The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-25
.BR|TA|N'S METROPOLIS
DESERTED BY RICH FOLK
Aristocracy of London Have Gone
to Country Homes to Enjoy the
Christmas Season.
FOLLOW KINGS EXAMPLE.

LONDON, Dec. 24.-Britain's metropolis
presents the deserted appearance usual on
the eve of Christmas. King Edward, Queen
Alexandra, the Prince and Princess of
Wales and the members of the court have
gone TO the country. Emulating the royal
example, the aristocratic families as well
as the weekend ''trippers'' and all sorts
and conditions of people have gone to coun-
try homes, where Christmas will be cele-
brated in the old-fashioned English style.
There are not many prominent Americans
in London tonight. Ambassador Choate
and his family are at Brocket Hall, Hat
field. Hertfordshire, where they will enjoy
their Chris mas dinner as the guests Of
Lord Mount Stephen. John r. Carter, sec
ond secretary of the United States embassy,
remains in London in charge of the en-
bassy. Captain Charles II. Stockton, United
States naval attache, and Major John I'll.
Beacomb, the military attache, will spend
their first Christmas in England at their
London homes. United States Consul Gen
eral Evans and his family will also prove
exceptions to the English custom of going
to the country at Christmas tide. The staff
of the consulate general, following the ex-
ample of Mr. Evans, will remain in London.
At Sandringham King Edward and Queen
Alexandra will be surrounded by all the
members of the royal family. Christmas
evening will be devoted to the distribution
of gifts from the royal Christmas tree, to
the estate have been invited King Ed
ward has abolished several of the customs
which existed during the reign of Queen
Victoria. Her late Majesty always had the
plum pudding made at Windsor Castle,
from which IL was distributed to the other
royal residences. Now the Windsor Castle
kitchens are practically shut up, and the
ancient rations of beef, which always
formed such picturesque feature of Queen
Victorias table, are no longer in evidence,
while the historic plum pudding and the
huge game pie and boar'S head are pre-
pared and consumed only at Sandringham.
The most prominent figures In English
public life to-day, Joseph Chamberlain, will
spend Christmas at his home in Highbury
while Premier Balfour, who is recovering
from slight indisposition, will be with his
sister at Nottingham, Haddingtonshire,
Scotland
The Christmas holidays will be followed
by several festivities, the most notable of
which will be held at Chatsworth where
the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire will
give an elaborate entertainment, which Will
be attended by King Edward and Queen
Alexandra Jan. 4. The principal feature of
this entertainment will be pantomime and
an extravaganza with amateur casts, in
Guiding Princess Henry of Pless and Miss
Muriel Wilson. The extravaganza will be
a humorous satire of leading politicians and
others well known in British public life.
tropols is again full with it's usual mid
winter population, the theaters will be given
up entirely to presentations of pantomime.
One of the interesting features of the
present season is the enormous quantity
of American and Canadian apples now in
that they are used as window decorations.
Owing to the scarcity of the European crop
this American product has been imported
in unprecedented quantities.