THE LEAGUE IN 1922.
The Ypres Times.
165
yards long, was of old Russian brocade. Madame
Thea Jeltes, as Cleopatra, followed, wearing a
dress of ancient Egyptian material and jewellery
which had been taken from the tomb of a Pharaoh.
Jezebel (Mile. Valia) was arrayed in a wonderful
dress of black and gold. It was an old Israelite
dress in one piece and all the embroidery was in
fine gold giving the appearance of a suit of armour.
Pauline Peters represented Chas Yang, the
Chinese warrior Queen. Catherine Calvert was
Maya, the mother of Buddha. Mary Merrall,
Hellen of Troy and Baroness Royce Garrett Sapho.
Three of the dresses worn in the glittering pro
cession of Queens had been insured while on exhibi
tion for nearly ^"1,000, and one of the Chinese
dresses is stated to be 500 years old.
During theevening a quadrille similar to one
danced at Queen Victoria's ball in 1842 was danced
by descendants of those taking part in the original
quadrille. They wore replicas of the fancy costumes
worn on that occasion.
Cornflower blue, the emblem of Ypres, figured
chiefly in the decorations. The boxes were covered
with the crests of many famous regiments and from
the General Headquarters box floated the historic
Union Jack which florw over Ypres during the whole
of the fighting.
Bath Herald.
In p&int of picturesque effects, the Ypres Ball at
the Albert Hall recently was miles ahead of any
previous affair of this kind since the war, the
nearest approach being Signor Sambucceth's
Venice Ball," which, unfortunately, failed to
attract the public owing to the Fiume trouble at
that time, and was never appreciated as it de
served to be. I am afraid the other big balls
arranged to take place within the next few weeks
will suffer by comparison with this one, it was such
an extraordinary spectacle anda thing which
many dance organisers I know will envyit
attracted more of the aristocratic crowd than of the
hovdenish, noisy, theatrical set. The pageant of
Eastern queens, held at midnight^ was an extra
ordinarily beautiful spectacle. Lady Diana Duff-
Cooper, who was to have appeared as Helen of
Troy," failed the committee at the last moment
but the loss was more than repaid by the oppor
tunity it gave us to see that really fine actress,
Mary Merall, in the part. Quite the sensation of
the evening, however, was Princess Astofieva's
appearance as the Queen of Sheba. She wore a
gigantic head-dress of diamonds and peacock's
feathers, shaped like an open fan. It measured
nearly 3ft. in height and 2yds. across. Beside her
the pretty little Baroness, Royce-Garratt, who re
presented Sappho, Queen of Song, looked like a
delicate little China goddess from Olympus. There
were many other attractions and excellently thought
out arrangements for the comfort of the dancers
but the pageant of queens will live longest in every
one's memory.
DURING the past year nearly a hundred-and-seventv members of the League
availed themselves of the special four-day visits to Ypres. At the big pil
grimage, seven hundred members came on the special boat and train, while
three hundred others joined in the reunion ceremony at Ypres.
Local memorial services have been held by the Sheffield, Southend, Canter
bury, Shrewsbury and North London branches of the League, chiefly upon the anniversaries
of one of the three great battles. At Sheffield the first annual Re-union Dinner was held
on Ypres Day.
The same day was celebrated throughout the United Kingdom, and in Ypres itself.
The Ypres Ball at the Albert Hall was a great success.
The special Pilgrimage Number of the Journal of the League was received with much
interest, and it is hoped to be able to publish a similar supplement when special occasions
have to be recorded.
THE EDITOR WISHES TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THE "YPRES
TIMES" WILD NOT BE PUBLISHED MONTHLY BUT WILL REMAIN A QUARTERLY
PUBLICATION AS IN THE PAST. THIS DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AFTER CON.
SIDERATION OF THE MANY LETTERS ON THE SUBJECT WHICH WERE WRITTEN
BY INTERESTED READERS OF THE JOURNAL.
