The First " Belle of New York .sx " MISS EDNA MAY TO WATCH REVIVAL .sx By OUR THEATRE CORRESPONDENT .sx ONE of the most interested members of the audience at to-morrow night's revival of " The Belle of New York " at Daly's Theatre will be Miss Edna May , the original " Belle , " who is flying from Paris to be present .sx She is likely to be cheered by a number of playgoers who were in the Shaftesbury Theatre on April 12 , 1898 , for the first London performance , and who have secured seats for to-morrow's revival .sx As certain phrases both in the dialogue and the songs have beome outdated , they have now been " modernised , " so that those members of the audience whose minds are dwelling in the past may be somewhat startled to hear references to Al Capone , Young Stribling , and Baby Austins , among other modern phenomena !sx Bridesmaids' New Style .sx While the 1931 dresses do not differ greatly from those seen at the Shaftesbury Theatre 33 years ago , so completely has the pendulum of women's fashions swung back , it will probably interest Miss Edna May to see that Cela Angelique's bridesmaids are now wearing their charming hats at the back of their heads , in approved up-to-date style !sx There was and incident at yesterday's dress rehearsal typical of what has been happening during the last few weeks .sx Sitting in the stalls next to me , chatting over his old experiences , was Mr. Joe Tate , now more than 70 years of age , who was stage manager with the touring company of " The Belle " form some 30 years .sx Suddenly it was found that Mr. Norman Page , who is to play the role of the lunatic , had been unable to attend this rehearsal .sx Like a shot Mr. Tate was on the stage , going through the part without a single hesitation .sx H.C. .sx LOOKING AT LIFE .sx About Lady Ratendone :sx The Prettiest Star in Hollywood :sx The rise of Naunton Wayne .sx WHO is Lady Ratendone ?sx Several of her closest friends do not know .sx Yet the answer is a simple one .sx When Lord Willingdon received a step in the peer-age and became an earl , a courtesy title was necessary for his son , Mr. Inigo Freeman-Thomas , who married Miss Blossom Forbes-Robertson , and Lord Ratendone was the name taken .sx Her husband also has experienced several instances of his friends' ignorance of his new style .sx In fact it has become quite a joke for them to deny quite truthfully , any knowledge of his name .sx Fashionable Babies .sx LADY Ratendone's great friend Mrs. Ronald Balfour , the former Miss Deirdre Hart-Davis , gave birth to a daughter , I hear , in the early hours of yesterday morning .sx As Miss Deirdre Hart-Davis she was considered the outstanding debutante in a year when several very pretty girls made their first curtsey .sx Both mother and daughter are in the stereotyped phrase , " doing well , " I am glad to hear .sx Not since before the war have there been so many pretty young mothers as there are now in Mayfair .sx It is , indeed , very much the fashion to have babies , the exact opposite to what it was two or three years ago .sx His Reaction .sx Mr. Rex Hartley , considered by many to be our best amateur golfer , has also become a father recently .sx The other night we were at the Embassy Club when I pointed admiringly to a box of fresh strawberries , the first I had seen this year .sx " For goodness' sake don't remind me of work , " said Mr. Hartley , " I have not had to think of fresh strawberries for months .sx " I had quite forgotten his family jam business .sx Catching the Boat-train .sx MARRIAGES at the Grosvenor Chapel in South Audley-street , despite its charming interior , are comparatively rare .sx For one thing , it is necessary to secure a special licence from the Archbishop of Canterbury .sx However , that is where Mr. Robert O'Brien and Miss Eileen Beresford , Lord Decies' daughter , will be married on April 21 , in view of Lady Decies' recent death and their natural wish for a quiet wedding .sx The ceremony is taking place at noon , thus enabling the young couple , who are going off on a Continental honeymoon to Venice by way of Paris , to catch the 4 p.m. boat-train without breaking up the wedding reception too soon .sx About Weddings .sx CATCHING the boat is always an anxiety for young people who wish to reach Paris on the day they are married .sx If one is married at the more usual hour of 2.30 one cannot hope to leave the church before 3 p.m. , which does not leave time to put on going-away clothes and reach Victoria Station .sx On the other hand , the immediate self-consciousness induced by marriage makes the average young couple eager to escape from view as soon as possible .sx A morning wedding or a private aero-plane seems to be the only solution .sx The Prettiest Star .sx MR. Eddie Ward , one of Lord Dudley's twin sons , has just returned form the United States full of admiration for New York's hospitality and Hollywood's beauties .sx At Hollywood he stayed at first , like most members of the English aristocracy , with Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford , and met all the leading film stars .sx Harold Lloyd he found just as funny in private life as he is on the screen .sx As to the women , he thought that Loretta Young was easily the most beautiful , with Joan Crawford the next .sx A Good Time .sx While in the United States Mr. Ward missed his brother by two hours at the Panama Canal when Lord Ednam went through with the Prince of Wales and Prince George .sx Lord Ednam and the Princes will soon be home .sx Cables received in the last two or three days by Lord Ednam's family in London to go to show that the party is having a thoroughly good time , with marvellous weather , and is enjoying every minute of it immensely .sx Cheering C.B. .sx ENGLISH characteristics must be very surprising to the foreigner .sx As soon as a man who is usually successful has a disappointment he is at once cheered to the echo .sx Thus , after the first performance of the admirable little cabaret revue at the Trocadero the other night the whole audience shouted enthusiastically for Mr. C.B.Cochran , who arranged it , and would not let him go until he had made a speech .sx It was an unpremeditated sporting gesture to urge him not to be down-hearted despite the lack of success which has attended his new revue at the London Pavillon .sx At the Chelsea Follies .sx MANY of the guests at the cabaret show had come on from the clever new edition of the Chelsea Follies at the Victoria Palace , where the unfortunate Nervo had his nose fractured in the bull fight scene .sx In the audience were Sir Harry McGowan , whose daughter is being presented at Court this year , and Captain Jolliffe , who has just returned from a visit to Berlin , and has recently been appointed to the committee which controis Chepstow races .sx One of the leading lights of the Chelsea Follies is Naunton Wayne , whose rapid rise as impersonator , juggler and compere is quite remarkable .sx Incidentally he seems more at home on stage than any other young man of his age that I can recall .sx Bridge for Charity .sx THE enthusiasm with which charity organisers are avoiding the idea of a charity ball in favour of boxing tournaments or bridge tournaments is growing rapidly .sx In a few weeks' time it will be possible for any member of the public who can pay for a ticket to play cards in Londonderry House , where a tournament is to be held on behalf of that charitable organisation which secures places for daughters of Durham miners as domestic servants .sx Play begins shortly after luncheon and will continue until shortly before midnight , and those players who dislike being " dummy " will be able to while away their boredom at a special cocktail bar which is to be installed for their benefit .sx Dull Card-Tables .sx IT has often puzzled me that people who make card-tables show such little originality .sx It is true that concealed ashtrays and other devices are to be found on most modern models .sx But no attempt has been made to brighten or beautify the actual surface of the table itself .sx The other night , when playing cards at a house in Cunzon-street , I was charmed by the genuine Louis XIV .sx card-table with its cloth of petit-point .sx One would think that modern reproductions of this lovely old card-table would rapidly become the fashion .sx The C.-in-C.'s Idea .sx The Salisbury Plain Race Club has proved a great success in its first season .sx Three military meetings and the Tidworth Hunt Steeplechases have been held on the club's new course at Windmill Hill , which is just outside Tidworth on the Plain , and the last meeting of the season , the R.A. Harrier Bona Fide Hunt meeting is to be held to-day .sx The scheme was first suggested , I believe by Gen .sx Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd , the commander-in-chief of the Southern Command , and Brigadier J. Blakiston-Houston , who commands the 2n Cavalry Brigade .sx In past years the regimental point-to-points and the Tidworth and R.A. Harriers meetings have been held either at Penton , near Andover , or at Shipton Bellinger , neither of which courses was exactly popular with riders and spectators .sx Stiff Going .sx THE new course is excellently situated , and every jump is visible from the enclosure .sx The course is a stiff three and a half miles , but the fences are well made and the going is good .sx The success of the venture may be gauged from the fact that there are already some 800 members of the club , and racing einthusiasts from as far afield as Cheltenham and Bath have enjoyed the sport .sx The 60th Rifles' meeting provided some good racing .sx The Duke of Gloucester rode his horse Ilston Vale in the King's Cup .sx He led for most of the way , but his horse pecked badly at the second fence from home , and he had to be content with finishing a good second to Lieut .sx -Col. H. O. Curtis on his Young Pretender .sx The previous event had been the Royal Scots Grey Horse Race , won by Mr. M. H. E. Lopes on his A. 30 .sx This , I believe , is the only race of its kind confined to horses of one colour .sx Mystery Wins .sx THE most striking part of the four meetings has undoubtedly been the performance of Mystery XX .sx owned and ridden by Major R. L. McCreery , who has done much hard work in connection with the club .sx At the first meeting , Mystery was beaten by a short head in the 2nd Cavalry Brigade Heavy Weight Race .sx At the second , the R.A. ( Salisbury Plain ) and R.A.S.C. , Mystery won the Southern Command Maiden Race .sx At the third , it won the Tidworth Hunt Nomination Race in a canter , though I have no doubt that its remarkable successes have been largely due to the magnificent riding of its owner .sx .sx .. THE KING'S COLD .sx TAKING NORMAL COURSE .sx LAST NIGHT'S STATEMENT .sx THE King , who is suffering from a slight cold , spent the whole of yesterday in his room at Windsor Castle .sx Last night , it was stated that his condition remained much about the same and that there was nothing to report .sx In the morning it had been stated that the King was a little better .sx The cold is taking its normal course , but as the weather yesterday was cold and wet , it was considered advisable that the King should continue to stay in his room .sx It is probable that if the present weather continues he will remain in his room for a few days as a precautionary measure .sx STATE BUSINESS .sx The King is not confined to bed and was able to transact a considerable amount of State business during the day .sx Colonel Sir Clive Wigram is acting as private secretary .sx In spite of the bad weather holidaymakers thronged Windsor yesterday and hundreds of them lingered in the Long Walk in Windsor Great Park gazling up at the grey walls of the Victoria Tower , where the King's private apartments are situated .sx A great crowd watched the changing of the guard in the morning , and policemen were kept busy answering inquiries as to the King's condition .sx Princess Mary and her husband , the Earl of Harewood , who have been spending Easter with their two sons at Harewood House , Leeds , are expected to join the King and Queen at Windsor Castle to-morrow .sx