Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-13
.DIETING FAN HAS
BECOME A TRIAL
SOME PHYSICAL CULTURISTS
ARE NUlSANCES
Fiostesses Grow Weary-some An
nounce Their Servants Cannot
Arrange to Cater for
Cranky Guests

Special Cable to The Herald
LONDON, May 12.--So great a trial
has the dieting fad become that a num-
ber Of we'll known English and Ameri-
can hostesses here have put their heads
together and have drawn up para
graph which is printed and sent out
with invitations for week ends or other
wise to country houses. 1t runs thus:
II am sorry to appear inhospitable,
but my housekeeper and cook cannot
arrange to cater for any guest who is
obliged to diet"
The truth is, for months past the
food faddist and the follower of the
simpler life have given no end of
trouble in other peoples houses, and
servants, who are all autocrats in these
days, have decided that they won't
put up any longer with the one or the
other. Were the food faddists all to
take the same menus they might be
tolerated, but it involves complications
to feed at the same table the carni-
vorous, graminivorous and frugivorous.
Duchess of Marlborough's cranks
The young duchess of Marlborough is
known among her friends for her ex-
treme good nature, and the story is
told against her that recently at Blen
helm she had no fewer than nine
"cranks'' sitting at her table, each of
whom had to be supplied with totally
different class of food. One thrived
upon a monkeylike repast of nuts and
raisins. another devoured grapenuts
and cream, third swallowed quarts
of boiling water with semi-cooked
minced beef, a fourth was convinced
that death lurked for her in anything
which contained starch and sugar An
other slipped fearful and wonderful con-
coctions in which vegetables had been
stewed, and so on. Is it any wonder
that even the duchess good nature
gave way?
1t is no uncommon thing to be awak-
ened at o'clock in the morning in
your friends country house by men
boxing as If they were prizefighters.
They are merely performing physical
culture exercises which they impress
upon you at breakfast is a pastime
which means the foundation of health.
Faddists Annoy Each Other
The lady who makes mysterious
noises in the room adjoining yours Is
trying to reduce her waist line by
humping up and down on the floor. Her
neighbor on the other side, who may
be making a semi rest" cure" has
considerable reason to complain of
this, for how on earth can her nerves
be soothed while these weird sounds
are to be heard at all times of the
day and the night?
There is no getting away from It,
the hygienic brigade has become a
nuisance. No one resents their carry
ing out all their fancies in their own
houses; it is the intrusion elsewhere
which is so provoking. DR.. Saleeby's
little book, "The Doctor and the Simpler
Life" has converted not a few food
faddists. Among his remarks is this
one Nothing is really harmful in
the way of food, but thinking makes 1t
so.' Another is ut does not matter
much what we eat, so long as we do
not eat too much" While another re-
markable statement is: "Once make up
your minds that eggs or fish disagrees
with you, and you will be justified by
the event" The doctor, like other sem
sible people, is firm believer in the
potency of Suggestion"