The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-22
TEA ON THE TERRACE.
A Regular Function of London So
ctety--Engaging Tables Ahead.

ciety-Engaging Tables Ahead.
From the London Telegraph
There are members of the present
House of Commons who can recall the
days when the Terrace was a desert.
Occasionally. more especially after
dinner on summer nights, men strolled
forth to take their cigar. Very reraly
ladies who had been dining at the
House with their husbands, fathers or
brothers took coffee outside. But these
were episodes, as distinct from custom.
1t was in the Parliament which wit
messed the birth of the Unionist party
that the now popular tea on the Ter
race was established. At the beginning
of last Parliament some members at
tempted to stem the current. They
met with no fuller measure of success
than did Mrs. Darlington in her his
toric encounter with the Atlantic. The
speaker was privately urged to enact
a system of ballot. akin to that in OPP
Grafton in the Ladies' Gallery. A wise
and prudent man, the right honorable
gentleman declined to take any such
step. 1t was represented that legisla-
tors hurrying to the division lobby at
the sound of the bell were hampered on
their passage up the stairways by Ia
dies passing to and from the Terrace.
That objection was met by the con-
struction of a special staircase leading
from the Terrace, exclusively reserved
for the use of visitors.
Another concession made to the pre-
judices of limited class of members
was the reservation of a portion OF the
Terrace for their seclusion. This space
is marked off on the eastern side OF the
stairway leading from the main lobby.
An upright signboard, modelled on
those in use in the streets when the
L.. a TINS
the quarter is For Members Only
Summer rocked peris may, II they md
attraction, stand by the gates of this
paradise, but they must not cross its
border II must be said that 1t is the
least frequented portion of the long
line of the Terrace. and is in all re-
spects the gloomiest of aspect.
1t is not generally known that por-
ton of the Terrace is the perquisite OF
the peers. The far western end skirt
ing the wall of their house, is reserved
for them, but is rarely used. There is
a tradition that the Lord High Chan
cellor was once seen at table here,
pouring tea out a brown pot for the
delectation of a company of ladies'.
That was all very we'll for the Lord
Chancellor. who must In all circum-
stances maintain the aloofness neces-
stated by his high estate. Ordinary
peers, staying for tea on the Terrace,
prefer to accept the hospitality of the
Commons, among the bevies Of ladies
crowding the tables set in double line
farther to the eastward. No one re-
members to have seen Mr.. Gladstone
Willing half an hour away on the Ter
race. But his Majesty's present min
listers are frequent attendants. Mr..
Chamberlain. when not presiding at a
teatable Of his own, usually joins the
group of smokers clustered by the
space reserved for members. Mr.. Bal
four, generally hatless, fits about
from table to table, carrying sunshine
wherever he goes.
Tea on the Terrace has now become
a regular function CT London society.
The main drawbacks are the Difficult
~ of securing tables. and the treach-
cry of English weather. To make sure
of his opportunity the wise member
engages a table at least two days in
advance. 1t Is quite hopeless, especial
ly on a fine afternoon, to come down
casually and order tea for four or six.
At the same time system may be car
ried to extreme. Three sessions ago
discovery was made that the wife OF
an esteemed member had engraved
cards OF invitation to tea on the Ter
race, proposing to have a regular series
of at least two a week as long as the
weather held up. This generous i'm
pulse of hospitality was gently but
firmly fepelled by high authority.
As to the weather, that, like reading
and writing, comes by nature, and Is
beyond the control of man, or even wo-
man. On sultry afternoons the Terrace
Is certainly the coolest spot in London.
When the plans for the Palace of West
minister were devised. the architect
had not in his mind the comfort and
convenience OF tea drinkers at the
opening of the twentieth century. But
Sir Charles Barry built wiser than he
knew. At the approach to the sacred
hour of the tea the Terrace falls into
quiet shade. II elsewhere, in park or
Picadilly, there is not a breath of air
stirring, be sure that on the Terrace OF
the House of Commons a breeze re-
freshingly steals along from the river.
There are times, as happened on an
afternoon last week, when the shade
grows blacker. and out of 1t falls a
food OF rain. Then is beheld a quick
transformation scene. the ladies skip
ping to the doorways for shelter. hon.
orable members CALAMITY doing their
best to save the wreck of dishes of
Strawberries and avert the run of
plates of hot buttered buns.
To the left of the glass door giving
entrance to the house is a small pane
OF glass, through which, by dint of
standing on a bench, ladies look into
the House, and have it's more notable
members pointed out to them. Here.
again, the ineradicable selfishness Of
man attempted to limit the privilege.
1t was complained that the ladies
standing In queue, waiting their turn
to approach the peep-hole, blocked the
lobby. and IL was actually ordered that
the privilege should not be enjoyed till
o'clock, which was practically equiv
alent to Withdrawing IL altogether. Be-
fore a fortnight had sped more or less
silent influences were at work, and the
order was rescinded, and no attempt
has been made to re-establish II.