Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-08
END PARTY IN SURREY
Mixture of Visiting and Politics in
Rural England.
INCIDENTS OF A SATURDAY JAUNT
ChiddinEfoId, where Queen Elizabeth
Used TO stop and the Fa~vershams
Entertain NOVA Primrose
League Meeting.

LONDON, July N.-oueen Elizabeth.
making the tour Of her kingdom. used
often to stop in Surrey, led thereto by her
interest in some glass ard silk works sit
uated In one Of the most beautiful places
in that beautiful part Of England. This
place is Chiddingfold. and to all intents and
purposes 1t has altered little since then.
Keeping we'll within the speed limit, 1t Is
possible now to motor in two hours from
London right into the heart Of this wonder
full district, which II it were not that houses
and churches and barns had to be put
somewhere, would be a huge flower bed,
riotinR with colors and framed in green
velvet.
Near the heart Of Chiddingford's main
street Is the graveyard, and in it rests the
mother Of the poet Gray. Beyond is an old
inn, little changed since its erection in the
latter part Of the fifteenth century, The
windows are like eyes half closed with age
and feebleness. There are low browed door
ways and on the blackened walls, family
declpherable, are scribbled names Of for
mer patrons.
Following a circuitous path dotted here
and there with scarlet peoples, star-eyed
daisies and buttcrcups, you come face to
face with a house OF the Elizabethan
period. There is a rectangular garden plot
with a border of Canterbury bells, which
nod and lean Hospitality as the great brass
knocker of the Georgian door is struck.
Scattered among them are great stalks Of
~lsrkspur and stiff punches OF sweet will
liam; there is an underground of Johnny
jumpups and fringed bachelor buttons. The
typf ttgoIf Iy apipLInd wrtth tIpv TpU1Iu1
daisies. like t~winkling stars in a armament
of green.
On the Home side.
II you are a favored guest you do no:
lift the knocker, but creep under a branch
of a great beech tree, through some cur
rant bushes and past yards OF herbaceous
borders to the rear porch, which opens
without intervening steps into the big
library and overlooks the beautiful retire
ment of acres and acres, where so many
English houses hide the best Of themselves
from the scrutiny OF passersby.
These special acres expand into kitchen
gardens, into rose gardens and pasture
land covered with new mown hay. There
is the croquet field and a tennis net is
stretched across a hedged enclosure. The
Ivy of the house front is replaced among
Nv bhblCS III "llbS VI llt rear ny
espalier roses of every color and descrip-
ton.
Step around a corner and you will find
a paved enclosure, with the old fashioned
stables and the modern garages. One end
opens into a huge kitchen, also stone paved,
whore is a huge circular we'll In which ale
was brewed. Copper and brass kettles
catch the sunlight, and pretty English
maids shell the peas grown in the nearby
gardens.
1t is a charming and typical country
house and its history was not many years
ago recorded in a little book called IAN
Old Country House" written by Richard
lie Gallienne. It's former tenant. from whom
It passed to the Favershams. Here Mr..
Faversham and his wife, known on the
stage as Julie Opp, dispense hospitality
every weekend during the London season
and the summer days which follow. their
intervening time being spent in rehearsals
for the production of "Herod," which is
to be given in New York next autumn.
Matinee Idol in Hen House.
The weekend Of the English native born
and the temporary Anglicized visitors is as
much a necessity as 1t is a delight. It is a
guarantee Of good health and happy spirits
for the days Intervening. and very few of
the guests who come to the old manor
AASh1S oS oN1S ~ NAS " VI NAAS AOoNOAt
girl admire of the then matinee idol who
travelled down to Surrey and found him
among his chicken coops putting the fin
ishing touches on a new barrier OF willow
wattles, his face perspiring, his hands
grimy with the soil from which many
heroes have sprung. No after convention
Atty Of dress and manner could atone for
the disappointment OF this first appearance
and she went away showing a distinct loss
In spite OF her displeasure a notable gath
ering was clustered about the chicken coop
one Saturday recently TO pass opinions oil
some bantams. In the group are Sir Felil
Lemon, the kings physician, and Lad,
Lemoni Henry Arthur Jones, Forbes Rob
ertson, Anthony Hope Hawkins and hi
wife, Harry Ainley, who has come dow
TO rest after the run of Mrs. George Corn
wallis play Borrowed Plumes," and Bel
Webster, whose last American tour wa
with the Grace George company. Befor
the completion of the chicken farm inspec
ton the intent face of Arthur Pinero APP
pears from around the hedge and his ell
coniums are added to those of the rest O
the other guests.
Julie Ops DOmeHtIcity.
That Julie OPP has had many oppor
tunities to star and has refused them 4
~ NAAeAe VI e . GOihRdh
Is we'll known. SO far does she carry thl
idea OF wifely submission that she make
no pretence of having assisted in the max
ing of the chicken coops, She has her in
nings, however, when In a gown OF EN-
broldered muslin, with a big lace garde
hat which Is a mass OF roses and ribbons
and with a ufauve chiffon scarf over he
shoulders, she dispenses the hospitality c
the luncheon table. the spreading of whic
has necessitated the removal Of two sma
sons and heirs. who with a feminine frien
had been busiiy engaged In clutching hanC
fuls of grass which, they inform the que'
toner, are intended for cushions for tn
automobile of the fairy queen.
The conversation carried on at the ope
air repast is unconventionality itself, Be
Webster, whose wit is OF the Jerome
Jerome order. has been listening TO a col
versation across his plate between q coup
af vounR women who are CriticisinR a thin