Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-13

ceremony. Wednesday Lord Lytton's
comedy. Money" will be performed at
Drudy Lane my a splendid cast. and there
will probably be q state ball at Bucktne-
ham Palace on the following evening.
If II can be arranged there will also be
an entertainment at the German embassy.
AS all the evenings are expected to be
occupied by other functions this may take
the form OF luncheon OF a semi-prfvate
character, and a reception to the leading
members OF the German colony.
Work With Army Aeroplanes.
Preparatory to the departure Of the
Army Air Battalion for Amesbury Mon
day the half-dozen expert military flyers
that England possesses have been prac-
ticing daily at Marlborough. The general
public has seen little Of these trials, for
most of them have been made at day
break. not from any motive of secrecy,
but because of the high winds which rage
almost continually from q am. to m.
While the army aeroplanes are giving
general satisfaction and the military
Bleriot monoplanes are SURPRISING all ex-
pectationS, the outlook is not very pleas
ant In the lighter than-air' department.
In the dlrigible department the English
built balloon Beta occasionally flies In
the direction wanted. even II only at
snails pace: the Gamma has refused to
fly for several months and the much adj
vertised Lebaudy airship is proving some
thing of white elephant.
The reason for the continued effective
ness OF the Beta Is found in her en-
velope Of goldbeater skin through which
the escape of gas Is almost, II not quite,
imperceptible. But tie case is quite
otherwise with the gas bags OF the Gam
ma and the Lebaudy. The leaking ca
pacity Of the larger dirigible Is told In
the fact that. although she was filled for
flight less than ten days ago. she has al.
ready lost a ton Of lifting power, and II
t,a 1fnxy hi n
the trial much longer she will probably
require refllling.
The serious side Of this leaking. even
in time OF peace, Is the cost OF imitation.
which Is something like $500. to say
nothing Of the expenditure OF labor In
dismantling and re-erecting the internal
framework.
A Ghostly Verger.
The London suburb Of Richmond. which
has lately come into the public eye as the
home of the exiled King Manuel. has
another claim to distinction now. having
added q real ghost to its other attrac-
tons. The ghost is walking in the Holy
Trinity Church in the shape OF the church
verger, and among those who had laid
clerical writer and reviewer When asked
about the apparition OF the verger he
said:
"A few Sundays ago I was SURPRISED
chancel of the church, as knew that he
was dangerously Ill and had been con-
fined to his bed for many weeks. his ng-
ure, in the cassock which he always wore
in church, stood dark against the white
Of the surpliced choir. No figure could
be more familiar to me; knew him well.
not only as a regular worvhtper IN the
church, but from having employed MIN
in his private capacity OF Jo"o.ns gar
dener.
II may explain that my seat Is close to
the chancel, SO that 1 could not nave
mistaken some other figure Tor his What
I saw was some five or six yards from
me. 1t struck me as little strange that
| had not seen him before-the expert
ence occurred to me about ten minutes
after the beginning or prayerS-and tnat
1 did not see him again. But l Thought
III at he might have been tired and seated
himself in the vestry.
Anyhow, I was SO convinced that
had seen him that l said to a friend
while walking home from the service;
SO the old verger is about again. NO,
replied my friend, he is lying very Ill IN
the infrmary.' He died nine days after"
Loan From Sandringham.
For the coronation exhibition at the
White city Queen Alexandra has prom
ised the loan of number of valuaoie
pictures from the galleries at Sandrlns-
ham, These illustrate the tour through
India of the late King Edward when
Prince OF Wales. They include an OF
painting, Tiger Shooting In the Teerai.
six other colored pictures and twenty
sepia drawings.
The Duke Of connaught is sending the
loyal addresses with the caskets In
which they are inclosed which he re-
ceived during his recent tour in south
Africa. These. with collection or large
photographs illustrating incidents IN the
tour, will be shown in the South African
Hall Of the union.
A Familiar Character Gone.
A remarkable personality 10 removed
from Northeast London by the death. at
the ago Of ninety-flve. OF Mrs. Charles
Fitzgerald Belts Of Lauriston road' WAC
meat and claimant to the title and e.
tates Of the knight Of Glin Of Gin Cas-
tie. County Limerick.
Mrs. Belts. who was the dauentef q
Thomas Fitzgerald. M. D.. OF Glin Castle
and Trinity College. Dublin. contracted .
marriage which her relatives did not ap-
prove and her little savings were lost IN
the nberator crash.
The spirit OF the warlike aeraldinss. oos
of whose numerous Irish titles she
claimed, possessed Mrs. Belts. for she
declined to bend her head before m10for-
tune. She went into business as pur-
veyor Of cats meat and dogs meat. and
for years her aristocratio voice might
be heard calling her wares In the streets
of Northeast London.
Even when health was failing her, Mrs..
Fitzgerald Belts did not yield. She re-
fused to seek an old age pension. pur-
sued her calling In q bath chair pushed
by an old family retainer. and. withal,
maintained the family dignity despite all
attempts by either customers or fellow
traders at familiarity.
It is understood that the LADY Of Gin"
has disposed In q will OF the property she
did not possess. one Of the clauses pro.
viding a soup kitchen for tho poor Of
South Hackney.
Mrs. Belts was associated In her early
days with Florence Nightingale and in
the East End the part she played during
the smallpox epidemio OF 1884 Is still re-
membered.
London VIII Soc "Monna Wanna"
Maurice Maeterlinck 10 coming to Lon
don to witness the first performance in
England June 1 OF his famous play.
..Nonpa Wanna" which has hitherto