The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-19
new TYPES OF THE LEHR WIT
SOCIETY SEEMS TO FIND VT Az
ENTERTAINING As EVER.
Humorous Description at Horse anu
Observations Upon an Erroneous RE
port or an ElOpement which the New
mort Set Has Dccrecd Delicious.

summer at Newport has brought no dlmi-
mutton in the social conspicnousness OF
Harry Lehr, despite the prophecy that he
would disappear from sight after his mar
riage. He ia IA much on view as ever, and
his remarks are just as much quoted.
All Newport has heard, for instance,
of the dinner party last week at when
he distinguished himself with Joke in the
most characteristic Lehr vein. Mr.. Lehrs
| humor is not for all markets. Many persons
would not laugh 80 heartily at IL, but his
audiences are faithful. They still call him
the Lamb" and they roar over his salIies
On this occasion Mr.. Lehr was "A guest
| at a dinner of about ten persons. The
| guest Of honor was woman conspicuous
in the hunting SET and famous as a cross
country rider. She had mounted her hobby
that night, and horse had been the subject
| Of conversation from the time the meal
began. Every attempt to settle on another
/ topic was sdroitlv frustrated by the lady.
who got back to her favorite subject by
| hook or crook
| During all this discussion Mr.. | chr had
not said word, once he realized that the
lady was going TO keep the centre of the
stage. He had habit Of doing that sort
Of thing himself and he was possibly little
| piqued AT all events, he seized a minute
of silence in the conversation To assert
himself
"A horse" he said solemnly, and in
tone that could he heard by all at the table
"A horse is an oblong animal with four
legs, one at each corner"
| Then he was silent again. In the laughter
| that followed, the lady joined, and she did
not return to her topic that evening.
| There is always an element Of audacity
| in the Lambs" jokes that makes them
| especially piquant TO his admirers. An
/ other instance came ont in his description
of an incident which attracted the interest
of Newport few weeks ago 1t was whis-
pered mysterionsly, and with many adj
montions not 70 mention it to anybody
| that a young girl in Newport society had
| eloped with a boy of her own age. The
rumor turned out TO be untrue, but it ex-
cited Newport until the air cleared and
| it was shown that this particular young
woman was absent from the Casino and
her other haunts for twentyfour hours
merely because she was sick at home with
a very commonplace malady which kept
| her in the house. The boys known de-
votion to her was the only other ground
for the rumor.
1t was being talked about at the Casino
the morning the rumor was heard, and the
place buzzed with the delightful piece of
gossip. IN one group stood the Lamb"
A woman VINO had heard nothing but the
name of the heroine rushed up to him.
| What in the world is all this about Mrs.
X's daughter?" she asked
She's eoped." answered Mr.. Lehr in the
high-ptched, peevish voice that can be
heard by all near him. "Shes eloped
with nothing but a Princeton freshman
and pink chiffon hat
His audience appreciated this Joke so
much that by dinner time the reported
escapaue of the young girl had been alto
gether lost sight Of except AS the inspira-
ton for the Lehr Joke
He is quite willing at times to make him.
self the butt Of what passes among his
friends for wit. His candor in this particu-
| lar was the first thing that recommended
him TO the women who took him mp and
sanctioned his place in society.
One day party was bathing at Bailey's
| Beach. The other men rushed down to
! the water and jumped in, but the Lamb"
| hung back. The women who were not yet
! in the water began to laugh at him He
cautiously put one toe in but drew it out
| Immediately,
"No, the water isn't cold" he said in
! respons" to their question. Then he added
| with a smile, But it's so salty. And I'm
so fresh.
Many persons would fail to see humor
in these Jokes. 1t is their appropriateness
| and familiarity that amuses Mr.. Lehr's
particularly apprecative hearers. They
Al l..
and not rcsourceful in devising ways Of en-
toying themselves, SO they are grateful
to anybody who amuse them. IL will be
seen from the quality Of Mr.. Lehrs humor
that amusing them is not so difficult as II
might seem.
He. came into his present prominence
by his Willingness to act in this capacity.
He continued to appeal to the sense of
humor of q very wealthy and sincerely
| important dowager, and the sight of the
| two in the lady's box at the opera was an
interesting feature of several seasons.
The Lamb. as hewas already called then,
| used to have so many amusing things to
say about the people in the boxes and about
the proceedings on the stage that the lady
was always laughing, whatever the subject
| of the opera might be.
The Lamb" has got heavy dus!ng
the last year and iS quite a contrast in APP
pearance 80 the pink faced blond Young
man who came north from Baltimore about
ten wears ago determined TO climb to the
heights of New York social life. The Lehr
jokes came much more anusingly from
him at that time than they do to-day. Now
he takes up so much of the seat in vict oria
that the other person looks crowded and
this increase in size will do moro than any
thing else to injure his prospects,
Persons who observe such important
matters have discovered that a new arrival
on the social scene has made Mr.. Lehr's
retirement as the favorite of the smart set
likely TO he sooner than might otherwise
be expected. This young man, who ar
rived here on Saturday, ia Mr.. Lehr's most
intimate friend and since his arrival here
the two have been together as constantly
al they We're in New York last winter So
If Mr.. Lehr fears his rival. he is generous
enough not 10 allow it to interfere with his
friendship.
The newcomer, who is an artist. has for
high degree the favor Of society. He has
some small means, comes Of a family that
had never been known in society, and is
just now more in demand than any other
man in New York. II is he who has been
pointed olt as the certain successor To the
Lamb.
His skill in entertaining has made him
seem fitted to enjoy these social honoIa
He gave several entertainments last
winter in New York, and will probably
entertain here Just AS he did last year
The Lamb never had n chance to show
what he could do as an entertainer on his
! own account before marriage becalIs, h,,