72 WITH MR. CHAMBERLAIN IN THE 



men of the English Legation. Mr. Chipman, the 

 Secretary to Sir Charles Tupper, owing to indis- 

 position was not present. The table decorations 

 were exceedingly fine, and were designed entirely 

 by Mr. Chamberlain. He personally supervised 

 all the final arrangements, just before his guests 

 assembled. The spread of fine damask had as its 

 centrepiece a circular bed of maidenhair fern, in 

 which nodded a dozen or so gigantic specimens of 

 American Beauties — great fully blown red roses. 

 Flanking this at either end were small circles of 

 ferns sprayed with La France and American Beauty 

 Roses . Smilax twined in a full garland was stretched 

 in curious twists and circles as a connecting-link 

 between the flower-beds, and here and there in its 

 windings was a long-stemmed rose, negligently 

 thrown, but completing and beautifying the whole 

 with wonderful artistic success. The boutonnieres 

 were tiny sprays of lilies of the valley with leaves of 

 their own. The menus were very unique, and form 

 a pleasing souvenir of the occasion. They were 

 designed by Mr. Chamberlain, and executed by 

 Tiffany. They were a double rough-surfaced card 

 tied with gold braid. Upon the face were repre- 

 sentations of the Union Jack and American flag, and 

 under this, ' Blood is thicker than water.' The 

 name of the guest was embossed in fancy text cross- 

 wise on the lower half of the card, and ' Arlington, 

 December 10, 1887.' Upon the reverse was an 

 etching of some distinguished American — the one 

 on Mr. Chamberlain's card being of Benjamin 

 Franklin ; on that of Sir Charles Tupper, General 



