The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-27

Mrs Frank Ieslie's generous heart and III
tclhcent sympathy for everything that Is
bright, clever or interesting make her par
lors a gathering place for many Of the most
delightful people Her quick intutions and
the shrewd judgment which enabled her 70
become q successful woman publisher guides
her in the selection Of her guests. IL is not
only the great and famous who are 20 be met
in Mrs Leslie's parlors. She is beautiful, tai
enied aud rich, her reputation as literary
worker Of the first rank and business wo-
man among business men is assured, and she
can afford to recognize genius in whatever
guise 10 may present itself.
Mrs Marion Fortescuc, now Mrs. Judge
Robert b. Roosevelt, was the founder OF the
Pot Luck club. an organization which had
the honor Of first entertaining Mr.. Oscar
Wilde on his visit TO America Her house
was the center Of the more politely Bohemian
set. and a very jolly place 1t was, too. Mrs.
O. b. Bunce, "Aunt Fanny Barrows, Mrs.
Erminnie Smith and several Others gathered
about themselves groups Of bright people
more or less connected with literature and
art Mir. Ednrnd Clarence Steadman's sun
dsv evenings and Mr.. Richard Henry Siod-
dard's occasional receptions always bring out
a fair quota OF genuine literary people, but
in both instances tie hosts far overshadow
the guests. IL is but natural that these ladies
and gentlemen should have a swarm OF imi
tators. and there is whore the fun comes IN.
The "Chromo Literary" set is one Of tho
most amusing features of New York society.
IL is so Internationally picturesque, so
weird in its make up, and, above all, 80 ter
riblv Ina earnest Here one can meet all the
..ologiesn and "isnsn under the sun. Nine
Blavatsly's Thoosophical society grew TO be
very "chromocyn Ia character before tine
madame went 20 England. There Is Il ost
delightful hostess who shall be nameicss
whose house was dubbed by the irreverent
.Thc Museum She Is rich and hosptaoic,
and known almost as well in genuine 'socie.
tvp as among the literary set" and its
chrome hangers CA. the best people in New
York nre on her visiting lis., but she has a
,S.nchant for drains
Sometimes her charming optimism leads
her 10 sec genius where there Is really noth'
ine. but cccentrlcity and preiense, but % Is,
after all, an error In III admirable uTecuon
There Is one thing about "Ihe Museum "
the chromos are there the masters are There
loo The wild and woolly novelist OF tie
,.iderness Is ,lbowcd hy the savamt Whose
f,,ine is the property Of two continents The
latest poetcss OF green apple passion sits s.1e
bv side with the LIBRARIAN whose works are
familiar 10 the reading world. Foreign celeb
rites and honiebfcl gcniuses, recognized and
uurocognized, meet at THE Museum on "a
common footing. The charming hostess has
the same cordial welcome for all, and, appFe'
ciating her sincerity, the public fcrSiyes her
mistakes
For season or more the Marquis De Leu
willie was enc Of the bright particular stars OF
1.-The Museum coterie. Finally that greasy
and impecunious old hunLug exhausted has
credit on this side Of 'he ocean ana was
Obliged TO SEX a broades field OF action IN
London, where he NOW carries on sort OF
second hand furniture business, dividing bis
time between selling antique chairs and pos.
Ing a. the idol Of passionate brompton, as
Punch dubbed the London chrome LIBRARIANS
De I1uyilie was fair example OF the
s.chromo" Mterarian. lie wrote inoifensiVe
verses which were published al his own cx-
pense. he drew ami painted IN water colors
fairly well and ho cultivated an eccentricity
Of appearance which made him noticeable,
He was pudgy man with padded shoulders,
a curled mas Of dyed, blue black hair and
enormous blue black whiskcrs which were
always dripping with grease and pcriunery.
He wore corsets and high heeied shoes Two or
three sizes too small for him
The boys used 10 huy him numerically as
he tectersi down Broadway, and half the
raggamullins in town knew him as "Od
Louisville" SANDER upon the fair Ken
lucky city which was unjust in the extreme.
But his appearance was bis stock in trade
Tho chrome lterarian almost invariably
makes tho mistake 81 surprising that eccen.
trlcity must indicate genQ, Of some sort on
another. AZ matter u fact many Of tho
plost distinguished peopie are the most com.