Evening star., 1905-08-20

promising. She declared that she would
not alter her attitude even IL 1t meant the
loss of the royal favor, and probably the
king secretly respected her for it, for al
though he sulked for while, he came
around all right and the subject was not
discussed again.
Comparatively early IN their acquaintance
the duchess got the chance to do the king
friendly service. which he has never for
gotten. She got some money for him. 1t is
rather notorious that there were not infre
quent occasions when the then Prince OF
Wales was rather severely pressed" and
ii is an indication of the confidential terms
| on which the two were even then that the
prince this time told the duchess of his en-
barrassment. The sum he wanted was
$4,000 The duchess managed to raise it
within twelve hours of the time she had
heard OF the kings scrape and went
straight to him with the check. There Is
no doubt that the act was done through
pure friendship, but it one of the best
strokes of policy ever known. By the way,
| an indication of the intimacy which has
since existed between the duchess and the
king, and Queen Alexandra too, is the fact
that, contrary to the usual court ceremony,
the American peeress is privileged to call
on their majesties without being obliged to
notify them in advance, and ii is said that
both the royal personages are equally un-
ceremonious with her.
Probably the privileges she thus enjoys
have compensated the dowager duchess in
a way for the disappointments of the rest
of her life which has been rather a sad
one. 1t Is not likely that she mourned long
for the late duke, her husband, for he was
one of the highest rollers In European So
ciety. but the dea tbs OF her twin daughters
were blows from which she has never re-
covered. The eldest of them died through
the effects OF chill on delicate lungs. and
the second. Lady Alice Montagu. a really
beautiful girl, from consumption. A couple
of years ago 1t was thought that the young
duke was suffering from the same disease
oar
of him seems to have saved the situation,
and he is now in robust health.
OF the many different entertainments that
the duchess gives for the kings benefit,
perhaps the most notable are her dinner
bridge parties. His majesty always has
enjoyed dining with the Duchess who made
a point of having French chef years be-
fore this became regular custom in aris-
tocratic households. Since he came to the
throne the king has shown a preference for
small dinner parties not numbering more
than a dozen persons. and no one, with the
possible exception of his friend Sir Ernest
Cassel. arranges such functions as much to
his ma ajesty's taste as the DoWager Duchess
of Manchester.
The guests invariably include the Maroufs
de Several, the kings great chum, who is
asked everywhere to meet him; Lord and
Lady Howe and Mrs. George keppel. These
dinners always a miracle of cooking
and bridge follows almost Immediately after
the gentlemen have finished their cigars
The kings partner is invariably Mrs. George
keppel. She and the king are inveterate
mo trumpers" and declare thus on the
slightest provocation. Mrs Keppel has
brought her playing to a real fine art and
never forgets a card that is out. The hostess
seldom joins in the game. for which she
doesn't care overmuch. but as rule sits
by the table at which the king Is playing
and looks on
Heretofore these parties have taken place
at the duchess town house in Portman
square, of which she has not yet succeeded
in disposing, but in future they will be held
at the luxurious residence in Grosvenor
square, which her grace has just rented
from the Duke Of Westminster. 1t is quite
which is, of course, the most fashionable
one in London-being distinguished by its
bright reddish color and its bricks picked
out with white. Consuelo's neighbors in
clude Earl Fitzwiliiam and the Duke of
Portland, who have the houses either
side; ]. Pierpont Morgan, jr.. the Duke of
Somerset and the Intalian ambassador.
The duchess small hall painted in deep
cream color and gold leads through square
paned glass doors to an inner hall, and this
into the dining room, spacious apartment,
also done in white. which runs through TO
the back, overlooking small garden. Some
beautiful paintings adorn the walls. and
the whole suite of reception rooms is of the
period of Louis XVI, while the furniture is
French of the same period. One room Is
fitted up exclusively for bridge, while one
on the ground floor is reserved for the king
when he dimes. Here he can be received