on it Eardon will not remain here long, for I know he will be lnaGle to stand this sort of thing after the kindness he has received in the United States. The curious thing about il all is that Amer ica will soon outstrip England not only in golf playing but in the manufacture of golf equipment.'
 Once again Mrs Florence Maybrick spends an unhappy Christmas in her prison cell. In spite of the various re- ports. her chances of liberty are no brighter than last year. Secretary Hay
  private letters which wiIl shortly be presented to the new home secretary, Mr Ritchie i'll accordance with the GUS tom of approaching each new occupant of that office. But the Associated Press learns there is no possible chance of anything being done so long as Lord IIa!sbury is lord high chancellor. When a now chancellor is appointed Mrs MayHrick will have q good chance of freedom.
 Another American woman is likely to be soon elevated to the British peer age. as Lord Salisbury intends to recog- nize the Right Hon Arthur Hugh ith-Barry's services to his party by putting him in the house of lords. MT Smith Barry married the widow of Ar thur Post of New York. whose sister, Mrs Adair, is also well known in Lon- don society.
 Lord Salisbury has already created nearly ninety peers. If the present rate is kept up the upper house will soon be in numerical superiority over the commons.
 ". R. Hobbs, head of the recently formed Canadian furniture combine, now in London, has decided that the Canadians have no need of the assist a1ce or cooperation of English finan- clers, which was originally projected. n progress. is that sufficient funds are easily obtainable- there. while the new law coming into force January l in the United. Kingdom, imposes an al most prohibitory taxation on new cor porations.
 About forty pantomimes will be pro dueed in and around London during the holidays, Cinderella" being the most popular production, no fewer than nine versions being presented.
 Nearly all the theaters are already doing crowded holiday business.
 Phyllis Rankin had a most cordial welcome on her return to the English stage. when she appeared in "Floro- dora,'' at the Lyric theater, Thursday. but she was manifestly nervous and did not make much of the part of Lady Holyrood.
 Erohman's production of Alice in Wonderland at the Vaudeville, Wed. nesday, with Ellaline Terriss as Alice and Seymour Hicks as the Mad Hat ter was not successful from the critics ,{v.<