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DREYFUS HONOURED.I

OUR LONDON I

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OUR LONDON I it is understood that we do not necessarily identify fll-rselves with our correspondent's opinions. Profiting by their experience at the wedding of the Marquis of Graham and Lady Mary Hamilton., the police made due provision for keeping the crowd safely at a distance at the m??age of Mr. Austen Chambe?a,in and Miss Ivy Dundae at St. Margaret's—the Hou&e of ?OBtmons Church-Westminster, on Saturday, and though the populace attended in its thou- sands, there were no unseemly rushes, and the carriage of the bride was not mobbed. Much regret was expressed at the absence of the bridegroom's father, who had not suffi- ciently recovered from an attack of gout to attend, but, before going off for their honey- moon, Mr. and Mrs. Austen Chamberlain drove to Prince's-gardens to visit the right honourable gentleman. Of course, nearly everybody who was anybody in the political world attended, and, if Parliament had been sitting and the division bell had rung, the singular sight would have been seen of a great portion of the male guests aving the church to do their duty in the House. A novel feature in the church was the presence of a number of police- men, who acted as ushers a post usually filled by the personal friends of the bridegroom—and had the duty of showing the guests to their seats. They were all men who have at one time or another rendered special service to Mr. Joseph Chamberlain and his family, and they received a special greeting from the bride and bridegroom as they passed down the church. The wedding favours, which were, as usual, distributed by the bridesmaids during the signing of the register, were of ivy and stephanotis and ivy and gardenias, the little green leaf being a compliment to the bride's name. Of course, as should happen at a wedding, all went merry as a marriage bell, but there was very nearly a ceremony without the organ, for something went wrong with the instrument on Friday, and, with men working all night, it was not until six o'clock on Satur- day morning that things were put in a satis- factory state. London continues to increase its number of open-air spaces, and the very latest is Hainault Forest—a beautiful tract of country which Earl Carrington dedicated to the use of the public on Saturday. The new space contains over 800 acres, and it has cost E21,000 to acquire. Lord Carrington in his speech re- called days when all Essex was a great forest, and the haunt of wild boar, red deer, wolf, and wild cat, while in later days Hainault Forest was a hunting ground for the Kings and Queens of England. But all that is altered, and so many of the copses, thickets, and pieces of woodland have been torn UiJ, that large portions are being re-afforested, one special plantation alone, some six acres in extent, bearing 1,750 trees. Golf links are likely to be made, and, if the London County Council approves the scheme, anyone will be able to go round the links for 6d. Some trouble occurred with gipsies, who had formed a camp 1 in the forest, and objected to being ousted, but, after several scenes, they obeyed an order of the Courts, and now many have settled at houses in the neighbourhood. Then there is the opportunity of acquiring another open space, this time at Bow. All readers of Dickens remember Mrs. Nickleby's little cottage at Bow, and her experiences with the eccentric gentleman in the next house, who threw marrows and other vegetables over the, garden wall. The scene of these incidents, now known as the Grove Hall Estate, and until recently, curiously enough, the site of a private lunatic asylum, are for sale by auction, and the Dickens Fellowship suggests that the authorities should secure the place for the public-the same as Little Dorrit's playground has been preserved—for, with the exception of a very small space, children have to walk over a mile to reach an open park. The estate comprises nearly twelve acres, and is surrounded by a high wall, on to which the back gardens of some cottages still abut, ex- actly as the garden of the Nickleby's cottage did, and it will be recalled that Mrs. Nickleby's mad admirer first, paid his addresses to her from the top of the wall. At the time the book wao written the district was, as Dickens states, entirely rural. With the object of seeing Ireland for them- selves, a number of members of Parliament have arranged a novel tour in the Emerald Isle during August, after the House of Com- mons has, for the time being, rested from its labours. Mr. Percy Alden is to be in charge of the party, and accompanying him, in addi- tion to several economists, will be Mr. Gooch, Mr. Arthur Black, Mr. Stopford Brooks, Mr. Mackarness, Mr. H alley Stewart, and Mr. Frank Newnes—all members of the House. The party travel by motor-cars—mostly their own-and the tour, which is to be especially devoted to studying the condition of the West, will be practically conducted under official auspices. The Irish members will do the local honours, Mr. O'Malley, M.P., for instance, being a personal guide in Connemara, for which he sits in the Commons. When travelling through the squares of the West-end of London one has often wondered why some practical use could not be made of them. They are always kept in beautiful order, with their broad gravel walks, and turf as soft and smooth as velvet, but, with the exception of a nursemaid or two in charge of some favoured little ones, no one ever seemed to be in them. Now comes the news that the grounds in Cadogan-square have been used for a garden party, the first entertainment of its kind ever held. It is not surprising to read that it was a striking success in every way, and, now that the ice has been broken, no doubt the example set by the hoste&s-,a Mrs. MacDonald—will be followed by other London residents. The gardens in Cadogan-square are always charming at this time of the year, and their beauty was enhanced by the lavish use of Turkish rugs brought from Mrs. Mac- Donald's house, a line of which rugs stretched from the entrance to where the hostess re- ceived her guests. Under the trees were banks of roses, and refreshments were served at I small tables. As many as 500 guests were welcomed during the afternoon. Following upon the sad death of Viscountess Althorp, comes the news of the quite unex- pected demise of Lady Curzon of Kedleston. She had been in failing health for some time past, and had never really recovered from the severe illness which she had at Walmer Castle some two years ago, when on a visit home from India; but no announcement had been made that she was ill, and the news of her death came as a great shock. Lady Curzon, who was a daughter of the well-known American mil- lionaire, the late Mr. L. Z. Leiter, of Chicago, was one of the most beautiful women in So- ciety, and was descended through her mother from John Carver, the first Puritan Governor of Plymouth. She possessed intellectual gifts of no mean order, made many friends as soon ag she settled in this country, and was every- where acknowledged as a leading hostess in Society, while in India she seconded her hus- band's ambition in every way, and was a de- eded success as Vicereine. It is only eleven years since Lady Curzon was married to Lord Curzon (then the Hon. G. N. Curzon), and she leaves three little daughters, the eldest- of whom is ten yeara of age, Whilst the youngest, to whom Queen Alexandra stood sponsor, was born a little over two years ago. Although, with the close approach of Good- wood, the London season is on the wane, Society seems determined to keep up the gaiety as long as possible. Town is still full, while the hotels are fuller than ever, if that can possibly be, and, in spite of the rise of new and enormous hotels, t here seems to be no room for the large number of Eicfb popk who are pouring in from all quarters of the globe. The Savoy on a recent night had to turn away no fewer than fifty-five would-be guests from its doors, besides those who were refused by telegraph and telephone; the Carl- ton and the Ritz are full to overflowing, while the Cecil has beaten its last year's figures, which were those of a record. But the arrivals must find room somewhere, and, as there was no room for them in the inn, they have gone further afield, and the proprietors of the small boarding-houses in the streets which lie between Piccadilly and Oxford-street are reap- ing a golden harvest. The Londoner himself, however, is now off for his aatnual holiday, and long strings of cabs, heavily laden with lug- gage, are to be seen day after day wending their wav to the various termini of the rail- ways. s. J.

THE EDUCATION BILL.

RUSSIAN DUMA DISSOLVED.I

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DRESS OF THE DAY.I

NEWS IN BRIEF. I

I LITERARY CHAT.