The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-09
MRS. FISH EXPLAINS
SHE TELLS A ST. LOUIS REPORT
Err ABOUT THE SMART SET.
Mrs. Fish Knows Whereof She Speaks,
but Sometimes She Speaks lnconsid-
erateIy-The Tongues of Women
Make Lot of Unnecessary Trouble.

An interview with Mrs. Stuyvesant
Fish was published the other day in
some paper in ST Louis, and it stirred
UP the smart set of New York and the
elect generally. 1t is rather amusing
TO hear structures upon the smart set
from the lips of Mrs. Fish, as she is
supposed to be the head and center of
that particular set in Newport. All
summer a Newport her daily doingS
are chronicled with as much eXactnesS
as If she were the queen of England;
indeed, there is usually more about her
in the papers than about that charming
Alexandra who hates publicity and
suffers it only because of her position.
But whatever Name" Fish-aS she
is irreverently called at Newport
does and whatever she wears, is tele-
graphed to the press. and correspond
ents write like mad every time she
turns around For she is a unique
personality. She likes to do queer,
Outre things, and when she and Harry
Lehr-entertainer-i in ordinary to its
highness, society-get together and
plan for an event, it is certain to be
entirely different from anything that
ever occurred before.
But when found by the interviewer
in question, Mrs. Fish was evidently in
an expansive mood-she is ever in an
expansive one-or something had hap
pened which made her cross; at all
events, she said things about society
persons in the very set to which she
is supposed to belong, which simply
made everyone shriel1-thAt is, those
who know her well.
For one thing, she denied that Harry
Lehr gave a monkey party, and said
that he was quite an ordinary young
man, which was an unnecessary re-
mark. Those who are on the inside
tell us that things have not been go
ing on as smoothly for Mrs Fish at
Newport this summer as usual, and
that this interview is her way of get
ting even. This is important if true.
Among other charming things she is
reported as saying, is that in this
country, 1--WE are too wild about dukes
and counts" and then in reference to
Miss Goelet's approaching marriage to
the Duke of RoXburghe she said some
spiteful things.
1t is rumored that the reason for this
is that when, some years ago, Mrs.
Fish undertook a London society cam
paign, she did not meet with the en-
couragement she had hoped for, and
that upon her return she was heard to
remark that English society was vast
ly overrated. At all events she has
confined her efforts since then to this
country and has been the very top
notch of everything smart at Newport.
Now she has certainly "queered' her.
self, for in this same interview Sne
dared to discuss THE Mrs. Astor and
to- say that she was no less than
eighty three.
We can forgive Mrs. Fish almost
everything in the interview except this,
but a woman who will give away to
the public the age of woman who is
supposed to be her friend-Well, we
have our opinion of that woman. Mrs.
Astor holds a fine position in New
York, London and Paris; indeed, she
is the grand old woman of New York,
and if she is indeed past eighty that is
nothing against her, and if Mrs. Fish
lives a little while longer she, TOO, will
he past eighty.
1t is quite evident that Mrs. Fish has
a,biting tongue And when o woman
has a social grievance and the ability
to talk-aboVe all, to talk to reporters
heaven help those unfortunate per-
sons who have offended her! The
tongue of a woman is the most danger
Gus thing in the world, unless guided
by a kind heart and wise judgment.
1t is appalling to think of the misery
made, the crimes committed, which
might be directly traced to a woman'S
tongue A wise woman says nothing
of others if she cannot speak we'll of
them, and these petty jealousies and
ignoble rivalries engendered by society,
are pitiable and despicable. To want
10 get even" shows a small soul and
a lack of the milk of human kindness.
Time eVens up and settles all accounts,
both great and small, and If women
would remember this, they might save
themselves and others much unneces-
Sary trouble.