The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17

i loose green brocade cushions, every bill
of the decorations, bric-a-brac. ETC., con-
! sists OF roses-plants in full bloom. On
the mantel shelf window sill. on the floor,
| tables, and numerous brackets stand pots
| of exquisite red white. pink. cream, and
| even black roses. Every plant has its
| healthy roots deep in the rich moss COW
| green, red, or blue pot, and so long as the
buds are unfolding and the full-blown
| flowers shed their sweetness on the mild
sun-lghted air Of the house 1t remains
to win admiration and enjoy the personal
care OF the duchess. Just SO soon as
every plants blossoming time draws to q
close it is carried away by the florist
in charge and a new bloomer put in its
place. At times, and even In the wintry
months, this salon contains as many as
thirty pots Of lovely rose trees, some Of
them standing five to six and half feet
in height. and some showering their DELI
cate flowers upon an invisible green wire
trellis.
1t is worth while for an American who
wishes to see what impression her country
women have made on Paris to walk up the
Avenue de lAlma, where the modern.
graceful American church stands. a very
worthy neishbor in beauty of architecture
to that most fashionable of Partisan houses
Of worship on the Rue Chaillot just beyond.
There are many Americans resident on
this street. and further along in the square
named in honor of the United States.
stands charming cream stone house that
belongs to Madam Emma Eames Story.
One Of the first French architects designed
it for her. wreathing in little musical in
struments. with the fanciful carving over
doorways and windows. Inside. however.
the mistress demanded that every arrange
ment should be made for the introduction
of all scientific comforts and aids to house,
keeping. and her wish has been gratifed.
1t is one Of the rare houses in Paris that
wears homeiike appearance. and in many
respects the Czarina of all the Russias en-
joys no such luxuries as are the lot Of this
beautiful singer. who entertains constant
ly. and especially her American friends.
All the manteI shelves in the house are Of
carved woods or marbles from New Eng
land. and one-hah of the furnishing is
done in old colonial mahogany brought
from Maine and Massachusetts,.
Perhaps that which gives the mistress
OF the mansion the greatest pleasure. how
ever is the contrivance arranged for her
by clever young American friend, an ex-
pert electrician. that literally permits of
housekeeping by the pressure OF buttons.
When she goes to her desk in the morn
ing she spends twenty minutes keeping
house, and often not a servant enters the
room to give information or receive or
ders. Beside her charming desk is tele-
phone stand, ard from her chair she can
talk with first the cook, then the maids,
then the laundress and the coachman. A
row Of pins before her indicates the
kitchen. laundry. pantry, ETC.; another rev
of pins signifies her florist, pastry cook
grocer, the cremsrie. and SO on the rounds
OF tradespeople. even to her staticner and
dealer In music md piano tuner.
In the shortest possible. space she has
despatched all the important but uninter-
esting business of the day. and Is ready to
go to her famously beautiful music room
OF spend a half hour with her secretary.
From her desk to her kitchen runs also a
pneumatic tube. by which written orders.
letters to be posted, and notes to be de-
livered are dropped right into the lap of
the servant. In winter the house it heat
ed throughout, while in summer concealed
electric fans drive continual breeze
through the :Iled hall and the long
drawing rooms hat are partly furnished
with palms and lowering plants.
Houses like this have not failed to open
French women's eyes. and make it clear
to them why the American women get on
with SO few servants and yet manage to
keep house and maintain their place In
society as we'll. beside carrying on with
all these cares so difficult and distinguished
profession as that followed by Mrs. Sto-
ry-
do you wonder We gasp when we hear
Of women who merely speak like the ia
vored few in the Arabian Nights and a..
Immediately obeyed?" asked the French
woman who talked it over. I'VE gasp and
are learning all the time from this handful
CT rich Westerners. On the other hand.
think the 10000 americans resident in
Paris have taught US to be shockingly ex-
trayagant. and the very fact of their living
here, their style of entertaining and their
luxurious demands have in the past fiftee,.
years raised the whole scale of living 50
per cent in refinement as well as in cost"