Evening star., 1901-06-08

were crossed by curling ornaments Of black
velvet ribbon the girdle being of the same
soft, silky velvet.
Royalty Lot.
| After had powdered our noses we
went out to join Nine. du Cerceau. While
| she was waiting for US a party had come
| In which she said included lot of notables,
among them the o-and Duchess vladimir
of Russia, whose daughter Helena is said
| to be about to marry Prince Louis Ma
poeon. Now, 1 would not have known the
| grand duchess from Eve, but just as we
| came into the room l noticed that a very
| distinguished-looking woman honored me
with little nod. AS | have been mortified
| by making such mistaken identifications
| myself, l of course nodded slightly in re-
| turn, knowing that the lady would feel
| more comfortable than if l fixed her with
| the icy stare to which under similar cir
cumstances l have sometimes been treated.
When we reached our table Nine. du Ger
ceau was GREATNESS with awed excitement.
| why, my dear Nine. Talbot, L did not
| THINK you had the honor of knowing the
| grand Duchess
Almost Forgot 1t.
| 1 knew there was some mistake, so 1 said
in non-committal tones: mo? Hadn't I
mentioned it?''
And then Nine. de Merry asked: "And
which grand duchess is it?'
| 1.-THE Grand Duchess Vladimir of Rus
| sa. Didn't you recognize her, Annette?'
| "Oh, to be sure!" corrected Nine de Merry
| who hadn't recognized her at all. "She Is
| looking quite we'll isn't she? And where
| did you say you had met her, Nine. Tai
| bot?'
I'm Paris" I answered suavely 'at a
| public Junction. which was quite the truth
| since no function could be more public than
| restaurant luncheon.
The grand duchess gown was stunning
and from the way the two ladies devoured
every detail Of it's construction knew they
We're both figuring on copying it. 1t was a
tailored affair of cloth strapped with black
taffeta, the skirt spreading above the knee
| owing to the deep plaitS set under the
| strapped tabler. There was no apparent
undersleeve, although the cloth fared very
distinctly above the wrist A tucked en-
| piecement and a collar of white silk were
| set in about the throat. Altogether it was
| very original and very pretty.
Well, of course, my two friends at once
assumed their most aristocratic air, and
| clined to bulge until the grand duchess
with her party, had swept out Of the
room.
The Duchess Row.
Then we repaired to the polo grounds
where the game was in full sanguinary
tide. We We're told that two players had
already been carried from the field in a
damaged condition.
Jean Pierre, who was only one of the
seconds, soon discovered us and came over
to talk Talk is lean Pierre's speciality
Pretty poor crowd here today" volun-
teered that young scion of the house of Du
Cerceau.
But very, very fashionable, very" OBJ
served Nine. Du Cerceau who was sweep
ing the people In the tiers with her trusty
lorgnette.
Not ten feet away from us sat the grand
duchess and her suite Madame's eye light
ed upon her with pleased pride.
"Ah, the grand duchess is in our row.
too,' she remarked, and / knew she was
trying to devise plan to have herself
presented
Grand duchess. Where?" asked Jean
Pierre, eagerly, for he is just as great q
snob as his mother.
'There-the distinguished looking lady in
black. Nine. Talbot has been presented
All, these journalists, they have the most
delightful privileges"'
THAT the Grand Duchess Vladimir? Good
heavens, that's one of the models at
Blanks. And then it flashed over me just
where l had seen those vaguely familiar
features before
Nine. Du Cerceau and Nine De Merry each
gave me such a glance. But 1t was moth
ing to the they bestowed upon Jean
Pierre for what should a young bachelor
know about dresSnakers' esta Adjustments,
save in the discreet company of his mother
or his aunt l chanced to know that for
the last ten years both have ordered all
embarrassing for me, WASN'T it, and / don't
remember how the polo game ended. In
deed, when | got home and cold creamed
my aching face | wondered how much my
bushes had to do with it's fioridness
CATHERINE TALBOT