The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-02

Georgiana, Countess of Dudley.
My thoughts carried me back 10 or
10 years ago, to a day when had at
tended a brilliant reception at Dudley
House in Park Lane. In those days.
Georgiana, Countess of Dudley, was
still famous beauty Though a little
past her prime even in those days she
was still very lovely, with perfect
features and a small, exquisitely-
shaped head. crowned with quantities
of dark hair, set upon a neck and
shoulders that were quite faultless She
was wearing, on the evenig which
still remains in my thoughts, a gown
of white lace, and, round her throat and
browning her hair, were the superb
Dudley sapphires, which are supposed
to be among the finest in England. She
was very tallgand slender and carried
herself with supreme grace.
AS my memory visualized this pic
ture and l saw again what remains Of
that once brilliant and vivid person
ality, my heart gave a few extra throbs
Time is very cruel to most of us; that
old woman, crouching in her bath
chair, seemed a sort of parable that
had materialized for my special benefit,
We are hearing lot just now about
certain members of ,the peerage. At
the moment the prize sensation is Lady
Carbery's petition for the dissolution
of her marriage with the viscount of
that name. They are quite a young
couple and were only married six years
ago. She is exceedingly pretty, very
lively, and, during the last year or two.
has been much seen in London AS
Jose Metcalfe, Lady Carbery was in
her first season when she met, loved
and married the young Irish peer from
she is now seeking a divorce. She is
an enthusiastic dancer, and | remem-
Der seeing her at once of the big
Peace" balls given at the Albert Hall
last spring. when she was a conspicuous
and very charming figure. She went as
bird of paradise" Her gown was
of gold tissue and her head was com
pletely covered with mass of golden
paradise plumes. .
Castle Fiske in County Cork is the
Irish seat of the Carberys and the Wis
count. who is just 81 years of age, was
the first British peer to fly over the
English channel, as well as one of the
first English airmen to loop the loop
in England. He served with considera-
BILE distinction in the royal air service
and crashed" rather badly in Belgium
during the early part of the war
Most people who have an appetite
for this sort of fare are waiting anxi-
ously for the public details of the Car
berry case. and certain piquant in
terest is given to the affair because
1T is stated that three important wit
nesses will have to be examined on
commission in Paris-one is a hotel
porter, a Swiss by nationality; another
spanish chambermaid, and the third
also femme de chambre, is French
woman
| remarked the other day that most
of the great landed estates in Eng
land and Scotland seem to be chang
ing hands. Another addition TO the list
of titled landowners who are selling
property is Lord Cawdor, whose Car
marthenshire estates are shortly COM
ing on the market Lord Cawdor is
not yet 20 and is midshipman in the
royal navy. He is grandson OF Lord
Cawdor, who was first lord of the adj
miralty and fifth in succession to an
hr{Ndom, which has changed hands
with tragic frequency during the past
30 years. This fact can be realized
when l mention that the present earl
CHS great grandfather, the second
earl, died in 1899 is the sixth in sue
cession!
1t seems strange to think of Cawdor
castle being put up at auction. 1t is
said that In this grim fortress "once
upon a time" lived Macbeth visitors
are still shown the banqueting hall
where the Thane of Cawdor had his
ill-omened vision, while superstitious
Scottish folk will show you the steps
down which Lady Macbeth walked in
her sleep after the murder of Duncan
Still another peer to talk about! He
is the young Earl of Lathom, just "a
years of age, who has announced his
intention Of launching out as a, the
atrical manager. He succeeded to the
title only a few years ago, but his
father was not very conspicuous fig
ure upon the social horizon. 1t was the
present peers grandfather, who, dur
ing the Edwardian era, was one of the
most famous figures of his time. He
was King Edwards constant com
panion and held a special post at the
court He was a fine looking old gem
tleman. with an enormous white beard
and very few functions of any impor-
lance in London were complete with
out his presence.
The present Lord Lathom has always
had a great penchant for the stage
He has beautiful tenor voice and
considerable literary ability. When he
was about 10 he made sort of ANA
teur debut on the concert platform, but
since that time has not been much
heard of in matters dramatic. Now,
however, he is 'bobbing" up with CON
siderable emphasis, having entered into
theatrical partnership with Miss
Edyth Goodall, quite an eminent Eng
lish actres She must be a good many
years older than his lordship, who is
not vet %.
1t seems to me that it might be
good idea for some theatre to have a
sort of monopoly of managers, actors
actresses and authors with titles. Lord
Dunsany might write the plays. Lord
Lathom produce them and the Earl of
Cowley this stage name is George Wei
lesley) might be the leading man.
while the Marchioness of Headfort,
Lady Chetwynd and various other
ladies with handles to their names
might make up caste of considerable
interest
"A friend of mine, who has some con-
nection with the court and is usually
in the know regarding matters at
Buckingham palace. tells me that next
spring the King has definitely decided
to revert to the pre-war evening courts
This year, as you know, debutantes and
brides had to content themselves with
afternoon garden parties and posi-
BILE glimpse or, rather than a personal
presentation to, their majesties. Be-
fore the war it was customary for five
or. at most. six courts to be held each
year. between February and June. but
next season, in order to meet with the
huge demand of those who desire royal
recognition, the number may be