have.caused a vast amount of excitement during the past fortnight. The one held last week at the Imperial Institute in aid of the funds of the Norwood Orphanage attracted immense crowds, partly because its opening was graced by the presence of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, who performed the ceremony in the most effective manner possible—by being the firet purchaser at all the stalls. There were thirty of them, nearly all presided over by ladies of title; among them being the Duchess.of Devonshire, the Dowager Lady Howard of Glossop... The Orphanage Duchess of Newcastle, Lady Denbigh and try T tried if the magic of the word every minute) and nothing happened; would open the way for me, but it failed entirely. Two men near me said they were Press" too, and one remarked that there ought to have been a Press door but there wasn't. I felt if I waited much longer should follow the example of a few other women and have to-be removed in a fainting condition, so I managed to work my way out and then by a wonderful Ri f luck I ran across a man with a little' blue and red: decoration which denoted that he was one in authority and to him I confided my troubles. He told me Princess had entered (she had again lent if I went round to the door kf which the the aid, this time accompanied by the Dachess of York) and used his name I should be admitted—after that all was easy.- Inside I found the scene one of beauty and animation: the rooms were full, but not so crowded as they became Inter. I heard that at the last minute, seeing the vastness ofthe crowd, the committee of management feared- for the Princesses, so an order was given to close the doors until they had -made a tour of the stalls—thus hundreds who had purchased tickets for the opening ceremony were kept outside until it was over—of course there were fault mmaialy lies with the police autho-many complaints but I understand the rities who were warned that a large crowd was expected but laughed at the idea of a bazaar the admission to which was five shillings attracting many people. Asa matter of fact, so great was the interest taken in it that had the admission been fixed at a guinea instead of 5/ nearly all those pre: sent would quite as willingly have paid it, Theard a man in the ticket office say to a lady who was imploring him to find her a ticket: Madam, if you gave me £10,000 I could not get you one." This was but a figure of speech as I would -have sold her mine for half that amount; but the County Council limited the. number of tickets to 1,500 for the opening ceremony. Since the Paris fire they have been very careful in the matter of Bazaars; the muslin used in draping the stalls had to be non-inflammable. As to the function itself it was much the same as others of the same kind but it had one decided novelty—its own paper, The Press Bazaar News, printed on the premises, the dearest little paper in the world,"" price 1/.. This was' most select and dignified with quite a unique staff consisting of the editors of nearly all the chief "London and: provincial" papers.'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.