The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03

Prince of Wales. It was a most bewiid-
eringly brilliant assemblage of nearly all
of the leading civil, naval. and military
officers of the English Government in In
dia. as well as many of the more power
ful native Indian princes. vino as gen.
eral thing. fairly blszed with almost
priceless family jewels. one of them,
Pattiala, having in an aigrette in his tur-
ban the great Sansy diamond. while
across its front was strung in glittering
array the necklace of the then recently
dethroned Empress Eugene, for which he
had paid eSO.COO. or s4O0, 900, the diamonds
on his person and encrusted on the hilt
and scabbard of his sword being valued
at over s2.0e0.O00.
To say that all Calcutta was given up
to entertaining the Prince only expresses
the bare fact of existence during the
next ten days. and His Royal Highness
was fairly overworked in doing his own
share in the official and state pageants.
Most superbly he came up to the very
highest requirements in all things. and
could well understand what l afterward
heard regarding him in Russia. that-with
possibly a single exception in Austria,
he was undoubtedly the best master of
state ceremonies OF any man of his years
in all Europe. On December q We were
invited to attend a garden party, given
by the Lieutenant Governor and Lady
Temple to the Prince of Wales, at Belve-
dere. most lovely residence with won
mi hAaI Mi ful M
1t was by all odds, taken in its entirety,
the most exquisite garden party 1 have
ever attended There were about 1900
invitations given out, and l opine few
regrets" were sent. The costumes of the
ladies were a dream. AS a matter of
course. they were nearly all light silks or
diaphanous stuffs. but exquisitely made.
l remarked to a lovely woman. with
whom / was walking: Il have been told
that English women as rule do not dress
we'll, save at set dinners, but this
We'll, what of this?" said she, good
humorediy.
'It is in my opinion the absolute
perfection of dressing, I cannot imagine
anything more beautiful"
Indeed" was the reply. and then the
blue eyes laughed. The fact is, my keen
eyed observer. we have known that we
were to be invited to this party for many
months. | think it would be safe to say
that nine-tenths of the dresses you see
here were ordered in Paris from Worth
for this especial occasion. This is prob
ably the only time many OF US will ever
meet the Prince at garden party"
The same evening our party was again
invited to hospitable Government House
to ball given by the Viceroy to the
Prince Of Wales.
1t was, as a matter of course. q most su-
perb ball, for the Viceroy's palace is an
immense building and lends itself we'll to
great entertainments. It Is on a capital
site, large and very imposing in appear
ance. with a noble portico at the head of
a flight of thirty marble steps, which rise
easily from a broad stone paved driveway
1t Has built under the regime of Lord
when he was Governor General
many years ago, and its first cost, $3.50 900.
fairly made the hair rise on the heads OF
some of the directors OF the old East In
dia Company at their office in London
when it came to auditing and paying the
bills, and occasioned some italicized re-
marks on the useless extravaganza of
Governors General by the companys d.
rectors, for Government Houses did not
pay dividends any more then than they do
now. Still, Lord Wellesleys head was
perfectly level when he decided to build
L. for nothing impresses the East Indian
with sense of power and latent strength
like pomp and state in everything that
MS Government attempts. The bali was.
Of course, a crush, as. owing to the i'm
nense pressure for Invitations from every
prominent source, 1t could not have we'll
been otherwise. great portion of lead
ing civil, naval, military and official In
iia. as well as many native princes. was
present. The dressing was superb, even
if at times kaleidoscope in its simmer
and sheen of silks and satins. its Indian.
European, and native uniforms, covered
with gold embroideries and starred with
decorations, medals, and orders, and ev-
erywhere the flash OF diamonds and the
of pearls, and here and there
among the crowd. one could catch the
sharp scintiiiations OF light as il was
flashed back from the turbans, necklaces,
and breastplates of the Indian princes,
that were fairly ablsze with rubies, sap
phires, amethysts, garnets, and tur-
quoise. 1t seemed as il '-all the wealth
of ormus and of Ind" had come to DO
honor TO the heir Of England's Crown.
Among the army officers present / had
pointed out to me men who had made
world wide regulations In India during the
struggles of the past thirty years, and
could not help wondering IL in the midst
of this scene of the pomp and power of
England in the Orient their thoughts ght
not unconsciously at times drift back to
the days of the massacre at Cawnpore and
the weary months of the sickening siege
OF Delhi. when nothing but their indom
liable English pluck and undaunted de
votiop to duty for the second time
wrested India from the fangs of the jungle
tiger and once more placed her under the
paw of the British Lion.
Two nights after this entertainment the
Ylceroy sent us an invitation TO dinner
TO meet His Royal Highness.
1t has so happened THEORETICALLY of
rourse-I have been superbly entertained
bymen OF higher rank than those who satat
the table of Lord Northbrook on the night
in which he gave this dinner to His Royal
Highness the Prince OF Wales, but never
have / seen any dinner that, in my opin-