The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-10

Special Foreign Service.
LONDON, April Sit is not true that
Queen Alexandra set the fashion OF
motoring among English society wom-
en-this distinction belongs to Mrs.
Bradley Martin. Although Mrs. Brad
ley Martin generally is one of the most
obedient followers of her majesty In
all matters of fashion, the craze of
motoring caught her SO severely that
she could not wait till the sport had
received the imprimatur of the queen.
1t is. however, understood that Lady
Craven, Mrs. Bradley Martins daugh-
ter, egged her mother on in this mat
ter-a disposition to get there first be-
ing one of the Countess of Craven's
chief characteristics. Lady Craven for
some time has been known to be i'm
patient with regard to waiting for peo-
pie in high places to set the fashion,
and she is commencing to show that
she has ideas of her own and means
to put them into practice whether peo-
pie like it or not.
Now that her majesty has taken to
motoring, all English society women
will follow suit. 1t is, however, the
first time that Queen Alexandra has
had to play second fiddle in the do
main of setting fashion. Lady Craven
caught the motoring fever about twelve
months ago, but it is only within the
last month or so that she has been
bold enough to assume the role Of
driver. She engaged an expert French
chauffeur, who not only taught her how
to drive, but educated her in mechanic
al intricacies. She learned the major
part of the details in Paris, where she
knew she would be practically free
from the observation of her society
friends. She afterwards took lessons
from a mechanical expert in London,
and after a few spins on some of the
English roads between London and
Brighton, accompanied by her chauf-
feur, she summed up sufficient courage
to assume full control of her own We
hicle. After having satisfied herself
that she was fully qualified to manip-
ulate the machinery she became her
mothers teacher, and 1t was no small
surprise when Mrs. Bradley Martin
was found engineering a gorgeously
equipped motor around Hyde park a
few weeks ago. The matter, for the
moment, created little sensation in
society because motoring had been
somewhat looked upon as an exhibit
ton of vulgar wealth, because the best
people in London had not yet aban-
doned the spanking horse for the
latest creations of the motor manu-
facturer.
Those in immediate attendance on
Lady Curzon welcome her appearance
in London, and particularly the chance
of her being for a time free from the
personal observation of his lordship,
the viceroy. Lord CurZon is described
as a veritable taskmaster, and l am
told that he does not consider it undlg-
nified to demonstrate when he thinks it
necessary with the most subordinate
mental in the household. He even
formulates ingenious schemes to catch
erring and unwary servants. If, for
instance, he suspects one of lying in
| bed until whilst he or she should be
on duty at the delinquent is bound
| to be caught by his lordship.
| A valet, employed by Lord Curzon,
before he went to India, was, it seems,
not overzealous in getting out of bed
| in the morning. Lord Curzon's custom
was to receive his letters and newspa-
! pers in his room every morning at s.
and as the valet was late few morn
ings, his lordship concluded that he