The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-10
HOW CANFIELD'S PLACE
AT SARATOGA
STRIKES ONE MAN

The Saratoga correspondent OF the New
York Herald has this to say about Can
fields place at Saratoga:
/ was at the opening Of the Saratoga
club a week ago. There is no place In
America like this house and garden OF
Richard Canfields. which does not recall
Monte Carlo at all. A cosmopolitan, cul-
tured i'm all the arts that make life more
gracious. Mr.. Garfield has built himself
a lordly pleasure palace whore you may
dine angelically with the connivance of a
French chef and watch the world of Sar-
atoga pass by; or. IL you have a luxuri-
Gus taste for play, you may lose for
tune of five dollars-the owner OF the es-
gives you a sense of superiority TO the
condescension OF foreigners. II is JOY
to wander through its shaded alleys OF
shrubbery and trees or to watch the flow
ers grow near the sun dial or the fishes
flirting I'm the big basin. IL his jealous
gardener could be persuaded to stop
scrubbing his antique marbles with soap
and brush Mr.. Garfield would be happy.
For me Richard Garfield was alone
worth the trip to Saratoga Robert Louis
Stevenson would have delighted in man
who, free from the prejudices of his age
also several OF it's moral prepossessions
--dares 10 live the life OF an adventurer.
| blending OF an amateur of painting and
a Claude Duval OF the green tables. His
| frankness and freedom from pose are re-
freshing I'm time when pious proud per-
sons are looting financial institutions
and heading charity lists. churchly and
| otherwise. At least Garfield gives you a
run for your money" You see II melt
away 10 the tune of that whir and click
of the tiny roulette ball, but IL melts In
your sight and is not skilfully juggled
into another's pocket on the excuse OF
"high finance" In my humble oponion
men of Canfield's profession are a pub
lie boon--they relieve congested wealth Of
| its symptoms OF apoplexy. A dozen Can
| fields I'm America and there would be no
more trusts. In Saratoga ones moral
fibre relaxes, but what I write now IL
= not altogether paradox.
As a man you are on solid ground with
this gentleman. His knowledge Of paint
ing. of literature. OF old furniture and
china appals one. Where he snatched the
leisure TO acquire such virtuosity cam
not say. He is not ashamed OF keeping a
gaming house, and II is question that
doesn't interest me. for everything Is rel
ative on this globe OF ours. II is mat
ter that lies between Garfield and his
conscience-or Mr.. Jerome. Every man TO
MS traue. But i 90 auHllTe tHe INDUSTRY,
the native taste and the audacty of Can
field In his pursuit OF the artistic. That
touches me. Here Is a man whom the
newspapers allude to as an "outcast from
| society enjoying the esteem and conf
| dence of the choicest society OF his day,
| from the friendship OF the late James
| Mcneil Whistler to milionalres and So
ciety men; enjoying tastes In art and lit
| erature that our poor, benighted, ignor-
| ant millionaires have not the remotest
notion of; enjoying i'm word. the real
world-which Is also the Garfield oyster
Here Is n pretty problem for the anxious
moraist and curious psychologist.
| However. a good French chef can con-
| flute a forest OF polemists. and Saratoga
should be grateful to the man who gives
| them such cooking. such vintages and
| such treasure house. I only saw two
Harpignies, painted I'm his earlier manner,
| and De Neuville's THE Trumpeter." and
| one De Taille on the walls of the club
| the whistlers and the Chippendales and
| Sheratons are In his New York and Prov
| idence residences. I admired that classic
| dining room, designed by brilliant Char
| ence Luce, and ] may confess that II
| had missed Canfields my visit to Sara.
toga would have been like an egg with
/ out salt.