The San Francisco call., 1906-03-25
MISS REID
PRAISED By
THE KING
Edward Finds Her
a Fascinating
Young Lady.
Daughter Of Embas-
sador Shows Great
Taste for Art.
Has a Studio in Dorchester
House, Where She Enter
Has a Studio in Dorchester
House, Where She Enter
tainS Friends.
Special Cable to osThe Call.

LONDON, March 24.-Among the de-
butantes who will be presented at court
this season one of the most interesting
is Miss Reid, the daughter Of the Ameri-
can ambassador. Although her hair has
been turned up for year she looks still
child and might pass easily for 10 or
16 Her face is so dainty, with its spark
ling eyes and small features, she will ap
pear but little older in ten years time.
The general comment is. How utterly
unlike her mother" which 1t must not
be inferred is to suggest that Mrs. White
law Reid is plain. Nothing of the kind.
The elder lady is buXom and comely,
while the younger is the most piQuant,
chic and uncommon looking little person
in the world. Although not yet pre-
sented, she has been about good deal
with her mother, and is as self-possessed
and frank as the typical American girl.
Before the King went into mourning he
saw Miss Reid one night at party and
asked his hostess in the course of the
evening, "Who is that charming child?"
Whereupon she was promptly presented
to him. His Majesty. who generally con-
siders young girls uninteresting, after
ward told Mrs. Whitelaw Reid that her
daughter was quite fascinating, adding,
Dear me. Mrs. Reid, if only l were forty
years younger!'
HAS CHARMING STUDIO.
Miss Reid has great taste in art and
takes the keenest interest in painting.
Her actual education she recently fin
ished in Dresden, where the schools have
been so fashionable of late among the
best set, but she continues her drawing
lessons in London under Professor Her
komer. On a recent occasion, when Miss
Reid accompanied her father to the New
ch. oh had
art critics by her knowledge of pictures
and her surprisingly correct estimate OF
them.
She has a most charming little studio
at Dorchester House, the marble palace
in Park Lane which the ambassador oc
cupies as a town residence, where she
has her girl friends to tea every other
afternoon. It is furnished in Oriental
style, with Persian rugs and fantastic
draperies The little hostess makes the
tea herself and all her friends assist in
cutting bread and butter and serving
just in the usual studio fashion. She
wears the prettiest aprons over her
frocks, her intention being to carry the
whole thing out realistically pos
sble. 1t goes without saying that this
young heiress is arousing great interest
in the matrimonial market, and among
others accredited with intentions" is a
Serene Highness.
SALON FOR LONDONERS.
The idea of a club to which members
will be admitted by invitation only is
at once daring and original and should
be interesting-for those who are in
vited. The lady who is credited with
this novel notion is Mrs. Potter Palmer,
erstwhile of Chicago, and If she does
not change her mind and finds the
premises she desires her idea will be-
in full working order before many
weeks are over. This institution, which
will really be more of a salon than a
club, means drawing together the
fittest and greatest in society ard the
arts, in religion and in politics, though,
save for the airing of ideas, it will be
non-sectarian and non-political. For
such an institution 1t would be difficult
to find more suitable chatelaine than
Mrs. Potter Palmer, whose personality,
position and riches all fit her admir-
ably for the post.
There is really no conversation in
England" says Mrs. Palmer. In the
drawing-room after dinner or st re-
ception men and women pair off and
gossip in twos. Whether. this Is the re-
suit of extreme insular nervousness 1
cannot tell, but the fact remains there
is never a general exchange of ideas,
and in this way. people miss much. I
am going to correct 1t II 1 can
The majority of English people are
painfully shy, and though they may
be able to express their ideas well
enough in a corner to one or two indi-
viduals whom they know intimately,
they could not for gold untold say the
same things to twenty comparative
strangers in the house of q friend.
Conversational evenings" are to be a
feature of the programme in Mrs Pot
ter Palmers idea and on such occa-
sions every one present will be bound
to express opinions in a general con-
versation regarding some book, play,
political situation or religious text
The idea is as unique as 1t is admirable.