Evening star., 1923-10-14

! now a member of q formerly reigning
| FAMILY OF Germany, made her debut
In Washington in 1912. Her father
went to Germany on legal business
on the outbreak of the war and there
she met Prince Christian of Hesse
and they became engaged. The
kaiser refusing sanction to the mar
riage because of inequality in rank.
January. 1915, without it. Later the
kaiser relented and raised Princess
Christian to the rank of Baroness
de Barchfeldt and legalized the union
and the heir who had been born
within year after the marriage.
Prince Christian is of the younger
branch of the Hesse dynasty and Is
the second brother of the former
landgrave. Prince Ernest
Visitors to Westminster Abbey
have. with varying. feelings, walked
over the brasses set in the aisle
which tell that in a vault beneath
rest the mortal remains of Charles
Dickens. Recently, however, a senti
ment has wakened that the great
humanist should be better placed in
this Falhalla of Britain's illustrious
sons and that he should be given "a
ment of suitable size and dignity.
bust Of Dickens is placed against
the wall of chapel where tia,
efiigies of some recent authors are
honored. and il stands almost directly
opposite that of Longfellow and near
the bronze tablet erected to honor
Henry James. But considering the
vogue of Dickens in his own habitat.
London, these mortuary honors seem
meager There are two-score Dick
ems societies in the British Isles
and every spot really identified with
the famous novelist has been leased
or purchased and kept as memo
rial From London south. following
the route of the unfortunate David
Copperfield when he fled from the
Murchison warehouse to Betsy Trot-
wood In Dover, a series of inns re-
tain a distinct Dickens flavor, and
signs and booklets all tell of the
association with the author. North
TO the Scottish border, and in every
direction, rest-houses and libraries
are Dickens memorials and every
summer there are Dickens tours
planned in London. through which
the lover of his monumental works
can follow the lines of travel de-
scribed in some favorite story from
the awful circuit of Bill Sykes to
the pastoral wanderings of the
Plckwick Club. In view of this.
Dickens tomb in Westminster is rot
prominent or imposing as his repu-
tation deserves.
A landmark of old London has
-
mouth to sell his historic mansion
at No. St. James square to an
insurance company which will tear
down part of the house for enlarge
ment and reconstruction. In 1855. in
Slows History of London a fine
picture of Falmouth House occupies
prominent place in illustrating the
square. which in that day was de-
scribed as the favorite residence of
the nobility. 1t is some years since
any of Lord Falmouth's colleagues
lived adjacent. and in fact the pres
ent day historian would say that the
neighborhood was popular for ply
sicians and architects. with a few art
studios and perfect beehive of
legal offices. Yet nearly all the man
sions were of pure Adam style and
many were designed by the great
master himself The street posts of
st. James Square were all MAIDS of
cannon captured by Lord Falmouth's
ancestor. Admiral Boscawen, off Cape
Finisterre. There are many clubs in
this square, notably the Army and
Navy, the American Club. the East
India and the British Empire. The
London library was formerly there
but has removed to more extensive
quarters. Cntii year ago Lord
Falmouth remained the sole private
owner in the once favorite residen-
tial section and where the Adams
brothers built houses and made fur
niture to equip them for the loftiest
of the British nobility.
Washington has a counterpart of
st. James Square in London in La
fayette Square. Less than fifteen years
ago it was the home of Washington's
celebrities and beautiful levees kept the
entire block filled with life and color.