The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-09
LoHD0N'S SEASON BEGUN
INFORM Atty THE FEATURE
or SOCIAL ENTERTAINING.

JNFORHA Atty THE FEATURE
or SOCIAL ENTERTAINING.
occupation Found ss: Lord g!:esS=>-
Many Paseants Planned In England
Reaction In Russia Against Women's
Rlghts-Womon Anxious to Fly
krupps working on Aerial Terpedo-
SIGNS Of an American Inyasion In
London-The Pope on WomAn's Duties.
LONDON, April 2s.-With the first per-
formanoe at Covent Garden ON Monday
niuht the London season began. One sea-
aon may be distinguished from another by
the varying conspicuousneas Of this or that
feature, but In every season there are
certain well established landmarks. The
first is the opening night Of Convent Gar
den. Others are the private view at the
Royal Academy. the military tournament,
the Temple flower show, the Derby. the
horse show at Olympia, Royal ASCOT,
the Oxford and Cambridge and Eton and
Harrow cricket matches at Lords, the
Henley regatta and glorious Goodwood.
OF these the horse show Is OF course
ouite new, though from the very first IL
established itself as ar integral part Of the
ersnd season. For many years the world
offashion was taken for q week to the un-
familiar heights OF Islington 70 see the
military tournament in tho Agricultural
Hall. Two years ago the tournament
was moved to Olympia and became at
once more popular and fashionable.
The next few weeks Of the season UP
10 whitsuntide arc additionally devoted
10 tho young people. Boy and girl dances
IN town follow the months Of hunting and
shootine in the shires or the tour In
southern Europe.
For q few seasons the smart thing wal
% hire the ballroom Of q big hotel. 30
treat was the horde OF guests required
TO fIl the rooms and make the thing 60
that other peoples friends had TO be asked
in whole parties. Now their own houses
arc once more In favor with hostesses
for these entertainments. Belgrade and
Eaton squares now seem the area for
dances rather than the Grosvenor Square
district, and guests may be seen running
from one house to the other during tho
evening. June and Ascot are the preros-
alive Of the established hostess
The formal style Of hospitality is
now quito dead. The dinner party OF
fifty guests is a thing Of the past, Invita-
ions are given at short notice. and tho
telephone is frequently used for making
up cheerful little week end parties ut Hur-
ingham and Ranelagh.
The mans club has given in to the over
-z-x~;o. ,L~n~An ~ xw1ron and thA
Bachelors. the Wellington and similar
clubs make a feature Of receiving ladies
in a certain part Of the buildings. The
Sunday concert at the Cavalry Club IL q
feature OF the season.
The dining hour 10 later than it used to
be. 8 to Sis 10 the most usual time; but
II the party is going on to q ball $50 is
the hour. as no smart ball begins before
1880. and it is nearly midnight before the
majority Of the guests have arrived.
Ten years ago society used to meet at
what were we'll termed brushes. To-day
the crush survives only In political 20
ciety. whore 1t serves to consolidate the
rank and file Of Governments and OPP
positions. Away on in Mudshire the
weekly or bf-weekly paper records that
the local NJ. P. and his wife were present
ct Lady So and Sos at home and q
few other names. great names. are men
toned; but the hundreds OF the undis-
tinguished are passed over in silence by
the Mudshire Gdsette.
Another social function that is sppar-
entity dying out 10 what used to be the
eIacting. and to the ine1pert intricate
system Of card leaving. A society woman
used to leave cards on the whole Of her
circle at the beginning Of each season.
Now she only leaves them OF the fringe Of
her visiting list and on people whom
she has got to know since the previous
July. Cards must be left on the
earliest day after hospitality received.
Tho social world ID to lerant Of tho
bachelor in this respect. He will wait
till be yves a dozen or 20 card dSbts. and
then sends q oommissionaire around some
afternoon with his paste boards.
The long discussed question what to do
With Kitchener has now. II is believed,
been practically settled. Lord Kitchener
t tho ono soldier IN the British army In
whom all classes have supreme faith.
When his term in India has expired
and his tour through Japan and China
and perhaps Canada and Australia Is
completed, he will probably be appointed
to act in an advisory capacity to the
Committee Of Imperial Defence. He will
continue in this position until Gen. Sir
William Nicholson's term Of of1oe a.
Chief Of the General STAT and First Mill
tary Member Of tho Army Council e1-
pires. when he will succeed him In that
position. retaining his seat on tho Imperial
Defence Committee.
This arran cement was suggested by
the Duke Of Connaught. and Ia welcomed
Is a good way out Of q difficult problem.
II seemed a. II there were no position In
the army that Kitchener could take
without stepping down or being prac-
tically shelved. He could have been kept
idle till Sir William Nicholson's term
had expired, b ut Kitchener is . man who
ooes dot cart to be idle and would Ger
,Hin,y refuse to step down.
The Tailor and Cutter, whose ruthless
expert will shortly be let loose on the
coats and rousers Of the portraits Of
the ROYAL Academy, has told an inter-