Evening star., 1900-06-02
THE REIGNING FAD
You Must Operate an Automobile to
Be Right in Style.
FEVER Is SPREADING RAPIDLY
Diplomats and Society People Have
It the Worst.
W A Tx " TT RI a II +, a C. III Il IL
TALK WITH A TEAC II E II

Written fer The Evening Star.
Indeed. things have come to such a pass
in Washington that the automohileless Off
ciaI can no longer aspire to rank as an
out-and-o out upper-cruSter- The capital
citv was a tritle stubborn in taking the
fever. but when at last she became In
oVulated the contagion spread ike Wild
fire in Kansas. and. as in the case Of most
maIadies. the spiinS weather aggravated
the attack
The Statesman or the diplomat who yes
terday was too proud 10 handle the reins
Of his own equine craft today manipulates
the throttle or controller of his hars@less
vehicle with all of the self-satistied POM
pasity of that king of arrogance-the Brit
ish coachman.
The rich. blue blood of the diplomatic
corps has thus far proved most susceptible
to the bacillus automibilis.' In this circle
the most enthusiastic and skilliUl dsrotee
of the new craft is the Baron Ladisiaus
Hengel muller Won Hengervar. envoy extra
ordinary ana minister plt n pJtentiary of
Austria-HunGary. In their small victoria.
which runs by storage battery power. thS
baron and baroness may daily be seen pro-
pelHug themselves about the faShlonaDle
streets of he northwest without Codchman
or footman- The duplicate of their vehicle
is regularly leased by his eNcellency,
Count taSS!n1, anDa aSSidor from ftnS-li.
hut is used almost exclusively by that high
functionary's beautiful niece. Miss Mar
guerite Cassini. said to hold the Washing
ton womens automobile record for high
speed and straight steering. She does her
own driving. unattended. and can teach her
distinguished uncle many tricks in the new
art of self-propulsion
Mr. WI Never Tires.
But enthusiasm for the new fad has gone.
still further in the case of Mr.. WI Ting
Fang. the wise and witty Chinese envoy. He
has bought a new steam runabout which Will
arrive in Washington within few days.
Indeed, Mr.. WI from the very outset be-
came entranced with the new style of
driving that he is 10th to re.urn home when
once launched upon the picturesque thor
oughfares Astounding hercabnuts. He was
entertaining some distinguished celestials
some weeks ago-before ne negotiated for
his own carriage-and hit upon an auto
excursion the mos delightful means of
entertaining them. He forthwith 'phuneI for
two electric hanson cabs. soon heard
a-buzzinS beneath the white portecochere
Of the legation building. Mr.. Wu and one
of his guests gieefully piled into one We
hicle. which led The way while the other
two dignitaries closely followed. The
two Gruuing cabs piled every import
ant street and avenue in town. shot The
steep"st hills In the Soldiers Home drifted
down mo the city, did TWO or three turns
about the e!Iipse south Of the White House
I1Gktt
reaGWavs Of ths. Mall Time and acrai, thG
lofty driver of Mr. Wu's hanson opened
his little trap door and yelled down
Enough" but each time th,. minister's
vcice echoed More Finally the wcgrial
oi.; i3Icer on the rear box made known th.tt
Tn. time limit had been reached Hi. lis
tiueIiished passengers We're safely banded
AT the legation. But alas where. was 1hr
other automobile? An hour or more eIapg,.d
Lcf0re Mr. Wu's TWO guests who had en-
barSed thereon We're seen slowly uIo1di:s,
W, 18th street fontsorc weary and y.,viug
uii''"f 'ili Sorts "l b'td hlHeSe hdthS never
ceIins ~ ,b,. ,,n,bar c[i,,,t,,. -. ,,i -,
b. depended upon. said they, than he sun-
Tie huid- The rear vehicle mad not been
~ - :" h'dNlH as that IN "hlch the
theI.s. had ot,.ved orderS to fo1i,u, ~.
leader Down near the monument the cur
rent gave out ana ihe machine gave balk
10 men :, s'N iliiieiit Hui'' c"ulnh nod
q ~ v. Net eNpiniiieo ,rt rle prtuica-
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