Dining With The Prince

The Prinoe of Wate gives ia the cotirse of the season certain special dinners ut Marlborougb House, which in inany esseutial respecta iliffer fiom tlioso which he attends at other people's 1CTJS68. The gucsts do rot nnmber inore han 45 people, inclnding the ladios and jentleruen in attendance upon the priuoe and priucess. When ruenibcrs of the royal funiily arrive at Marlborongh Bonse, at the outer gate, the fact is at once sigualed from the lodge, so that the Prince and Princesa of Wales are never taken by surprise, but are in readiness o reoeive them. The dining room in which the banquet is served is a maguificently decorated apartment, with a ceiling of white and gold. On the wall on the left hand eide is agreat square of red plush to set off the presentationsof plate which have been made to their royal highnesses j ing the recent years. The Prince of Wales, as a host, sits not at the end, bnt in the middle seat, at the side of a largo and long table. Table decorations are of a inassive, órnate and rather heavy character. A vcry high centerpiece is filled with flowers, and more blossoins are placed in tall vases resenibling specimen glasses. Probably Marlborough House is the only place in London in which the knives and forks are laid so curiously. To each gnest two forks and no more are provided, and these are placed prongs downward, roversing the usual method. In addition there is onelarge tablespoon and one largo knife. In nocircumstance aro two knives permitted upon the table simultaneonsly, and for this ralo a vory strange reason is assigned. His royal highness is very superstitious, and on no account will he incur the risk of haviug knives crossed inadvertently. The wineglasses are placed, by the bye, in a line as straight as a company of soldiers, and the services are simply f olded in two. Small water bottles are used, but apparently finger bowls are tabooed in Marlborough House. Dinner begins at 8 :45 p. m. and lasts for one hour and ten minutes. Rapid service is insisted upon. Yetfour or five waiters only are allowed to enter the dining room, which is, however, sorne distance from the kitchen. Celerity and dispatch are obtained by the ernploymeut of a sinall army of assistanta stationed behind the scènes. Por dessert royal bine sevres is nsed, and when the tyne has come for coffee and cigars the cnstom is onoe during the year, and only once - the night of the Derby dinner - tohand toeach gnest asilver lighte.r of nnique design. No two lamps are alike, as they havo at various times been presented by different donors to the Prince of Wales, and each