The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-13
Special Foreign Service.

Special Foreign Service.
LONDON, March 12.-Wrestling is
going to become giant society craze
this season. The king has given 1t
his imprimatur, the Bath club has
made it feature in their gymnasium
and the young society lions of the west
end of London have installed leading
professional to instruct them in its art
and mysteries. King Edward has
given instructions to have a stage for
wrestling added to the gymnasium at
Buckingham palace.
It will be remembered that when
John L. Sullivan visited England the
king, then the Prince of Wales, COM
handed him to appear at MARI
borough house, and so impressed was
he with the great man that he had
stage for boxing added to the gym
nasium at once. His majesty in his
younger days was no mean exponent
with his fists, but it is doubtful wheth-
er he will start at his present age to
study the mysteries of the cross but
took or half Nelson.
Other society establishments are fol-
lowing the example of the king and
wrestling accommodation is being i'm
provised in all manner of shapes.
Neglected billiard rooms are being
cleared out and turned into gymnasia,
due regard being paid to the require
ments of society wrestlers. Hotels
and clubs in course Of construction are
provided with special accommodation
for wrestling. In many places the
swimming baths are being covered
over with special contrivance so that
they can be turned into gymnasium
as the occasion demands. The Duke
of Marlborough's new house is pro-
vided with gymnasium which will
admit wrestling, boxing or any other
form of manly exercise
Even those society folk who have
looked forward to leap year giving
them one more day for bridge are wob-'
bling in their devotion to the long pop
ular craze and on cat Home" cards
the word bridge" is giving way to
wrestling daintily engraved on the
lower corner. So far the entertain
ment is limited to exhibitions by en-
thusiastic amateurs, and the faVorite
style is Graeco-R Roman, but some have
been bold enough to predict future
combats in which all male guests take
part urged on by the ladies, who will
be spectators, coaches and judges.
Birds are the favorite pets of the
kings sister-in-law, the Duchess of
Connaught, and so enthusiastic a fan
cier is she that only on rare occasions
does she need to call in the services of
q bird doctor. At one time she en-
ployed a well known expert IN bird
diseases who enjoyed handsome in
come, but when she discovered that he
advertised the fact on his shop window
she gave him notice that his services
were no longer required. She does her
own doctoring now. and on the slight
est appearance of illness in the aviary
the keeper has instructions to summon
her.
Her parrots are her special study,
and it is acknowledged that she has
the finest specimens in existence.
Three of these travel about with her
from place to place, and so well train-
ed are they that an intelligent CONVEX.
Sation is carried on among them when
they are left alone. On the slightest
indication of disapproval from their
royal mistress the conversation ceases
and not a sound is heard until it is
discovered that the royal anger has
passed away. A favorite parrot died
some time ago from old age, and the
duchess declared that she would not
have parted with it for $4,000. The
maintenance of the aviary costs her
about $1,000 year.
According to DIR. Oscar Jennings, the
well known specialist on drug habits,
hosts of English and French society
women are turning to morphia in va
rious forms as a stimulant and fatigue
banisher. So familiar did British off,
GERS become with the drug in the hos
pitfalls during the Boer war that many
of them came home with well de-