Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21
Grand Opera Season Opens.

The grand opera season at Covent Gar
den opened last night and is likely to re-
ce.ve quite as much support from King
George as from King Edward and Queen
Alexandra, although statements to the
contrary have been made. Last year the
royal couples time was SO much oc-
cupied that very few of their evenings
were at their disposal This year things
are different. and 1t Is understood that
their majesties intend frequently to honor
Covent Garden by their presence.
The members of the kings omn bus box
are all personal friends and are specially
invited to join The composition was very
much the same year after year in King
Edwards day, and old members who will
be seen in the royal box include the Mar
Quis de Several, Lord Farquar, Count
Benckendorff, Lord Revelstoke and Sir
Allen Young, among others.
Sir Allen, the doyen of the band, has
been a habitue Of Covent Garden for the
Of the late kings most intimate personal
friends. and his two great hobbies are
the opera and yachting. He has stin-
guished record, too, and commanded sew
eral Arctic relief and exploring expe-
ditions.
It is largely owing to the late king that
the somewhat absurd custom for the
manager OF the opera to receive royal per-
sOnages walking upstairs backward and
carrying a pair of lighted silver can
delabra in his hands. was discontinued.
1t was the same dislike of ostentation
that made him do away with the incon-
venience of the curtain beng kept down
until his arrival.
Finance is again strongly represented
in the Cevent Garden list Of subscr beers,
with the Rothschilds, Pierpont Morgan.
Sir Ernest Cassell and others of i'm
portance in the CITY. The ducal houses
have solitary representative in the
Duchess of Westminster, and there is
only one marchioness, but there are six
earls and two countesses
Preparing for Big Exhibit.
The work of preparing the Latin Brit
ish exhibition. this years attraction att
the great white city, goes on apace,
and there Is little doubt that the exhibi-
ton will be in proper working trim by
the opening date, in May.
When l visited Shepherds Bush yester-
day I found some 1900 workmen ham,
mering and saving. painting and decorat-
ing, digging and delving. while everywhere
were stacks of huge packing cases con-
tanning exhibits.
So complete have been the arrange
ments made at the exhibition that the
coal strike and its consequent diminished
train service has hardly affected the i'm
ports of these exhibits from abroad. a
complete service of motor-ferries from the
coast to London having been inaugurated
for this purpose.
The Latin British exhibition Is designed
to give English people q representative
view of France. Spain. Italy, Portugal
and. the South American republics, the
arts and industries of all these countries
being exemplified.
Asks Aid in Finding Wife.
Much amusement was created at the
Mountmellick board of guardians yester-
day by a laborer named O'Neill applying
for wife.
''She need not he wrote, "be hand
some. but homelike and Woodworking, as
beauty Is only skin-deep. and any one SO
gifted. especially one Of the female class.
spends too much time at the looking glass
during the day, and neglects her house.
hold duties. She must be a good. plain
cook. With. a Mountmellick laborer's
wage, 1t is very little she will have to do
in the pastry line, and she must not be
one OF those tight-laced. hobble-skirted
ladies Of the present day. who suffer SO
much from indigestion and corns. would
like her to be a good singer or able to
play some musical Instruments mouth
organ or q melodion."
The chairman. said the lad who wrote