The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-23
FRENCH SOCIETY
|SI|N FULL Swing
Talk Of Moment Is Entertain
ment to Be Given at
Chateau de Nallicre.
ELABORATE SET II N G S
Rivalry Between Two Queens OF
Dinard Is Attracting
Attention.
THOMPSON.

paris. Octobe ac.-French society Is
how in the full swing Of the social
whirl. The talk of the women is the big.
entertainment which is to take place on
October IS, at the Chateau de Nalliere.
owned by the Duke de Grammont. IL
is the dukes third wife who will do
the honors Of the fete on this occasion.
His first wife was the Princess de
Beauveau, a rnarriag e de ~convenancei
his second wife was Miss Rothschild.
q daughter of Baron Rothschild of
Frankfort, a marriage of money; while
the present duchess is an Italian
Princess Ruspoli. q member Of the
Italian nobility, and this is a marriage
OF love.
The young Duchess de Grammont
Is very beautiful and very spirituelle.
well known for her kindness and her
admiration of Americans. The enter
tainment which is to open the season
on the 25th of October, has been yelled
in mystery, but your correspondent was
fortunate enough to find out that IT is
to be an original comedy, written by
the Baron de Segenac and Monsieur
de Boussenot and that 1t is to be per-
formed entirely by society folk.
At The rise OF the curtain the
dience will see n magnificent drawing
room. where are assemble all the
famous ~personages OF the court of
Louis XIV. Marie Mancini. the Kings
favorite: Madame La Valliere, Condo.
the Duke OF Guise, and others. The
King. to- escap the restraints OF court
etiquette proposes taking them all to
Paris to witness the happenings of the
year 1910.
once in Paris the fun begins. for
220 years made n dierence in the mode
# living, clothes, events and so on.
The King plays the part Of "Compere,"
Marie Mancini that of Commerce"
The first act is written In stately verse
as becomes the stately setting OF the
court. The second is written in col
1oauial. slangy, up-to-date French;
The court ladies' appea in hobble
skirts and one figure as a female
Apache. The fun is enhanced by songs
and dances, parodying the latest mod
ern events. The young Duchess de
Grammont will play the part of Marie
Mancini, seconded by Madame de Sc
genac and q long list of social leaders
of the old French nobility.
Who Shall he Queen OF Dinnrd.
French and English aristocracy, and
American m%illionaires have now de-
serted the fashionable seaside resorts,
and Mrs. Hughes Hallett's villa Mont
M ! iuiS4i 20 aheh III q ENSdlS AA1u
wlntry look. This villa, so gay dur
ing the season., is now occupied by
Mrs. Hallett and one servant. Every
year the Queen of Dinard thus goes
into retirement.
Mrs. Hallett Is a well known Amer
lean society woman, the widow of an
English member OF Parliament. She
was originally from Philadelphia, but
has lived many years abroad. She is
now seventy-seven years of age, and
is still the undisputed social leader OF
the fashionable resort of Dinard, though
she has a formidable rival this sea-
son in Mrs. Jarvis, of New York, an
immensely wealthy woman who en-
tertained SO brilliantly during the sum-
nler as to win for herself the title of
"Vice Queen"
OF course a great rivalry exists be-
tween the two Queens. but Mrs. Hal
lett will not be easily deposed. She
is an imme use Social favorite. and pre-
serves her youthful. appearance and
strength for social functions by sys-