Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-12-24
YULETIDE IN ENGLAND.

A cablegram from Woodstock, Eng,
the home of the Marlborough family.
says:
"The Duchess OF Marlborough will
have family party at Blenheim on
Christmas, including the Marchioness OF
Blandford. Lady Nora Churchill, Lord
and Lady Curzon and Captain and Lady
Sarah Wilson. Private theatricals we're
planned, but they were abandoned
owing to the gloomy war news.
"The Duchess is active in generosity
toward her tenants and poor neighbors.
She distributed the past week with her
own hands presents Of plum buildings,
game, blankets and warm cloth.
Jog among the tenants and
employees of the estate. The
Duchess drives about 10 a splendid car
riags every morning aud is followed by
a lar1e two-horse van containing her
presents. She alights at each cottage,
and when her servants hand out her
gifts the Duchess says few kindly
words to the recipients. She is greatly
liked, while the Dukes lofty self-im-
portance makes him the reverse OF pop
ular.
1.-THE grand servants hall at Blend
helm on Christmas Eve will be opened,
according to the old custom, by the
Duchess dancing with the butler and
the Duke with the housekeeper. Other
members OF the Marlborough house
party will have other servants as part
ners.n
A London cablegram says:
"The fashionable world OF England
has deserted the metropolis and sought
refuge 10 the country places. There
will be such round OF house parties as
has not been known for several years,
accompanied by the revival of the
queer customs which a century ago
made the season the occasion for I'M
restrained merry-making among rich
and poor alike. 1t would seem that
those who are able to celebrate realize
the necessity for dlstracting public at
tentioD from the events in South Africa.
sat Osborne the Queen will be sur
rounded by the Duke end Duchess OF
York, the Princess of Battenberg and
several of her grandchildren.
1.-THE Prince of Wales will entertain
at Saudringhsm the Duke and Duchess
OF Fife and their children with royal
Christmas trees. Welbeck Abbey, Blen-
helm Palace, Hatfield House and all the
stately homes of highlands aristocracy
are filling up with scores OF guests pre-.
pared to make the most of Yuletide.
Balls, amateur theatricals and enter
tainments without end have been ar
ranged, conspicuous among which 10 the
old English custom OF dance in the
servants hall. At the Duke aud the
Duchess Of Devonshire's, the Earl and
Countess Spencer's. the Marquis and
Marchionness of Londonderry's and
other places of the nobility Christmas
Eve will be marked by the strange spec
tacle of buffers dancing with duchesses.
footmen with countesses and grooms
with the daughters Of belted earls;
while ladies' maids, chambermaids and
cooks will hang on the arms OF the
Cabinet ministers and other male heads
of illustrous lines.
"The ancient practice OF the land OWL
ers enjoying the servants quadrille had
almost lspsed except in the case OF 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
domestics as much as their own, and
cites one country house where set of
rooms is specially allotted to them for
recreation, comprising q ballroom,
music room, library and billiard
room."