The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10
POETRY Dinner TO
Be UNIQUE AFFAIR
Principal Social Event OF The
London Season
GEORGE PRESENTS CUP
To Be Raced For BY Royal Yacht
souadron Yachts-Funds for Assist
sistinE Unemployed In Medals
for Messenger Boys
GEORGE PRESENTS CUP

London, July 9-(SpectdltT lHe ~ TN
cipal social event of the London sea-
son. which has been an unusually quiet
one because of the death of KING Ed
ward, will undoubtedly be the Poetry
Dinner" on Tuesday next organized by
Baroness de Bertouch, at which crea-
lures of the fancy of English poets new
and old will sit around the laden board
in costumes representing a character in
a poem or a play.
From the very start the loea was
taken up with enthusiasm by all sorts
of distinguished people and Baroness de
Bertouch, with whom 1 have just had
a long talk. told me exultantly that tho
number of guests would exceed 400.
Each great poet" she said, ("for we
are not going to worry about minor
ones). will have a group to himself
with a marshal, dressed In some cases
to represent the actual poet.
1--WE will have Byron group In
which the noble poet will preside
among Manfred, Don Juan. Maid of
Athens and so on.
Countess Eleanor Murphy is busily
engaged over Tennyson group-a fea-
ture of which will be the Dream or
Fair Misunderstanding Cleopatra,
Roseamund, and Jephthahs daughter.
Miss Elsie Maclean. by the way, who
will be Jephthah's daughter, Is to give
a cymbal. dance during the evening.
"One particularly pretty group should
be Thomson's Seasons in which Mar
ouis de Ruvigny is taking a special
interest. Winter will be represented
by a snow man, and spring by little
boy, a young Pam with his flute.
Then there will be a gay crowd of
Canterbury Pilgrims to represent Chau-
Ger, and the characters from the first
book of the Odyssey will be headed
by the blind Homer himself, led in by
Calliope.
what are we going to do about
Shakespeare? Well. he is, of course, a
| tremendous difficulty, as nearly every
| body begins by waiting to be a Snake
spearean character, and If we let peo-
pie have their own way he would Dust
ever other poet from the room.
THE truth is, that we are keeping
Shakespeare to some extent for those
| well-known actors and actresses who
are able to join us, and who, after all,
are the rightful heirs of his greatness.
/ have reason to hope that Sir Herbert
Tree himself will take his place at the
| head of the Shakespeare galaxy
whether a Hamlet or Falstaff or even
Cardinal Wolsey, remains to be seen.
LAS you say, there is something ter
ribly Philistine about all these crea-
lures of fantasy sitting down to feast
would eliminate the dinner altogether.
| but you have to remember that tho
world is chiefly made up of Philistines.
and II you want to got them Interested
in poetry or anything else you have
to feed them first.
| King George has presented a cup to
be raced for by the Royal Yacht
Squadron yachts during the Cowes
week, and the Kaiser, with character
| istic generosity, has intimated his in
tention of presenting a cup to be sailed
for on the day following the competi-
ton for the Kings cup.
| The programme for the Cowes festi-
val includes, in addition to the Kings
| cup races, for all international classes
of twenty-three, fifteen, twelve, ten
eight. seven and six metres. There will
| also be a Royal Yacht Squadron prize
| of $500 for schooners over sixty-five
feet.
| 1t is hoped that the German emperor
will enter his schooner Meteor 1t is
however, reported that in consequence
Hispania and other racing yachts will
not compete.
The Royal London Yachts clubs pro-
gramme is practically the same as last
years opening at Cowes August bank
| holiday. The races include that Tor
| the international fifteen metre class for
the $3.50 Challenge Shield won last
year by Mr.. w. P. Buttons Ostira
There are also race for twenty tn rec
and twelve metre classes, which will
include some of the Ryde racing yachts.
ten, eight, seven and six metre classes.
cruisers above and under forty tons
and big cruisers, probably amalgamated
with the twenty three metres class
| John Burns has for the past two or
| three years had the management of
large funds for assisting the unem-
ployed, and It Is admitted on all hands
| that he has distributed the money wise
ly among the various distress commit
tees. member of the house Of com
mons has just discovered source
whence Mr.. Burns may, in the future.
receive nice little sum for the poor
as distinguished from the unemployed.
The witty member has evidently been
examining certain old papers of the
hereditar chamber, and today he gave
notice to ask the president of the local
| government board whether he Is aware
that. by resolution of the house of
lords. every baron and bishop who is
not present at prayers Is fined 1 shil-
ling. and every peer of high rank 2
shillings, the money to be applied to
| the relief of the poor" He wishes 70
| be informed If Mr.. Burns has received
| the proceeds of all these fines and what
| they amount to-.
| Some interesting statements were
| made at the annual distribution Of
prizes and medals to the British mes
senger boys the other day at the Man
sion house by the Lady Mayoress.
Several special prizes were pre-
scented. boy named Bevan received
one for making a quick journey from
London to Amsterdam and back with
two crates of rubber prospectuses. An
other named Collins was run over by n
taxicab in Piccadilly. and when taken
from under the wheels his first thought
was of his package, which he gave to
policeman.
George Manners, the general mana
ger. said that not long ago a messen-
ger boy was called to a lady In Bond
Street house and when he got there he
round the lady standing on the table
In the middle of the room. She said that
she could not come down because there
was a mouse in the room and she
wanted the boy to catch 1t.
The lord mayor remarked that as he
had so many dinners to attend to he
wondered II messenger boy could take
his place sometimes
Motor Was Working Well
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