St. Paul daily globe., 1890-10-21
MINNEAPOLIS.
MRS. LESLIE'S TALK
She Charms a Large and
Fashionable Audience
Her Reception.
q Man Has Some Fun With
His Fretty Type
writer,
Which He Protests Was But
One of His Practical
Jokes.
The Incidents Which Combine
to Make Up the History
Of a Day.

No person from the stage of The Grand
opera house has addressed more re-
fined and fashionable audience than
that Which las night greeted Mrs.
Frank Leslie when she delivered her
lecture upon the Royal Leaders of So
ciety." Every seat in the lower por
{ nn of the house and balcony was occu-
pied; the toilets of many of the ladies
were elaborate. and the dress suits of
the gentlemen plentiful. Desire to see
as much as to hear this dis
tinguished and gifted lady had
evidently been the incentive which
drew out the splendid audience. The
lecture, as night have beeen antlcl-
pated, was but merely charming talk
by charming woman, and had nothing
in it which would indicate much re-
search in the dusty volumes of history;
1t was short skimming over of the rec
ordS of court life or the old country.
hghtened by few bright sayings and
anecdotes. Mrs. Leslie is not an elocu-
ZIONIST, but nevertheless her enuncia-
tion was remarkably clear, and her
grace and cOmpOsure were admirable.
She seems to have but few mannerisms:
and throughout her address was thor
oughly feminine and at all times pleas
lHS. OUt WdS dlltlCu III plllh VI a uVii-
cate shade, and wore magnificent
necklace of diamonds, while superb
solitaires glittered upon her ears and
hands. She introduced herself with
simply, Ladies' and gentlemen, l am
Mrs. Frank Leslie" and then explained
that she could not bear to have third
person come between herself and her
audience. She explained the purpose
of her lecture tour by relating all anec-
dOte of Lord Byron, who met
"a BOstonian who had never seen
the Falls of Niagara. This illustrated
the need she had discovered when in
the old world of knowing her own
country thoroughly first, and she pro-
posed to learn of the great West and
Its men and women.
Mrs. Leslie BEGAN with the court of
the emperor OF Germany, which she
declared the dullest in ali Europe, and
bt cause of the orders of the emperor
that nothing French shall be worn the
young empress is the most dowdlly
dressed woman in the old world.
Henry VIII. of England. Mrs.
Leslie declared. was the first
royal social leader. From his
rlo. AZ ..4uU uf EiiLdocUn there was no
society. Edward vi. and Bloody Nary
MT being of that turn of mind. Good
of her receptions have become hiStori-
cal, that which followed the massacre
of st. Bartholomew. and the other when
she danced like glddy young Thing in
her teens. although she was
past seventy, TO refute remark
of the king of Spain that she
was inirm. Society reached its
height at the time of Louis XIV. of
France. although no element of refine
ment was wanting. Louis XVI. kept up
the pace that had been set too. George
~. OF England. i'll his youth, was all
athlete and great dancer. The next
royal society leader of England was
Queen Victoria. Napoleon /. of France
trit d to create an ariStOcracy by knight
ing his soldiers. but failed, although
Josephine, by her loyeliness, managed
to inake souIe approach to a court, but
Marie Louise, who succeeded her as the
emperor'S wife, was not gifted in this
way. and repelled rather than attracted
people to her. 1t was not until Ma
pOleon Ill. that society was really reor
ganized. The Prince of Wales to-day,
Mrs. Leslie thinks, is the only
royal society leader. In America So
ciety recognizes no leader who can
make picture. theater or woman
fashionable by his patronage. Wash
lllS lpii anu al bilul udNC OCCH LlC OUly
presidents who have taken time, or
have apparently cared much for society.
AT the conclusion of the lecture re-
ception was rendered Mrs. Leslie at the
West hotel. She was assisted by the
Misses West, Miss Bessie Chute, Miss
Corienne De Laittre. Miss George Kelly
and Miss Susan Fletcher, who
were attended by Will Neiler,
Sam Carpenter. c. B. Wright,
ii. II. Eliel and Dave NJ. Chute.
ABOUT 800 ladies and gentlemen en-
braced the opportunity to meet Mrs.
Leslie, and were introduced by Col.
John Z. West. The reception was held
i'll the main parlor, which was profusely
decorated with flowers, while the Danz
orchestra. stationed in an alcove. en-
hvened the occasion with music. Mrs.
Leslie was exceedingly cordial and
happy in her greetings, and all who met
her We're Quite caOtlyated