Even the phenomenal success at the celebrated Press Bazaar which took place at the height of last year's London season has been eclipsed by the wonderful function which during the past two days has drawn enormous crowds of fashionably dressed people to the Albert Hall. Whether the financial remelt will be ax great reinnins tw be proved. I notice the first day naunted to the large sum of but of course from this a vast amount will have to be deducted for expenses. After all accounts were settled the Treasurer of the Press Bazaar handed over £12,000 to the Committe of the London Hospital and I fear in this case the cheyne will not be larger, though £50,000 is required for the necessary alterations and repairs. So far as the Bazaar itself is concerned it must have more than realised the expectations of the huge crowds who patronised it, as rarely have I seen a more beautiful sight than it presented. In order to provide more accommodation for stalls and sightseers it was decided to build a new floor, seventeen feet above the permanent one, aver the whole of the arena, and level with the first tier of boxes, by this means a considerable amount of extra space was gained. The stalls were so arranged that the distinguished sellers stood on either side, as running round the entire building close ty the boxes was a wide promenade carpeted with an asbestos carpet as a preventative inst fire. The stalls, which were practically presided over by nearly all the most notable ladies in our land, were prettily draped in muslin, either coloured or white over: colour, according to the individual taste of the Indy at the head of the stall; in nearly every cise the national colour the country she represented guided her choice. Thus, the Du: hess of Portland, who had the direction " f the chose red, white, and I'ue for the d of her stall, though she herself was owned lovely' dress of é 0 net over w silk and was content "s usual with a touch of colour supply ad by her favourite malnmaisons. The hess of Montrose presided at the Senttis': stall, where the idea seemed to be to rey: oduce the national thistle, consequently wast of the ladies here wore mauve and silver. At the Trish stall, where the Duchess of Abercorn was in command, white with green sashes was the order of the day, though her Grace (being in mourning) was attired in black satin. The Indian stall was a great success; the Marchioness of Dufferin presided; xll the dresses were black, reimmed with blae—most of the helpers wearing blue toques and chiffon sashes. A very good effect was ined from the presence of two Indians in ative dress who made themselves very useful by wrapping up parcels, etc. Quite one of the features of the Bazaar was the American Bar—all the fixings for which were specially imported from the other side; it was presided over by Mrs. Brown Potter, and was a veritable bower of beauty. The floral decoration of it. w: entrusted to Messrs, Goodyear, and consisted of palms, variegated maples, arum lilies, and other delicately tinted flowers and draperies of pale, green silk. The fair American herself looked picturesquely Deautiful in floral spotted muslin and a Jarge hat covered with feathers. As for the wares exhibited for sale there seemed to be sume of ery kind and description.
the Hospital Stall, where Princess Louise (who performed the opening ceremony) presided, the chief attraction was a quantity of silver ornaments sent by the Duke of Coburg. These were all disposed of very speedily.—in fact I heard that the majority of them were purchased before the bazaar opened, only they were put on the stall for show purposes. At the South Africin Stall there were some lovely ostrich feather fans, and quaint _yold ornaments. At the Ezyptian Stall an aut raph letter of General Gordon's realised £30, and signed photographs of our latest Soudan hero were sold at quite fancy prices. The Indian Stall was perhaps the most admired, but where everything is so beautiful it is difficult to particularise. On the first afternoon additional interest was added by a masuificent concert _organised by Lady Randolph Churchill," at which Madamie Melba and other operatic and concert room stars assisted. Yesterday the entertainment took the form of a dramatic ente! ment, to which all the leading lights of the' theatrical profes. sion, for whom room could be mad ent' their sid. This was organised Mrs. Beerbohm Tree, wh" is likewise responsible for a most delightful souvenir in the form of a bazaar book" which was sold freely at 10s. 6d, a copy, and to which the novelists, journalists, poet actors, astists, and, in fact, all sorts conditions of men' and women of have contributed.
A LADIES' DINNER Party, Ten years have now passed by since a small band of some twenty Sisters of the Pen inaugurated what is now known as the "Women Writers' Dinner." The meeting thus once a year has allowed to lapse, but the number anxious to participate in the funer grown to such an extent that, this y twenty but nearly two hun engaged in literary work of were to be found at the annual Miss Elizabeth Robbins (C. E. Raimond) acted as Chairwoman, and the after, dinner speakers, in addition to herself, were Mrs. L. T.. Mende, Mrs. Flo Miss Honour Morton' (who traced the movement. from its commencement) and Mrs. Croly, known professionally as "Jo: nie Jones.' There were present several delegates who have come over to attend the ings of the International Women's Congress, which opens next Monday. Among Others a Mrs. Grielow, an American, wh ad everyone w ined, after beeches were over, by her charming recitations and crow songs. Among those present were the Countess of Aberdeen (President of the forthcoming Congress) and her daughter Lady Marjorie Gordon, Viscountess Knutsford, Miss Beatrice Harmaden, Mrs. W. K. Chifford, Miss Mary Kingsley, Mrs. Archibald Little, act nearly every won it excepting Mrs. Craigie, Hodgson Burnett, Miss Adeline Sargent, and one or two others who were unavoidably absent this yest. A most merry evening was spent, the only discordant note being struck by a few "advanced" members of the sex, doubtless anxious for entire emancipation, who "lighted up" even before the ap: pearance of the coffee, to the intense annoyance of their elder sisters. Their action caused remarks of such an unflattering nature that I doubt their adopting the same course in the pursuit of freedom at next year's gather
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.