The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-19

when 8fr. Iehr succeeded IN making II pos-
Itfvaly joyous he dtI a Service 70 society
wa.ch was rewarded by the muuiheence OF
tho helpless.
re wac wise who said: let me write the
SONGS q a D7tion md I care not who makes
is laws HE L-hr has composed many a
song OF happiness. ut least OF alternating
diversion. for previously mute birds Of show
and folly. ard for them he has set mis-
Unique and captivating accompaniments
or course. it sounds absari u talk about
The curse II money. But Mr.. Lehr has es-
tahl.shed his usefulness by disp=lling this
curse with benedictiJns Of merriful occu-
patlous.
ROSE FROM OBsCURITY.
II was a long stride from the obscurity OF
n side street In Baltimore 10 the p~alatiai
J "~nFirorn1ents Of Fifth avenue. New York.
But Ar. Lehr has tax n that stride and
done IL gracefully. while the most exfraor-
binary phase Of his clevernesS lies in the
way In which he effected a commercial con-
necfi0n f0r revsnu-. under the gufsa II 70
7 luctantlv lending p his prestige. doing 50
without impairment 90 his exclusive emf-
n-nce. because converting the seriousness
or IFS usefuir"SN into M occasion Tor jssc
Z over It's iucn0--ulty.
This incident. perhaps more than any
other. o~.-e.nsfs Tho versatility OF Mr..
Lehr's nature. for De has made. a most sue
csStul wi-e merchant WITHOUT effort or
antart- and Inns done all its hard work
without Pc moving hts gloves. or permitting
Il 20 treSrasS upon his social r~egaity.
lt may De- rewS 20 many who figure in
public lie 70 know that Mr.. Lehr has kept
IN the public eye. been reported engaged to
numerous hercSses Of distinguished houses.
an1 SCARED from .ucrncsivable ohscuFity 10
in ont suble ~pre-tnineuce without talking.
!n~.
lie IS the l~eazt-quoted man in America.
Il is also a fact. maEnidSently excep-
ti'nal. thar Mr.. Lehr's entire career -
without scandal HIS. diplomatic methods
have never disturbed the domestic serenity
Or those upon whom they have been exer-
tlstt- WIKI rare sagacity Mr. I4ehr has
avoided rho commanueSs o. acquiring con-
yevts BY making love. He has revived the
co1e Of N-. iirUmmel. who conteuded that
10 WIN the admrGucn OF women Is a deli
+ cate Ett. while 20 cause them to fall In
/ love with him would have been a vulgar
and fatal folly.
TMPEOV EMENT UPON BEAU
Ana yet. ir many r~atical particulars Mr..
Lehr Is q vast Improvement upon Mr..
Hrummel whom he IS too original to copy.
A-r- Eehr appears 70 have begun whdro
Mr- UNI loft on. That j.. Mr. Lehr.
having no induIEeGt sovereign 10 pay his
debts. overcome AL scrEp'cs about paying
himself. At the same time. he has
been shove the Brummeiian OF
selling his prestige. and has done what Mr..
ErumGlei could not have done-engaged in
honest trade. and been what Mr. Brummel
would not have ~been-proud OF Il.
Mr.. BrUuMel was a beau; but he was not
a gentleman. hecauss he was a beat. Mr..
LchF Is a gentleman first. then a beau.
That Is what. among other things. a hum
dreG years have dore for society.
BETTER THAN McALIISTER.
Mr.. Lehr has also avoided the error,
which a less skiilfnl diplomat would have
committed. % not attempting TO constitute
society. Who should come in or who should
be kept oct. he was not presumed 70 or
d8in- Therein Mr. Lehr has improved upon
AR. Ward McAlister: and. at the same
ume rendered further Improvement i'm
possible.
Mr.. Lehr has never allowed the gravity
Of anylody's eligibility TO society 10 con-
Cesn him for an instant. He has simply
coptented himself with having the perfect
fitting bon mot az hand to hatter the novt-
tiate's vanity. thereby adding a brace to his
personal popularity.