A NOVEL EXHIBITION.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1122, 28 August 1882, Page 2

A NOVEL EXHIBITION.

♦ What think you of a grand fete, to be given under the auspices of the Prince of Wales, at Kensington House, in aid of the Royal College of Music building fund, at which will be an exhibition of a somewhat novel character to help towards "swelling the returns," on the occasion, and about which let me weave a curious story, which will doubtless interest your readers. There is in London at present, and has been for some time, a young American lady, (whether married or single I won't say say) whose reputation for the possession of an exceptionally small and perfectly shaped foot is acknowledged by her intimate friends. I say intimate friends, because, in discord with the ways of yfl&jgJadies in general who, " ifc their fes^pHEpretty, show them," she tals& especial pahis to conceal her feet on all public occassions, and despitKrits fashionablertess, never appears in a short skirt in consequence. Whether this is from mere caprice or .with the intention of gaining the increase of value attributable to hidden charms, I can't say. But certain it is that to have seen the lady's foot, and to be able to say so, has been con sidered an achievement to brag about — by the male sex, at all events. Well, the talk now is, that at the approaching fete .a booth is to be set apart for the young lady, she having promised to exhibit her foot and ankle beneath a curtain for a guinea a look. Of course her name will not be made public, though everyone will know who it. is ; the announcement on the front of the booth being merety, "The Prettiest Foot in London. View, i£\ Is." It is said the Prince of Wales, who is a great admirer of small feet in women (possibly because they

ire a rarity in his future kingdom), jersoually suggested the exhibition to the young lady, and it was at his urgent request that she consented to it. [t is needless to say that it is creating a considerable deal of ill-feeling among the ladies who think their feet as small as anybody's, even if they're not. There are, however, severally prominent English ladies who can boast of the possession of small feet, notwithstand ing the prevailing impression, in America particularly, that all Englishwomen have large ones. Mrs Langtry, for instance, has a very pretty and small foot, and wears •• one's and ahalf." So has Mrs Cornwallis West, Lady Brook, the present Countess of Lonsdale, Lady Florence Ohetwynde (the Marchioness of Hastings that was) Lady Forbes of Newe, and others whom I can't now call to mind. They how ever, never scruple to show them, when occasion offers, to the lower herd of humanity for nothing, and consequertly no one would pay a sixpence let alone a guinea, to see them, even though it went to build the Royal College of Music. — London correspondent ' S. F. Newsletter."