London, Nov. 1.
Father Christmas has made an even earlier arrival in town than usual and is already to be seen at a leading West-End store." There were hundreds of children to greet him when, escorted by Guy Fawkes and Mickey Mouse, he stepped out of a huge parcel and reached at once for the microphone to. invite his Suesls to visit his Castle Glorious London's shopland these autumn. days has a festive air and Christmas buying started in earnest yesterday, with the Queen leading the advance guard. "Her Majesty made her first purchases in " Gorringe's. which Is conveniently close to the Palace. She spent an hour-and-a-half in' the various departments and chose dainty wild-rose design early morning teaser in pink, yellow and green, some pictures depicting woodland and Gower subjects, and a selection of hand embroidered linen. The toy department Kept the Queen occupied much of this time, which resulted in hair in keeping with the character of the ball.
Flowers at All Tim¢
English women are wearing flowers for morning, afternoon and evening, though the best of the new flower fashion are for evening toilets. small groups of flowers are used today, but great sprays or clusters are spread across the neckline, at the waist or on the evening skirt, From Paris comes a gown with a loop of flowers strung around the neckline and ancther French gown, cut on Grecian Lines. is enlivened with two enormous arum lilies In deep blue velvets, with two or three big velvet eaves, Plain and cellophaned velvets are favourite fabrics "for these flowers, and purples, deep reds, pale blues and deep bottle greens are popular colours. But there is no need to have 4 spray of lowers in one colour: a wine-coloured spray may have a blue flower introduced, or a deep red oF bottle green. Again, a wreath of Layton Bennett, Ella Fenton, Eileen Clarke, Alice Nazer, Anne Appelborn, 'Violet' "Green, Eileen Alabaster, 'Myrtle Johnson, Billy Liddell, Elsie Fraser, 'Lily Austin Robins, Gladys Fowler, Phoebe MacEachron, Faith Jupp, Doris Ashley Brown,' Rhoda Wells, Olive Jory, Nora Dickson, Ins Morris, Lizzie' Porter, Jean" Me-'Meekin, Vandine MacPhail, Eileen Shepley Shepley, Hilda Kennedy, Georgina Bateman, Sybil Wingrove, Marjorie Mason, Daisy Scot. Bell, Dorothy Hornell, May Foster, Sheila Boteler, Esme Squ: Elsie Andrews, Ann Bingham, Tinko Poley," Marjory "Hutchison and Dorothy Hutchison, A Christening Ceremony Little Margaret' Anne Silvester 'Haines, eleven weeks' old daughter: of Mr, and Mrs, C. H. Haines, was: the centre of attention last Saturday on the occasion of her christening. The ceremony was held at the Cathedral and the infant was specially dressed ina white satin grown made froma por tion of the train of her mother's wedding dress. Her tiny vell_ was the some one worn by Mrs. Haines when she was christened as a child It also had been worn by all the, doby's aunts and uncles, Mrs. Haines' sister, Herbert Sargent, and Mr. Haines' sister, Miss Muriel Haines, were the godmothers: with Mrs, 8, X, Squires and Mrs, W._ Rial standing as proxies. Dr.
Dunscombe was chosen' as godfather, with Mr, Guy Livingston acting as proxy.
The little heroine was reported "very good" throughout the ceremony and she was right there to help her fond parents welcome the 100 or s0 guests who attended the Haines immediately following the ceremony.
November 16 was chosen as the christening date of little Margaret Anne because it is the day following the wedding anniversary of her pa ents, Mr. Mrs. Haines were martied one year ago on November 18 in St, John's Church, Wembley, with the Bishop of Willesden, and the bride's father, the Vicar of Wembley, Another echo of the wedding was the christening cake which was one of the tiers of the wedding cake which Mr. and Mrs. Haines brought out from England with them, When Diplomats Meet It is not often that Shanghat finds! two British Ambassadors and a Com-vander-in. Chief fortuitously consort. ing in one of its hostelries. But it so happened that this was the case this week' when Sir Alexander Cadogan. HM, Ambassador to Chin:
Robert Clive, H. M. Ambassador to Japan and Admirgl Sir Frederic} Dreyer of H. M. S. Kent were all members of of the same dinner party at the Cathay Hotel.
The dinner in this instance was: given by Sir Alexander and Lady Theotosia Cadogan forthe Marchioness of Normanby and her son, the Marquess, who pald a brief visit again to Shanghat as the Empress of Canada took them from Japan homeward via Hongkong. The: Party assembled to meet them included Sir Frederic and Lady Dreyer. "Sir Robert Clive, Sir Frederick and Lady. Leith-Ross, Miss Patricia Cadogan who had been touring Japan with the Marchioness and her son, Sir John and Lady Brenan, Mr. A. 'H. George, Mr. W. J. Keswick, The Leith-Rass party by the way, flew to Tientsin yesterday. It wis Lady Leith-Ross's rst, experience of. air travel and she was commended for making now departing for Inia, where his usual racing success has ut mim at the head of winning owners at Poona. He is sailing, accompanied by his secretary, Missy if. Williamson, on Tuesday in' the s." Corfu. Sit Victor will spend practically all of the next four months in Bombay and he does not expect to return to Shanghai until Jate in March. them enormously, for their friends are legion. They recently returned to Shanghai atter a trip to Peiping and they did the journey by alr under unfavourable weather conditions which they took with remarkable imperturbability.
Just before their departure Mrs. Wray received word from Mrs. H. Brown who has been her comrade
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.