Evening star., 1900-12-15
A HOLIDAY COTILLON
HOW LADY CURZON ENTERTAINED
AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
The Forfeit Money Went to Swell the
Famine Fund-Sweet Charity
With ReVelry.

Written for The Evening Star
Until this year Christmas trees. waits,
sleigh rides and fun with the mistletoe
bough carried a country house party along
with exhilarating hustle. but the inventive
genius of Her Grace Consuelo of Marlbo--
ough and Her Excellency the Vicerene Of
Irdis. have introduced fresh fun and pas
times new. Last December the young
duchess relieved a good deal of the gloom
hanging over smart English society by get
tirg up fine Christmas house party 1t
Blenheim- She had a special amusing sur
Prise prepared for her guests every day.
feeding the appreciative prince and peers
and peeresses on American blue points,
Baltimore terrapin canvas back and prairis
chicken, and delighted them on Christmas
cay by a wonderful dinner served in the
great library at Benheim. In the center Of
the huge table. that measured twenty feet
fu length, was a monster yu'e log from
which spouted gas flames in the most real
istic fashion. When the moment for des-
sert came round the Jog fell apart and
disclosed a superb plum pudding wearing
holly crown and reposing in bed of blue
brandy flames. 1t is this Christmas dinner
that the hostesses OF many an American
country house propose to initiate.
In rural districts most unusual proceed
ing will take place in connection with the
traditional tree and its location. 1t will b :
e sort of reversed surprise party. select
house the tree IS to be located. and on
Christmas eve the entire neighborhood
turns out to find il.
About dusk of the 24th some one who Is
let into the secret as to the whereabouts
of the tree. will head a procession of young
people, armed with tin horns and whistles
and drums and torches, and deliberately v
mislead them In their search. When afte:
wandering. and inquiring and prodigoue
noise. and the of many firecrackers,
ard aSSauiting and searching many houses
the party discovers the tree a general joli-
ficaton is to follow with a dance that may
resolve Itself into Gymkana cotilon.
A Christmas C0tiIIon.
Direct from the vice regal home and fer
tile brain of Lady Curzon comes this
peculiar dance Lady Curzon keeps Christ
mas with great sp:endor In india, but last
year she quite surpassed herself for she
gave, during holiday week, an entertain
ment that not only Pleased her guests hug
ly, but Eetted very nice sum for the
famine sufferers.
1t was q cotillpn with a contest. an auc-
tion or d sale 81 favors for every figure.
In the center of the ball room hung huge
bunch of mistletoe and a solid money for
felt had to be paid by any couple who
were 50 unlucky as to be forced by other
COUPLES under the fatal bough. One cOu-
pie was appointed by the leader to dance
aloue. then he called up ten couples to
waltz about and try and force the first cou-
pie to pass under the chandelier; after this
ne called up ten more couples to defend
the first couple from the strategy of the
aggressive ten. A very pretty game of
waltz foot ball ensued. under the rules
that everybody must keep dancing all the
time and that when the first ten after
eight minutes failed to force the pursued
couple under the mistIetoe, 1t was their
duty to collect the sum of the whole for
felt among themselves and put the amount
in actual money or promises to pay in the
poor box at the door.
For the second figure favors were for
SALE that Is TO say the couples when pass
ing up to the favor table, were allowed to
choose from among the trifes DISPLAYED
but on the back of every pretty gimcrack
number was pasted from penny to the
amount OF pound, and that sum the Der
son selecting was obliged to put in the
poor box. tremendous amount Of guess
Ing and fiutter went at the favor table,