The sun., 1903-12-13
LOOKING AT THE PICTURES.
LIVING CELEBRITIES SEEMED no
INTEREST FOLKS MOST.
Sensations In tho Tea Room and Novel
Views on POrtraiture at the Show in
the American Art Galleries-Puzzle
About Elsie de WOlfe's TriQuette.


the American Art Galleries-Puzzle
About Elsie de WOlfe's Triquette.
There are varied grades of social enjoy
ment at the Portrait Show. This will not
be as noticeable this afternoon as on other
days. The Sunday crowd goes to see the
pictures; on other days, especially on
Wednesday afternoons, the crowd has gone
to see the pictures, and some of the origi-
nails If possible.
The sanctuary of the most exclusive
visitors on Wednesday has been the tea
room. Its entrance was indicated by signs
announcing that cup Of tea was to be had
for 2s-cents The visitor who went there to
see the celebrities and the women of society
who went there to help sell the tea came
together with a suddenness that aston
ished the former. Their attitude showed
plainly how unprepared they were for the
sight Of persons Of whom they had often
read in the newspapers, but now behed for
the first time at short range.
Turning around the corner of the room
they suddenly faced the tea urn. About
this were usually grouped some OF the
young debutantes Of the winter, perhaps a
prima donna or a famous actress and the
patronesses Of the show who were lending
their presence to help the charity.
The sight Of the strange faces invariably
produced an immediate impression on the
new arrivals Some of them threw back
their heads deGantly, as If to say that they
were not in the least feased by such associa-
tions and had always been accustomed to
them. Others nervously looked about and
then dropped into a chair until they had
the opportunity to take view Of the room,
discover where the tea was, observe how
it was got and then clutch cup. Other
less hardy spirits. suddenly finding them
selves face to face with such famous per-
sons, turned about and got out of the way
as quickly as possible.
The price of cup OF tea was rs cents.
The ma jority Of the women who took cup
also took their change when the amount
was not exact. The men nearly always
did the same thing. This astonished one
Of the foreign celebrities, who poured tea
30 much she never talked of any other
subject for q week afterward.
"How Is 1t possible" she asked, shat
a gentleman can put dollar on that table
and take back the change after he has
had a cup Of tea2 Such a thing could
came to a charity affair like this would
either take no tea at all. or would make
a present to the charity as well, and not act
as if he were in q shop
That sounded well, but there happened
to be at tea on that same afternoon one OF
the attaches of foreign legation at
Washington. He paid SO cents for two
cups Of tea and handed them to the lady
with him. Then he reached for the cakes
on the table and proceeded to eat about
half dollars worth. They came from
the most expensive shop on the avenue,
and although they had been contributed
there was no reason why they should all
be eaten by one person who had paid only
rs cents apiece for two cups OF tea.
Some Of the visitors not personally ao-
qualnted with the women Of the tea room
did not even summon up courage to 60 In,
but fingered about the doors, peeking In
from time to time to identify some OF these
interesting persons. The departure from
the room Of one Of the most conspicuous
would be sure to start a small group around
after her listening to her comments on the
pictures and other subjects. When the
actresses went the rounds OF the galleries,
they had train behind them.
One Of them accidentally came directly
in front Of her portrait. The group that
had stopped behind her suddenly realized
that the original and the picture were
together.
well, don't think it looks bit like her.
was the comment of one Of these. She's
even better looking than that. Look at
the blotChes Of red there on her face. Has
she got them?'
Then the speaker craned her neck for
ward to see if these imperfections existed
in a professional beauty.
-Of course, not" she reported to the
group awaiting her scrutiny. Then why
did she let him do it?'
-All portraits Of actresses answered
one of the party, with complete confidence
ARE painted just a. they appear in their
makeup. That is the reason they look
streaked like that"
Strange bits of conve "sation floated
from one side OF the divans to the other
on these days Of exclusiveness and lions at
the show.
81 feel like a complete stranger in my
own house, said one pile Of sables to another
as they sat in the middle of the room facing
the Sargents. "I've house full of Swedish
servants-or perhaps they're Norwegians-
engaged by my housekeeper, can scarcely
understand a word they say. I'm so used
to French servants whom could talk with
that these people scare me to death.
They're like a lot of bears in the house.
saw them all for the first time this after
noon and was thankful that at least had
viotorine still with me-"
why did l hire them? Why I couldn't
help myself. The new housekeeper said
she only worked with servants of that kind
and had to take what she wanted. But
perhaps they won't be 80 awful as they
seem. If they only wouldn't talk together
in such strange language! That's the
worst thing about them"
On the other side of this same divan sat
the wife of well known American artist
and her mother. To them came another
woman artist.
How do like it2" repeated the mother.
"Why, very much indeed, although can't
say that enjoy it as much as do the views
up at the Academy, Then | know people
more. I have seen most of the models
so often that / can recognize them, even
if they are Venuses or any other undressed
people. I know Susie Wilson, Mary, Jones !