Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-08

has drawn so much on her store of
strength that she may have to live more
quietly for a time. This will be a great
punishment for a woman who takes so
absorbing an interest in public and So
cial life. and. il it can be avoided until
the house rises In the summer. / have no
doubt that she will determnedly stand
by her social duties. Mr.. Asquith is him
self, l hear. working fifteen or sixteen
hours a day just now and can i'll afford
the loss Of the help of his accomplished
wife.
Society has a new fad this summer.
1t is that of living in caravans or large
covered wagons such as are chiefly used
by gypsies. who hang them all over with
the baskets and brooms they. make for
sale. The Caravan Club of Great Britain
is celebrating it's first annual meeting
down I'M Surrey not many miles from
London, and in the heart Of that beaut
full county there are a dozen or so cara
vans. for all the world like houseboats on
wheels. In them many prominent In so
ciety are living the simple life and en-
joying the out-of door existence for most
of the day, retiring to their caravan to
sleep.
The secretary of the club. who trekked
across from Reading, is keenly active in
demonstrating to the curious the practi-
cal advantages and delights of a nomadic
wayside tour. A caravan, he told ME.
may cost anything from ESQ upward.
There are caravan builders who will
make plans and estimates, but hitherto
it Is the experience of the club that the
ready-made caravan. however suitably
adapted for basket weavers with large
families. is not up to the standard Of the
touring requirements of the Caravan Club
members. Many Of them, 1t seems. pre-
fer to buy a secondhand caravan and fit
nIf inD tn vryffh
an eye on the builder during the process
Consequently one found q great diver
sity OF opinion on the subject but 1t was
generally agreed that the Sans Souci.
the caravan OF Wiltshire member. most
nearly expressed the ideal OF touring
comfort. 1t was one-horse van capable
of twenty-five miles day. though seldom
required to do as much. The interior was
DIVIDED into two rooms. One was fitted
with two transverse hunks tthe upper one
was lowered during the day and formed
a loungeD; the other room contained a
little range and was used as kitchen.
These rooms were so comfortably fitted
as to have the appearance OF neat lit
tie cottage. while the fittings. lockers and
general arrangements suggested that
much had been learned from yacht smen.
Dozens are taking to the new life for
health and freedom.
New Club to Be Started.
London clubs are on the verge of finan-
cial embarrassment. a new one on a large
scale is shortly to be started. The work
of organization is almost completed. and
in few days the Inauguration of the
venture will take place. The new club is
the British American. and premises will
be secured In Piccadilly, facing the Green
Park. The object of this club is to pro-
mote good feeling and friendship between
English and American people and to en-
terrain distinguished American visitors
to this country. particularly those who
come here In connection with sporting
events. Thus 1t is hoped to get 1t into
full swing by the time the great horse
show begins.
1t Is proposed to limit the membership
Of the club to 1850 Americans and $50
British. of whom 1000 may be ladies'
The subscription will be : guineas a year
and the entrance fee like amount. but
the first 1000 members will be excused the
entrance fee. Already a large number OF
members have been enrolled. among them
being many Of the leading American res
dents in this country. The sporting side
Of the enterprise will be very prominent
feature. and it is proposed to establish
for American competitors
in all sporting events who may come to
England.
What is probably the finest show Of old
Illuminated manuscripts ever brought to-
gether may now be seen at the Burlington
Fine Arts Club. Here are the chief treas
ures of many famous private collections
The king. the Archbishop of Canterbury
Earl Egerton. Mr.. Yates Thompson. Mr.
Pierpont Morgan. Mr. Dyson Perrins. Mr..
Sailing and many chapters and colleges
have lent their best to an exhibition that
is singularly fascinating and represents
vast sum of money.
England in the early middle ages was
for its professional book dec
orators. and many of their best works
that survive are here-such as.the SPLEEN
did Benedictional of ST. Aethelwold. writ
ten at Winchester before the conquest
Later France was supreme in this form of
art. and many of the little French prayer
books here. with the characteristic ivy
leaf borders and delightful pictures. are
exquisite. The lovely work done in Elan
ders and the more accomplished art of
the late Italian miniaturists are fully rep
resented also. together with German and
Spanish manuscripts. L. H. MOORE.