The San Francisco call., 1906-07-28
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$500 he also rejected, but raise of
American woman who told me the
story expressed it. As an additional
inducement suite of apartments was
placed at his disposal But despite
the great consideration shown him
the chrysanthemum-h professor
declined to mingle with the guests
and retired to his rooms after playing.
Princess Louise, the only royalty who
is on anything like friendly terms
with the eX-American multimil-
lionaire, was exceedingly anxious to
make Paderewskis acquaintance, but
it was a case of Mohammed going to
the mountain. She had to go upstairs
to meet him after the second concert.
1t was an almost unheard of con-
descension on the part of Princess
of the blood royal, but in these days
genius can exact homage even from
the most exalted rank.
The host, who was obviously In
wretched health, received his guests
seated in a chair at the entrance to
the great ballroom where the enter
tainments took place. People Won
dered why on earth he should go to
the trouble of giving such costly en-
tertainments TO lot of people for
most of whom he cares nothing and
who certainly have no liking for him,
when any one could see with half an
eye he was unspeakably bored him
self But he appears to regard it as
a sacred duty each June or July TO
fill his London palace for two nights
with a host of swell folk whom he
scarcely ever sees on these occasions.
The invitations to both concerts are
invariably issued on the one card, and
year in and year out the same people
come. Contrary to the usual custom
the names of the distinguished per-
formers are never printed on the in
vitation cards. But his guests know
that they will be treated to the best
the market affords Each concert costs
him something like $4,000 and the
two finish UP Mr. Astor's entertaining
for the year. His duty to society he
regards as fulfilled. And society, for
its part, is we'll content to leave him
severely alone. Despite his great
wealth he impresses the observer as
a man who rates his own life as
failure.
It is bad wind that blows nobody
good. The nauseating exposures d
the manner in which food is often
prepared even in the kitchens of the
mighty have created new profession
for women. A bureau which provides
employment for INDECENT gentle
women now sends forth an individual
who styles herself "a kitchen in
spector." Off she goes each morning,
and entering by the hall door de-
scends to the lower regions to inspect
cooks pots and pans. She examines
the larder and ascertains what is tit
for use and what is not. She sees
that the vegetables are thoroughly
washed, that the meats are brushed
lightly with certain chemicals sup
posed to destroy any microbes which
may have decided to take up their
abode thereon. There have been
various shindies in the kitchen owing
to the invasion of the latest profes-
sional lady, but just now every one is
so crazy on hygiene that mistresses
have been quite willing to part with
their chefs and their cooks if they OBJ
lect to the intrusion of the kitchen
inspector. An important duty of the
inspector is to see the food
as it arrives each day from the differ
ent tradespeople She is supposed to
be able to judge it perfectly, to be
qualified to tell when the meat is
foreign and when English, what is in
season and what is not. Some mis-
tresses wax enthusiastic over the uses
of the latest professional woman.
They say that even though they pay
well for her services she saves them
more than she receives by checking
their tradespeople's bills and prevent
ing overcharging Another of her
duties is to see that her employers
are not done" by their servants and
that food left over is put to proper
use.