The Washington herald., 1908-06-21

bearing Of his caller. Long experience has
made him expert in this. and there are
few who leave his Office that do not also
leave a pretty correct analysis OF their
characters in the mind Of the consul.
While his official hospitality is thus dis
! pensed. with prejudice toward none, the
, baron is extremely exclusive In choosing
/ those who may enjoy the contents OF his
+. wine casks or his s. n pound tea. brought
/ overland from China 20 ST. Petersburg
/ and transshlpped 20 Chicago, Some OF
/ the knottiest problems Of the consulate
/ are said 20 have been worked out salts
/ fact0riy over a teacup scarcely larger
/ than a wCmsns thimb'e It's a fad Of the
/ baron 10 sip as he thinks.
/ Personal pleasure is a thing OF second
/ airy consequence in both the official and
private life OF Baron Schlippenbach. The
interest Of Russia comes first. No one
| who is not a friend OF Russia or a likely
candidate 10 become one could expect to
/ find a way into the "sanctum" OF the
haron's almost palaual quarters at 81
I Rush street. Chicago. surrounded by the
homes OF wealthy pioneers and society
people OF the town. But n a person is a
friend Of Russia, and. besides. IS enrolled
among the baron's -Four Hundred" " as II
were the latchstring 20 his den" always
hangs out.
An oak door. almost as wide and thick
and heavy as in the DAYS when the moat
and drawbridge were the vogue. swings
on the hall and admits the guest 10 the
baron's reception-room. This room is fit
ted up with Oriental rugs. oil paintings
all the gifts Of artist frlends-and bric-a-
brac from nearly every corner OF the
earth
His Chicago "Den."
There IS nothing austere about this
room or the connecting one in front. into
which the light of the street shines
through a big French plate window. OF
the front apartment. through a fringe
draped doorway Is the den" Of Schlip-
penbach the man. not Baron Schlippen-
bach the consul Although he is a bache-
lor. the rooms which the public enters are
homeiike and suggest dOmesticity. There
are comfortable lounging chairs. more
bric-a-brac and paintings. and mementos.
There are little tables. too; some Of teak.
carved with all the ingenuity OF the East
Indian. The baron taps a quaint gong
that rings q silvery note, and in strides
noiselessly a tall. straight-as-an-arrow
man. with jet black hair and curled and
waXed mustache.
What shall Il be?' asks the host Be
lore you can reply he suggests "A little
vermOuth?" at the same time nOdding 10
the sphinx, who looks as big as a giant.
that awaits his masters bidding. Whether
the baron has mod code" is a mystery
but seemingly he has for wheher II is
creme de menthe or vermouth or spark
ling champagne, he merely bows and IL IS
brought.
TO the health OF Americas smart and
beautiful women" toasts the guest. who
may be q grand duke making a tour of
the world incognito or a Chicago business
man who would like 20 sell a few more
harvesters or a few pounds more Of ba-
con in the Cars domain. A guest who
sat at one OF the barons tables the other
day looked as II he might be the original
Of portrait Of Emperor Nicholas II. An
other. with broad shoulders and military
bearing. might have been the chief OF the
secret police of St. Petersburg. but his
identity and his mission We're secrets of
himself and the baron.
May Russia know them better. and
Americas men. too." responds Baron
Schlippenbach to the toast
II you happen TO be the guest and do
not relish the vermouth or the creme de
menthe or the champagne. or any kind OF
liquor which the baron's lavish hospital
ity affords II is because your taste is not
educated up to the finest product Of Eu-
ropean manufacture.
Speaking OF international marriages -
says the baron, did It ever occur TO YOU
that those contracted between Russians
and Americans have invariably proved
happy ones7"
But the baron makes no pretense Of pro-
noting Russian-American matches, much