PEINCELY PENURIOUSNESS.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 23 August 1880, Page 2

PEINCELY PENURIOUSNESS.

Some of those who were honored by invitations to meet the Prince of Wales at Hughenden have not scrupled to affirm that their host is failing as much mentally as he is known to be physically. Lord Beacons Geld is said to be far from the man be was even a year ago, and life at his country seat is described aa ' potentiously blow and pompously dull.' The witty mot I and sparkling repartee were conspicuous by their absence. Lord Beaconsfield, it is said, but epoke seldom, and wben he did venture a re--mark it partook more of the nature of a thinly disguised platitude than of those brilliant epigrams which used to drop spontaneously from his lips whenever he opened his mouth. Tp ken all ■ round, Ihe Hughenden visit was rather a . failure. H.E.H. is fond of high play and Lord Benconsfield'd face is said to have grown ludicrously long wben his Royal guest proposed sover> eian points at whist. A fondness for cards prevails amongst ; the Royal family. I am told, but they do cot lose their money so gracefully as does the heir-apparent. The Duke of Edinburgh's meanness has passed into a Droverb and has done far more to make him unpopular than the fact of his marrying a Russian wife. He gets so savage at losing that he is a sourceLof immense fun to those with whom he plays. I heard a good well-authenti-cated slory *' apropos " of this weak side ) of the Duke's character a year or two ago. His Royal Highness had ac companied some ladies to the theatre or opera. If I remember rightly, it was; the Criterion. After the performance the party adjourned to sup* per.: The waiters of course recognised HJS.H. and expected a handsome gratuity. After the refreshments had been partaken of, the Duke called for his bill. The half-dczen lackeys flew around more expectantly than everThe wished for document was produced, handed to the Duke on a silver salver in the orthodox fashion and found to amount to £9 17s 6d. His lioyal Highness threw down a £10 ' flimsy,' saying at the same time, with the royal air of a man who is giving away a small fortune, ' Waitahs, keep the change, ah,' and the disgusted waiters, who had looked for half a sovereign apiece, had to content them* selves with the munificent sum of abont 50 cents among six of them — English Correspondent. Philadelphia Telegraph