The “jewellery” one wears now is made of wood; we have carved wooden beads, wooden bracelets, even wooden rings.  “Therefore it will be cheap!” you exclaim. Vous vous trompez, mon amie. I read a story the other day of an American who said that if you want an egg here for breakfast it is cheaper to buy the hen and hope she’ll lay next morning, and in any case you’ve got the hen. Eh bien, should you desire a set of wooden jewellery you might save money if you bought a forest.

Paris has done more than extend le bon accueil to the Peace delegates; she is giving their names to the latest thing in vetements.  Thus we have the Lloyd George cravate, the Wilson gilet and the “Bonarlaw” chapeau melon.  It’s surprising how far-reaching are the effects of a Peace Conference.

A number of nous autres Anglais over here started a perfectly thrilling idea.  It was really in the way of being an adventure.  We have been exploring the quaint little cafes of Paris, with results tout a fait etonnants.  We were served with provokingly delicious plats, at a price absurdly moderate compared with what is extorted from us in the hotels.  Of course we were all enchanted.  We became habitues of cafes and ceased to take any meals at our hotels beyond the matutinal cafe complet.

And then, quite suddenly, a horrid newspaper article appeared which conveyed suggestions extremement desagreables. It insinuated, ma chere, that “things are not what they seem”—­at any rate things in the bill of fare at the moderately-priced eating-house.

It went on to speak of the many uses that domestic animals are put to after their labours on earth are ended.  If it was horse that figured in the boeuf bourguignon served up to me, or the potee de boeuf aux choux (of which I will admit I raffole) I have no quarrel with it.  It’s the “lapin” I have had occasionally that’s giving me the most qualms.  I can’t look at a cat now without a shudder.

As for Bertie, he says whenever he thinks of the tripes a la mode de Caen he so often favoured, he’s very glad that he has even less imagination than his friends credit him with.

Of course the article may have been inspired by the keepers of hotels who were losing our custom.  I think it’s more than likely.  But we’ve decided for the present to give the hotels the benefit of the doubt.

Toujours,

Your well-devoted ANNE.

* * * * *

DELYSIOUS DETAILS.

A contemporary, hearing of the reported engagement of two well-known persons in the world of Music and the Drama, interviewed the lady and obtained from her the following synopsis of the crucial moment:—­

“I was lunching with my costumier this afternoon, and among the people there was M——­ After luncheon he asked me to be his wife.  I said ‘Yes,’ and the marriage takes place next week.  We’ve been friends since I was twelve years old, and his music is the finest I have ever heard.”