The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-01-16

rooms have been permitted to observe
rre-war hours. There is however,
still a controlled price on spirits.
Practically every commodity was un-
control during the war. The price
for butter was CSC per pound, with a
ration allowance Of only two ounces
per day per person. Eggs were CSC.
per dozen.
eff you care to go with me, I shall
attempt to take you to a reception It
Mrs. Waldorf. Astor's, nee Nancy
Langhorne, of Virginia, and now Lady
Nancy Astor, Member of Parliament,
she being the first and only woman as
yet to be elected to seat in that
high legislative body. Suffrage in
England has been granted to all wo-
men over 80. It is summer time and
you go to the reception about nine
o'clock. A maid, white, meets you at
the door, takes your, hat and wraps
you don't dare go farther than a
block from home without your rain
coat or umbrella-gives you a check
for them, and directs you to the re-
ception room. Lady Astor is one of
the finest of hostesses and never
does a guest get far in the front hall
but that she spies him and always
gives him cordial handshake, be
he Englishman or American. She al
ways has some witty pleasantly to
hand you, never is bested in repartee,
and is always good to look upon. She
did not at any of the half dozen times
I was in her home, both in London
in her summer home on the Thames,
appear over-dressed. The only jew
els I ever saw her wear was a string
of pearls and one time a fancy comb
with diamonds in it. She generally
wore semi-evening dress of black
lacy stuff. Her husband is quite as
unpretentious. I have seen them both
at a reception with the Duke Of Con-
naught, the present kings uncle and
son of Queen Victoria, with Gener-
al Pershing, with Rddyard Kipling,
who, himself, by the way is as plain
as an old shoe, and with practically
every person of national note in Lon
don, and l have never seen either
Lord or Lady Astor put on any more
airs than our hostess this afternoon
assumes even when entertaining so
distinguished body as the Abbeville
Civic League. There will be a hum
dred or so persons present at the re-
ception. Everybody stands, you are
kept moving by some sort of invisi-
lie force and the first thing you know
YOU have talked a few moments to
everybody there. When you feel like
a smoke, the balcony is open to you.
If you are lucky you may nave the
Duchess of most anything to go out
with you-being already knighted by
st. Benedict, of course I usually
asked a gentleman, the Duke of
Connaught or Mr.. Kipling to join me.
Then about ten thirty, you may begin
to lose the sustaining qualities of
your boarding house dinner. Grab
somebody and stroll leisurely or has
tily, as your appetite so demands,
down the big stairs to the refresh
;ment room and you will find a table
just as long as the room, and almost
as wide, creaking under a multitude
of plates of sandwiches, cake of all
kinds, pastries, olives, cheese straws,
! fruit, ice cream, and a tremendous
bowl of real punch, generally little
more wet than grapejuice or lemon
ade. There is bevy of white-capped
buXom maids from West End ca
terer to hand you the plates you
cannot reach. After you have done
what you could although you don't
notice any decrease in the quantity
of refreshments those accommodating
lassies having replenished each plate
as it became empty-you stroll back
to the reception room or the balcony
and spend another pleasant half or
three quarters of an hour. Pretty
soon, some old be-laced, gouty Lady