The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-07
Big Doings in Dublin
For the Horse Show Week
Nv LADY MARY.


London. August est seems very far
away in the past since the days when
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt did so much
toward reviving the pleasures of Eng
lands coaching roads. Now, poor fell
low he lies deep under the sea. and the
remembrance of the Lusitania horror
still fingers about that wonderful cor
ner site in Piccadilly. where Alfred VAN
derbilt built him home overlooking the
green trees of st. James park and the
vista through which Buckingham palace
| looks perhaps at its best.
1 was reminded wildly the other day
of Vanderbilt and his coaching days
when l was motoring to Brighton and
we pulled up at lunchtime in fronte of
the pretty rose-embowered inn called the
Chequers, at Horley, which marks just
about the halfway stage between the
metropolis and carbohydrates Sea- In
| those days Dit must be 10 or u years
ago. the Chequers was quite pleasant
stopping place with flavor of old world
English simplicity about its fat and gen
ial host. and its ugly yet comfortable
, Victorian furnishings Now the atmos-
/ phere of the place has changed 1t Is
really pretty and up-to-d date, yet en-
| tirely British country house, and 1t pro-
vides AN amusing instance of the ways
| and means adopted by demobilized or
| ficers and men who now swarm through
every mile of this fair island
| 1t was on Sunday that We drove up
to the Chequers and as We entered a
pretty hall with long windows opening
out upon a lovely lawn a nice fair
haired, blue-eyed youth greeted us in
most friendly fashion. Il am so glad
you have come" said he, smiling hos
pitably, but I'm most awfully sorry
you will have to wait bit before l
can give you a table. We are just
overwhelmingly full up
| tried to remember whether this pleas
ant youth was an acquaintance l had
/ forgotten, or to determine whether he
was Just an amiable iunatic, who was
| irving to be "chatty." However, as he
! asked us whether we would not like
cocktails while we were waiting, | ven
htured to injuire whether [ had ever
met him before.
mo | don't think So" he replied
Icheerfully, you see I'm one of the land
lordsxpf this pub. Five other fellows and
myself took it over after we got de-
mobbed, and we are having ripping
ltime-over here, Eric. Look sharp with
the cocktails" And another irreproach-
ably flanneled youth with a cigarette in
his mouth and silver tray on which
stood two glasses came toward us and
entered into conversation with just the
tinguished his fellow. 1t was all very
amusing and conventional. The two
lyoung men who had seen lots of service
in France and had been wounded many
times, were only too delighted to talk
about their stunts" as hotel proprie-
tors. They had been at it just about SIX
weeks and they hoped to make a bit OF
money" but really didn't care much, il
they could meet their expenses. ! sug-
gaSted that nerhanS in the winter they
might not find. gold weather and more
or less empty house very amusing in the
depths of the country.
"Oh, yes thatll be all right" said the
young man called Eric-"Lots of our
friends have promised to come down foi
Iweek-ends} l suggested that they might
not find this patronage altogether pro.
fitable, but they both were convinced
that their friends would pay up al
fright" and at any rate, there was top.
ping hunting in the district and a rip.
ping gold-course" 1t was most anus
ing experience to hear these enthusi-
astic boys talking about their affair:
and we drove off in the Afternoon
the last l saw of them was four of the
Landlords" playing a game of tenni.
while the two others were sprawled un.
der the shelter of rose trimmed per.
COLA sound asleep.
| am told that there will be bril-
| liant and a busy time in Dublin during
| the horse show which commences there
on the 18th of this month. All the
I hostesses at the great houses round and
about are already entertaining parties
Mrs. Galisford st. Lawrence has about II
people stopping with her at Howth cas-
tie, which is, I believe, the Oldest build
| ing in any sort of repair in Ireland II
| is regular feudal stronghold and some
/ how it seems almost undignified to see