The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-07
HOW AMERICANS
DOMINATE SOCIETY
In the Gay Capital of the
French Republic
WOMAN'S LAST INVASION
Into the Domain of the Sterner Sex
Includes the Fire Department.
Book ON War Inter-
ests Paris

Paris, August 6.-(Speeial. 1.-The man
ner in which Americans dominate our
society was made clear to me the other
day during a theatrical performance given
by the Duke and Duchess de Luynes. The
brilliant gathering assembled at the
Chateau de Dampiere, not far from the
Chateau de Nilfegenes, the French resi-
dence of Mr.. and Mrs. William Corey.
CHANGING over this assemblage of our
oldest nobility, brought together from all
parts of France, l could not help COM
menting upon the vast number of Ameri-
cans or their descendants.
On entering I met the Countess de
Kergolay and the Baroness de la Grange,
both of whom were Miss CAROLS of the
historic Maryland family Not far away
from the Duchess de Chaulnes, former
ly Miss Shonts, and still resembling. an
| exceedingly young girl, despite the fact
that she is a mother. | soon found my
self speaking to many of the Portales
family. All the men of this family have
the luck of marrying beautiful American
girls. It is g. years since Count Francis
Ludwig Portalos married Miss Elise
Bachmann of Boston. Ten years later
Count otto Portales marries Miss Mont
gomery of Colorado. The marriage of
Miss Florence Drouillards of Nashville,
Tenn, with Count Bernard Portales is
comparatively recent.
The De Cigarettes were also among the
brilliant assembly, both of whom married
American girls; one, Miss Polk of Nash
vile, and the other Miss Henning of
Kentucky And thus it was all through
the many rooms of the mansion.
There is no denying the influence of the
Americans among our nobility-it is enor-
nous,
Mrs. Whitney Hoff, daughter of the late
Commodore Whitney of Detroit, and wife
of Mr.. John Hoff of Paris, has begun
a novel way of encourag ing American
art.
The artists who are affiliated with the
Students hotel in the Latin Quarter
give two entertainments every year. A
jury Of distinguished painters award
prizes, Mrs. Hoff buys at very good
prices the winning pictures, just
as the minister of fine arts buys the
best pictures of the Salon. The parellel-
ism goes further in that Mrs. Hoff in
tends her purchase for a provincial
museum, just as the minister of fine
arts sends most of the state pictures
to the smaller towns of France.
Mrs. Hoff's first museum of prize pic
lures by American students will be at
Richmond, Ind. The Students hotel, to
which the prize competing students be-
long. is one of Mrs. Hoff's favorite philan-
thropies The friendly rivalry between
the hotel and the American Womens
club is cordial in the extreme As Mrs.
Hoff is guide, philosopher and friends of
the one, Mrs Whitelaw Reid is patron
saint of the other.
In addition to the duties of society and
philanthropy Mrs. Hoff finds time to play
the part of chatelaine in her magnifi-
| cent feudal chateau on the banks of the
Loire
The latest invasion of women into the
| domains of the sterner sex is in the
| fire department. In the little town of
! Yannes the brave Brittany girls have
! formed themselves into a fire brigade. It
began with the daughters of the fremen
Themselves. Other girls initiated them
Now there is a full-ledged feminine fire
brigade company in the little town.
English and American suffragettes tour
ire In Brittany find new argument
for female suffrage in the fire brigade
girls. 1t is claimed that women cannot
vote because they cannot be soldiers. but
1t they can transform themselves into
flremei I don't see why they can't fight
At any rate. they share military SER
vice by mothering soldiers, so this ex-
tuse cannot hold.
Paris is quite interested in book lust
| published on the war of 1870, its causes
and responsibilities. Step by step it re-
veals the relentless plans of Prussia and
tells some tales out of school about the
Empress Eugene.
II seems that her ambition carried her
| TO the extreme of wishing Napoleon
should die at the head of his army to
leave the throne of France vacant for
hel son. SO ardently did she desire this
mat when she was informed that Mac
Mahon's army had surrendered and that
Napoleon was a prisoner, she exclaimed
| You lie sir; the Emperor is dead
Eltgenie Is now 81. and she and Oliver
are the last survivors of the awful drama
or that awful year. Olivier has always
tried to throw the blame of this war
| upon Eugenie. AS he was the minister
he of course had to blame somebodv In
order that he himself might not he
| blamed. Tho new book states further
| That Eugene became addicted to the
choral habit, and was a victim to II for
| many years. This is unchivarous to
| say the least