The Washington herald., 1912-02-25
INTERESTING GOSSIP
OF FOREIGN COURTS

s OF FOREIGN COUKTS
It was one hundred and twenty-seyen
years ago that the ul-fsted Queen Marie
Antoinette at Trianon one day remarked
to Louis XVI that II would be more
convenient and neater II square hand
kerchiefs were to be adopted. Up to
that time they had been OF all shapes,
square. oblong. or round. A few days
later. TO be correct. on January ?, 17SS
the King issued an "edict'' decreeing
that the length Of handkerchiefs shall
equal their breadth throughout the king
dom.
This edict has Influenced custom to
this day. Handkerchiefs in the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries were very
costly AFFAIRS being edged IN most In
stances with the rarest lace and covered
with initials, armoriai bearings, and often
with love notices. The Duchess de Chew
reuse was noted for the exquisite texture
and elegance of her handkerchiefs,
whereon were embroidered cupids chas-
ing one another amid garlands Of roses.
The ultra fashionable niece of Louis
XIII and friend of Anne OF Austria az
fected handkerchief in which sprays OF
heliotrope were tied with mauve colored
ribbon.
The handkerchiefs Of the Countess de
Castiglione changed In color with her
passing moods and passions. Thus when
she fancied herself to be in love. these
nimsy adJuncts to her toilet were OF
delicate blue tint, to be exchanged for
others Of q yellow hue when the object
OF her affections proved faithless and un-
true. When she was In good health and
OF good spirits green was the color this
lady affected. but mauye was brought in
TO requisition at once when she felt de-
pressed or in poor health. It may be
added that the color Of her garters al
ways corresponded with that Of her
handkerchiefs.
Marie Antoinette possessed one hand
kerchief that was embroidered with
pearls to the value OF 25,O0o francs. The
luxurious Nine. du Barry owned one
whereon her name was worked in preci-
Gus stones. But perhaps the most costly
handkerchief ever made is that in pos
session Of Queen Msrgherita of Italy. II
Is unique specimen Of fifteenth century
Venetian lace OF such exquisite work.
manship and quality as to be worth
1000 lire.
SSAHo dEt VI INTEREST OW-
ing TO the strange uses to which they
nissioned officers OF a British volunteer
battalion were supplied with handker-
chiefs on which were printed full in
structions 20 meet all emergencies, to-
gether with hints on first aid to the
VIC odnded. During the Franco-German
war certain Prussian officers were given
handkerchiefs on which were maps OF
that portion OF the enemy's country that
had been marked out for INVASION
To the French army. not so long since.
were issued handkerchiefs whereupon
were printed a number of sanitary hints
and precepts that might be of use on
the march and during a campaign. These
so necessary articles were decorated also
with the pictures of officers wearing the
uniform Of different grades. so that the
soldier at once might tell to what rank
any particular officer belonged.
In Queen Anne's reign handkerchiefs
in England were used on different occa-
sions for the dissemination of general
knowledge.
Mr.. Pierpont Morgan, the uncle of
Mrs. LULU Harcourt, is a frequent
guest at NunehRm Courtney, in Oxford
shire, the ancestral home OF the Har-
court family and one or the most inter
estinE old houses OF the British nobilit. :.
1t Is q veritable museum OF ancient, curl
Gus. and valuable heirIooms. No worder
Mr.. Morgan Is interested in IL. Paint
ings. tapestry, silver, furniture. auto
graphs, and rare china fiIl the place and
permeate IL with an air of old-time his
torical events. Among the masters rep
resented are Velasquez, Van Dyck.
Rubens, and Joshua Reynolds, and the
. nfrtrlrag for the IA
portraits, the authenticity OF which can
not be gEinsaid, because they have been
in the house since they were painted.
Among thSe portraits is one I'm the
dining-room. representing Simon. Earl of
Harcourt, with his little cog. Thereby
hangs this tale of the Harcourt family.
Lady Nuneham, the earfs daughter,
who at the time OF the story was staying
in the old house. one night was greatly
disturbed by a dream, I'm which she saw
her father lying dead in the kitchen.
Lord Harcourt then was I'm perfect
health, but Lady Nunehsm was so i'm
pressed by her vivid dream that she
became convinced that some disaster
was impending. She confided her fears
to her husband, and subsequently TO the
rest of the family.
During the morning the earl went out
into the park for the purpose of marking
trees, and nothing further was seen or
heard OF him until laborer was at
tracted to a well by the violent barking
of his dog. There he found the body OF
the earl, head downward, in the mud at
the bottom Of the we'll 1t appears that
In an EFFORT to rescue his little dog.
which had fallen in. the earl overbal-
anced himself. a stretcher was brought
and the body taken into the house. The
nearest room was the kitchen, and when
the body had been deposited there the
clock struck 4, the hour OF Lady Nune-
hams dream.
A good deal has been said about
Lulu Harcourt's high colors and smart
dress, but despite his elegance and out
ward sn1artness he is keen on gardening.
and has more and more improved the
fine Nuneham park and estate. His per-
golas. his Dutch and Italian gardens are
UNIQUE. But his speciality is a big be-
gonia-
OF Lulu Harcourt's chances in the
House OF Commons recently a good deal
has been heard. though clubdom calls
him the dark horse Of the cabinet. Some
look upon him as q coming man. OF
whom great things are to be expected
for they are convinced that there Is. In
him much OF the strength OF character
of his famous father. His mother was
daughter of Motley, the historian, a
well-known American, and his wife is a
daughter of the late w. H. Burns, of
New York. He ought to have so ne
American win" IN his makeup.
DR.. Joseph Lister. whose death Is re-