The Washington herald., 1913-09-18

No marriage in recent years has excit-
ed such interest as the approaching
union Of Prince Arthur of Connaught and
the youthful Duchess of Fife. Great
preparations are being made for the oc-
tober ceremony. The duchess is staying
with her mother, the Princess Royal,
King Georges sister, in the Highlands Of
Scotland and is devoting much OF her
time to the preparation of her trous-
seau.
The making of the wedding gown
has been intrusted to the same
| dressmakers who have made the
| young princess dresses since she
\ was a child. They habe been in
structed that simplicity in design is to
kbe the dominating note. Much has been
written in society journals as to the ma
ture of the dress material-the rich bro
| cades, Irish CDlins tout of compliment
/ to the bridegroom's title), cloth of silver,
and all lace-have been suggested. but
when the young bride appears at the
Chapel Royal, ST. James, for the we'd
ding ceremony II will be seen that her
choice has fallen upon simple white
satin, perfect in texture and of English
make.
The duchess has been offered the loan
of historic wedding wells by the Queen,
Queen Alexandra, and several other
members of the British royal family; but
| II is said that she will select a tulle
veil, and nothing could be more becom-
ing to her features and complexion. The
question of bridesmaids' dresses is still
| under discussion, and instead of being
white, as at first proposed they will be
either Of the palest blush-rose or of
| light tone of blue. Precedent is that
there shall be eight bridesmaids. and up
TO the present five have been chosen, of
g., Nl,a hi,
Lady Mary Cecil, daughter of the Mar
quis Of Salisbury.
The princesses are: Princess Maud
| OF Fife, Princess Mary. Princess Pa
tricia of Connaught, Princess Mary of
Teck.
The other three attendants will be
| daughters of peers who enjoy the friend
ship of the Princess Royal The train
| bearers will be: Prince Olaf of Nor
way, Prince John (the Kings youngest
son), Prince Arthur is to be supported
| by the Prince OF Wales and the Duke
| of SGxe-Coburg, as his best men.
Much OF the Duchess trousseau is be-
ing made in Ireland The prevailing
| fashion for colored embroideries does not
meet with royal approval, and every
thing is made of fine lawn worked in
white, and threaded with white satin
ribbons. Hand-worked linen sports
shirts. in many designs. are occupying
the workrooms OF one Irish firm. and
from Scotland tweed coats and skirts.
serviceable golf coats and jerseys. and
travelling wraps in Scotch tweeds, have
been ordered.
Mount Street, London, where Prince
Arthur OF Connaught is to make his
home, has previous royal associations,
but not Of a pleasant kind. In the first
place the street took its name from
"Oliver's Mount" a lipe on fortifications
hastily erected by the Parliamentarians
in 1913 to defend the western suburbs
from the expected attack by King Charles.
The British public would be not little
surprised II il knew the extent TO which
the records Of Somerset House are ram
sacked by inquisitive persons for pur-
poses fair or foul. The originals or copies
of wills proved since 1s5s are to be found
at Somerset House. where any one OF
them can be read on payment of a search
fee of one shilling. Thus the financial
affairs of tens of thousands of families
are laid bare TO the eyes of the curious
or designing, who care to pay this small
fee
It is easy to see what a valuable
mine of information thus is available
and what improper use could be made
of il. Many of these wills reveal family
secrets which are worth a good deal to
unprincipled persons Some little time
ago a gang Of sharpers kept a man con-
stantly employed hunting skeletons"
and reaped rich harvest by blackmail-
ing the families concerned. To money
lenders and traders this facility for eN-
ploring wills is invaluable: for II enables
them to know exactly the financial posi-
ton of their victims and their customers,
and thus to know to what extent they
can be trusted. Many men have thus
been lured into extravaganza and ruin
who otherwise would probably have es-
capped both.
Every year these wills are explored
by calculating men who are in search of
wealthy brides. 1t is. of course, most
useful to know the precise degree Of gild-
ing Of the ladies on whose moneybags
they have set covetous eyes; and for
shilling they can satisfy all their curl
osity. In a recent breech OF promise case
it came out in evidence that the day
before the defendant broke his engage
ment he had paid a visit to Somerset
House to inspect the will of the girls
father, and had made the alarming dis
covery that she would forfeit every penny
OF her fortune II she married a foreigner.
AS the defendant was not a Briton, his
vision of gold was rudely dispelled; he
broke his engagement at once; and had
to pay $4,000 damages for his careless
ness in not visiting Somerset House
earlier.
The records of births, deaths. and mar
riages contain much secret information
equally valuable. and any one can obtain
certificate by paying fees amounting to