Evening star., 1925-08-09

| the form of an ice. cooling drink, or
| a sandwich. But every one foregath-
ers at this hour under the palms or
! the cool dark arcades, and no place
| in the world, say those who patronize
! Shepherds at least once during the
year. can present so colorful and en-
| trancing a scene.
Lady Alexandra Curzon, the third
,, and, according to popular verdict. the
! loVeliest of the three daughters of the
| late Mary Letter and her husband. the
| lately deceased Marquis of CurZon, who
married Maj. Edward d. Metcalfe, has
| sailed with him for their new home.
which is to be among the modest DOM
iciles provided for the officers on the
staff of Field Marshall Birdwood. now
| in command of the Indian Army.
Gen. Birdwood makes his headquar-
| terS at Delhi, and so-the bride will be
in the very spot where her mother
| reigned SO brilliantly when Lord Cur
zon was viceroy. But her station is
far less important, a circumstance
which made the late Marquis Of Cur
zon so bitterly opposed to his daugh.
ter wedding the handsome but poor
young officer In the Indian Army. He
disliked the idea of one of his blood
returning to India in an inferior So
cial role. But with Lady Alexandra
1t was all for love and the world well
lost. She had been engaged to Maj.
Metcalfe for three years, but could not
marry him because of the paternal op
position. Meantime her friendship
with the Prince of Wales and his
brothers, particularly Prince Henry,
gave rise to the often-repeated rumor
that Lady Alexandra was destined to
enter the British royal family. Her
wedding took place as soon as possible
after her fathers death and she had
the full appreciation of her family and
was accompanied to the altar by her
step mother.
Mr.. Jesse A. Currey of Portland,
Greg, has made a public offer of
81 900 prize for the best white or
cream rose which will prove satisfac-
tory for outdoor growth in every part
of the United States, and the lists are
open to any one, anywhere, profes-
sional or amateur, who can register
the same after ii has successfully en-
dured the usual tests applied to all
rose candidates. This should arouse
tremendous interest all over this coun-
try. for the generosity of the prize Is
far beyond anything yet offered.
When 1t is remembered that the late
DIR. Van Fleet accepted $75 for his
exquisite climber which bears his
name, it is obvious that Mr.. CurreY
has made a long stride toward ac-
knowledging that rose culture Is a lib
eral art, as France and other conti-
mental countries regard it. The limi-
tation of this winner Is that the white
rose must be hardy, full f1owered,
fragrant and ever blooming. DR.. Van
Fleets roses, with few exceptions, are
climbing, and are a dream of glory
for a few weeks and then howerless
for year. Mr.. Currey Is a well known
rosarian in that home of the queen of
flowers, Portland, and the establish
ment Of a good cream rose which will
grow as well in the moist cool air Of
the Pacific Coast and not freeze in
the Winters of New England nor be
parched in the Summers of the Mid
die West and on most of the Atlantic
seaboard, and at the proper time full
fill Its obligations in the South and
Southwest, has been one of his cher
ished ambitions. Many local rosa
rians say that the feat is impossible,
well known ingenuity of the American
gardener may find way.
Washington gardens are receiving
so much attention, and many of the
owners of beautiful flower plots are
important figures in the social world
that friendly controversy in progress
about the ethics of fresh flowers on
the table and for every meal cannot
fail to interest scores Of hostesses at
the Capital. The late Bishop Wilber-
force of England, who called flowers
1.-The smiles of Gods goodness" con-
tended that fresh blossoms were as
essential as fresh napery, and shining
silver and china, all of which Wash
ington hoSteSSeS accept in the literal
sense. But the ambition of the flower
grower is to produce blossoms which
retain their color and vigor for three
or four days. Roses arranged artist
ically in basket or bowl require time
and discrimination. and few who per-
form this work of love would relish
seeing it tossed aside when it had
frightened the board for a single meal.
Such a basket should and does last in
pe.'fect hue and shape for good three
days, when the rosarian feels content
with this service and gladly cuts new
flowers. North Shore flower lovers
seem committed to the British idea of
fresh flowers for every meal, and
many there draw a line against the
same centerpiece for breakfast or in
formal luncheon as would be used for
dinner or luncheon of the set kind.
But all this seems a futile sort of
| labor, especially when flowers now
take on every shape, size and color,
and may be arranged on lines to suit
every occasion.