The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-19
SOCIETY IN LONDON
BY LADY MARY MANwARING

marry brigade in South Africa, and Is now the very popular commandant of the Herts Yeomanry. Countess being an extremely handsome American-tall
 and graceful, with what has been de- scribed as a magnolia tinted complex ion," and always well dressed.
 She and her husband are familiar figures at Newmarket and other racing centers and they mostly live at Bourden
 house, just north of Berkeley square, one of the quaintest and oldest houses in London, tradition alleging that 1t was the residence of the Davis heiress who brought the Pimlico and Belgra- vian property to the Gransvenors. Lord Essex descends from the unfortunate royalist who was beheaded for his loy- alty to Charles l in the same year as
 the King himself. and whose son was advanced to an earldom at the restor- ation. He succeeded his grandfather who was married thrice; and is said to have realized a small fortune by his invention of the "Cassiobury set," so we'll known to croQuet players of a past generation. The mallets and balls
 were made of wood grown on his es- 1 tate, and in some years as many as 5000 sets were sold.
 Another well known nobleman who has celebrated his birthday is Lord Ormonde. He Is blunt. good tempered Irishman, and from childhood onward has been called "O." first as Lord Os- sory, and then as Lord Ormonde. He hunts and shoots, but Is before all else a yachtsman, and has been for some years commodore of the Royal Yacht squadron. He Is also vice admiral or Leinster and holds the historic post of chief butler of Ireland. The chief
 butlership dates from HIT and some curious stories are told of its holders. The seventh butler. having while a minor paid a fine of 2000 marks for liberty ito marry whomsoever he pleased" allied himself to a grand daughter of Edward l, and was forth with created Earl of Ormonde. The third earl purchased in 1891 the castle of Kilkenny, which has ever since been
 the family residence. The ninth earl was poisoned, together with his stew ard and IA servants, ct g. supper at Ely House, Holborn.
 Lord Ormonde is twenty-seventh heredi- 1 tary chief butler of Ireland, and his l forbears have preserved most of the gold cups which were given them as their per- quisite at the coronations. Besides these cups there is & wonderful service of gold plate so precious that 1t is only used on state occasions. This service Is fahiOned . | suit, Is very soft, and easily bent and damaged Much care has to be taken of such rare possession, and to warm gold plates and dishes without doing | them harm Is a matter of much difficulty.
 The business Is usually managed as fci- lows: The plates and dishes are plunged into a great cauldron of boiling water, and then fished out again with a pair of | tongs, the tips of which are covered with
 chamois leather. This operation usually
 takes. place just outside the door of the | dining room.
 Lord and Lady Leicester, who are going on g visit to Prince and Princess Pless,
 arc both very keen on sport, while his
 lordship, who succeeded to the title in 1?05. at the ago of 61, is an ardent agri- culturist. He is an old soldier. and en- tering the Scots guards 90 years ago
 saw active service in the Egyptian and Suakim campaigns, as well as in the
 Transvaal. Lady Leicester. who Is a l splendid skater, dresses extremely well, and herself designs many of her most suc- cessful costume. She was the daughter
 Of the second Lord Annally, and has three sons, the eldest of whom is in the Scots 1 guards, while the other two are in the navy.
 Princess Pless was, as Miss Daisy West.
 accounted the loveliest girl in English
 society and in Germany her beauty has
 earned for her the title of the "Fairv
 Princess" Her marriage in 1881. was the
 outcome of love-at-first- sight romance.
 and she was only 18 when Prince Henry
 Of Pless, then an attache at the Ger
 man embassy, claimed her as his bride,
 In their picturesque Silesian home in Germany all the old customs of the
 place are rigidly adhered to. The maid
 servants wear peasant costumes of bright
 claret color. with white kerchiefs fold
 ed over their shoulders. All the princess'
 carriages are lined with cloth of the
 same shade. and a soldier in uniform
 stands on guard all day at the entrance
 of the drive. When the princess drives out her carriage Is drawn by Arab greys,
 driven by postillions.
 Sir Harry Verney Is engaged to Lady
 Rachel Bruce, . youngest daughter of
 Lord and Lady Elgin. He Is a man
 of 30, a keen shot. a good talker and a clever musician. He Is often in Lon- don but owns a beautiful place. Clayton
 house. in Buckinghamshire where he has
 fine pictures. and the story goes that
 not long ago he got 8 part of e9o.0o(
 for one of his vandykes. But hs waa