The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-26
AN UNPUBLISHED CHAPTER
 MI MRS. REApER,s DIPLOMACY


 NJ MRS. READERS DIPLOMACY.
 IL seems quite natural, in view of the many stories published about Mrs. Read CT, that one should hear of her in Paris.
 In London, in Santo Domingo in her own country 1t has been proven that she Is a wonderful financier, but in Paris she was both a fancier and a woman. This story Is quite incidental, as are all stories told over the teacups but al- though 1t occurred when Mrs Reader went abroad In 1900, it shows the tremen- dous influence she acquired over smaE circle of English friends.
 It was Edna Smith, the young portralr- ist. who recalled when chatting yesterday in her studio a day in Paris five years | ago when she first heard O. Mrs. Reader, who was then Eleanor Rawls. Miss fjmith, with her mother, was residing IT. Paris at tne time, and they had gathered al out them a delightful ceterie Of friends, who came often to their apartment for af- 1ernoon tea. One day, Miss Smith remem- bers perfectly, a party of friends included Madame Pelser. a very bright woman; A.ademoiselle Bcden, two charming Eng fish girls and an American girl, Miss Me- Caulsky, who afterwards married wealthy Englshman and is now living in Korea There was also a girl who lived in London, but was following the arts in Paris. and 1t was this London girl who told them about Miss Rawls.
 Miss Smith even remembers her very words.
 American women," said the girl, "have all the charm and grace of the Latin races the composure of the women of a colder cline, and with the independence and free education of their own country. 4r, .9. .g..a1 all nationalities." Then she went on oH to say that she had recently met in Lon don a wonderful American woman whom she declared had come to England for the purpose of buying a powerful railway system.
 This woman" said the girl, and sud denly recalling that Miss Smith was from Birmingham, she hastened to say, Thy this remarkable American-Eleanor Rawls is her name-is from Birmingham"
 Miss Smith shook her head incredu- lously
 But the London girl had seen Miss Rawls had talked with her at dinner In London, knew of her mission to Eng land, and through a relative who was largely interested in the railway system which Miss Rawls proposed to purchase. had learned, among other things, that her plans had not materialized, although she had practically the control of several mil lion dollars. The failure of the plans was not due to any lack of diplomacy or business acumen on the part of Miss Rawls who found upon her arrival in London that another syndicate had &C., qulred control of the Midland. Still she fingered in town for several days, met a number of prominent personages. was entertained at several smart houses. and amazed ambassadors. diplomats and flnan- clers by her wonderful knowledge of finance and by the fact that she repre- sented a powerful American syndicate.
 At that time American syndicates were attempting to gain control of several big London enterprises. and the propositions presented by Miss Raws carried with them great weight-the weight of millions.
 From London Miss Rawls went to Paris. It was only few days later that Miss Smith and her artist friends in the Latin quarter heard of her arrival and when with the London girl. she called at the American embassy and was closeted for two hours with General Maury. the most important parsonage al the embassy, with the bare exception of the ambassador himself, the, students in the ateliers were impatient to hear every detail from the London girl of Miss Rawls' visit to Paris.
 She may have been on an important diplomatic mission" said the girl, "and to my surprise she had no difficulty in gaining prompt recognition at the em- bassy, and after leayeing General Maury there was the smile of success written on her face"
 But whatever brought Miss Rawls to Paris" the London girl went on, "she Is, after all" and here she paused impress iYely-"a woman"
 "The very minute that she left the em- bassy, "said the girl dramatically "she said now the shops and we went at once to Worth's. From there it was to Doucet. tten to Redfern, and we spent nearly a day in Paris shops. without buying sin gle gown"
 @You should hear this woman talk to these French coutourieres. She told them things in her independent American way tkat would have made them furious. ex- cept that her diplomacy saved the day for her After seeing everything in the shops worth seeing, she finally went to Doucet and selected a gown. but not until she decided upon some changes that. as she said, must be made in order to give it the American simplicity which she preferred to the elaborateness of the French cos tune"
 Three days in Paris, two hours at the American embassy, and the remainder of tIe time-well, it Is not improbable that the French coutourieres. like ambassa- dors, fnanciers and other distinguished persons, still remember a fair American who went abroad te buy railroad, and came back with a Paris gown.