The Washington herald., 1906-11-15
CHAT OF THE
DRAWING ROOM

The after-dinner stories that women tell
over the coffee and cordial in the draw
ing-rOOn are apt TO be quite as good as
those related over the cigars by the men.
One woman's good memory is respon-
sible fop the following:
Il suppose you recall the man who was
all the rage one winter in Washington
the man with the gold palate? 1 remem-
Der how gratifed / was that this par
ticular lion of wealth happened TO fall
to my lot at the very first large dinner
ever attended. It was in my debutante
season. and the dinner was at one Of the
legations. / had heard everybody talking
about the man with the gold palate, and
shared in the universal wonder as 10
which belle of society might eventually
get him for a husband. l had never laid
eyes upon him, so l regarded this owner
Of the gold palate IN much the same light
that / did Miss Kilmenseg and her
Golden Leg" in Hoods poem. lie was
just as much Of a speculative mystery.
Well. as l said, he proved TO be my
dinner companion, and he was something
Of a disappointment because he talked
very nicely, straight through from oys-
ters 10 salad. Then something awful hap
pened. Of course none of you will be-
lieve me. though I am giving you the
exact truth. ! was talking with my neigh
bcr on the other side, and / suppose the
palate man was tired, and removed his
gold vocal organ for a moments rest II
was a bad moment to do it, however, for
just then a serving man came silently and
swiftly along removing crumbs. The gold
palate was swept away, and when the
owner of Il discovered its loss. he was
frantic He could not articulate an intel
ligible word. l thought he was going into
1T, the way he flung gutturals and ges-
tures about, and awful CONSERVATION
seized upon the entire dinner company.
There was a physician present, and
his immediate idea was that the gold
palate had been swallowed. Accordingly,
he rushed from his side Of the table and
began pounding the back Of my unf0r-
iunate neighbor and working his arms up
and down in the relief methods employed
for persons supposed to be choking. That
did not seem 10 please the owner OF the
paper and pencil These articles were
finally produced. and the unfortunate gen
ueman rapidly wrote down the nature OF
his loss and passed the communication 20
his hostess. She blushed with embarrass-
ment. calming the general excitement
as best she could. and the butler soon
appeared with the gold palate upon q
silver salveT.
Everybody looked the other way while
the valuable article was adjusted. and
he incident was covered with a flow OF
conversation which. however. failed 70 rob
the incident Of its hide0usness for me.
But then. ! was only a debutante PeO-
pie become hardened. you know. IN So
ciety, and the man with the gold palate
dftcrward married one Of the most beauu-
fui girls IN Washington. You remember,
don't yOu?'
One of the queer methods by which
Uncle sam is cheated out Of the small
amount OF revenue duty Is woman's
way Of sending pair Of gloves from
Europe 10 the United States
one glove Of the pair is incI0sed in
letter to the recipient Of the gift. which
tells her that the mate 20 the glove IS
being similarly sent to a mutual friend,
and across the envelope Of both letters
e. written. Samples inclosed." In case
the letters are opened by the government
officials. the single gloves are regarded
merely as samples" Women are unique
in their economies and inventions.
one Of the questions asked now Of
buffers applying for situations is whether
they understand hook-and-eye fastenings.
In many small families. where the laun-
dry work is done out OF the house. a
cook and a butler are the only servants
employed. tt Is an important factor, in
engaging the services Of the latter, 20 as
certain II he is deXterOus with his fingers
and is qualified 10 fasten certain hooks
and eyes on the back Of a modern
woman's bodice, that are beyond reach
of her arms and beneath the ken Of her
husband
It is necessary. IN every walk of life,
to keep abreast with the times II a but
ler is behind" il is only In the interests
Of hts mistress, whose g.rdle-hOoks have
q, b. fastened