The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-07-24
SOCIETY CHAT FROM
ACROSS THE BIG POND

a
Y ONION. July lot is SO like
Englishmen to be angry because
- an American .rnan is willing to
allow his own personality to. be
sunk in that of his wife. They
are furious with Nicholas Longworth
when he sees his wife fused over
from morning until night. Englishnen
still like to fancy themselves the lords
of creation, and to see one OF their
own sex perfectly happy in back
seat when he Is certain that his wife
is having a royal good time has made
them so thoroughly irate that they
have said things about him for which
they should be sorry. Longworth is
veritable revelation to English women
and it Is not too much to say that his
absolute admiration of his wife and
pride in her success has made him con-
quests by the score among women OF
all nationalities. One of the richest
bachelor women in England who has
refused more offers" than she can
count remarked at Mrs. Bradley Mar
tins party, 81 always said l wouldn't
marry the angel Gabriel if he came out
of heaven and wanted me to, but /
certainly would marry Nicholas Long
worth If he were a free man and
popped the question. The way he treats
his wife is so ideal"
This enthusiasm was the outcome of
an unrehearsed incident which took
place few nights previously between
Longworth and his wife. Leaving a
party they were standing in the porch
together waiting for the carriage to
draw up.
Alice" he said, It insist upon you
putting that lace around your throat.
otherwise you will catch your death
of cold"
Don't be foolish child" returned
with the heat"
You are going to do what 1 tell
you, Princess" he replied. 'or my name
isn't Longworth. Is 1t likely l would
let you run any risks?"
AS meekly as possible the lady did
as she was told. Now every woman has
an admiration of a man who can hold
his own, and it was quite clear even
this fair damsel who has been more
enthused over than Queen is no ex-
ception to the rest.
1t was just as well that Mrs. Mercer
Pell arranged to be presented at court
before she decided definitely to become
the ma1ageress of a hotel. Sir Chris
topher Furness is giving her a hand
plete supervision of his great caravan
serai at Harrogate. and If all that is
said about her business capacity is
true he has done wise thing. But
think of the position in which the Lord
Chamberlain would have found him
self had the manageress of hotel
sought an invitation for presentation
at the Court of st. James. We have
brewers and grocers, diapers and fur
pishers at IayeeS. but where women
are concerned the court remains dis
tinctly conservative and the beautiful
American is the first society woman to
dare enter an avocation which IN Eng
land will also involve her being high
class barmaidi The manageress Of
British hotel attends the bar and is
expected to make herself more than
common pleasant to the smart John
Mes who mean so much to the fnan-
cial welfare of the house. She has also
to keep supervision over the. barmaids,
to hold the keys of the wine vaults
and to give out the various drinks for
the bar. She has to arrange the ca
tering and interview the chef each
morning-indeed the whole responsible
ity of the housekeeping and the man
agement of the servants rest on her
shoulders. She must never take her
meals while guests are in the dining
room, for this would be regarded by
Britishers as most daring liberty and
would cause the house to be boycotted
in twenty-four hours. She has to say
Sir" to every bounder who is client
and, of course. IN am" or madame"
to his good lady.
1t is to be seen by all this that Mrs.
Mercer Pell is plucky woman; or is ii
dertaking? Mrs. Pell comes OF dis