The Ely Miner

TYPICAL LONDON EVENING.

Great Crowd at Private Establishments and Visitors Often Unable to Enter.

We had yesterday a typical London season evening. We dined at Lady Vivian's—a large, handsome dinner, everybody rather in a hurry to get away, as there were two big parties—Lady Derby's in St. James' place and Lady Salisbury's in Arlington street.

We drove down Piccadilly with much difficulty, getting along very slowly in spite of our "white card," but finally did arrive at Lady Derby's. The staircase was a mass of people struggling to get in, an orchestra was playing and about 1,200 people in the rooms that would comfortably hold about half, says Mary King Waddington, in Scribner's.

Of course, on such occasions one doesn't talk. We spoke to our host and hostess, were carried on by the crowd, made the tour of the rooms and got down again, with much waiting and jostling, as there were two currents coming and going. However, we did finally get our carriage, and then, with many stops and very slowly, got to Arlington street, where apparently the same people were struggling on the staircase, the same orchestra playing and just as big a crowd (I should think the whole conservative party), for though the house is larger they had invited more people, so the result was practically the same.

We did exactly the same thing, exchanged a few words with Lady Salisbury, made the tour and came home. We were two hours performing these two receptions, but I suppose it was right to do it once. However, the English certainly enjoy the sight, and don't mind the waiting. Lady Jersey, who is a grandmother, told me this afternoon she had bored herself to death last night. "Why did you go?" I said, "you must know these big parties by heart." "Oh, I like the parties," she said, "only I didn't get to either." And then she explained her evening. She had started alone in her carriage at ten o'clock for Lady Derby's, was kept waiting an interminable time in Piccadilly, and when she finally did reach Lady Derby's door, a friendly link man advised her not to go in, as everybody was coming away and she would never get upstairs, so she turned back and proceeded to Arlington street. She had the same crowd, the same long wait and when she arrived at Lady Salisbury's the party was over and no one could possibly get in. It was then midnight, and she drove home, having passed the whole evening since ten o'clock alone in her brougham in Piccadilly.