Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-20

days, is one great bubble of life and en-
ergy, and there is not an inch Of 1t that
Is uninteresting, the people, the shops,
the traffic In it's various phases are all
one great mass of life and motion. Apro-
pos of life and motion, the reception at
the Metropolitan Museum the other night
was a fine example of it. The new wing
was formally opened with great pomp
OF course, no one being admitted without
a card. Well. 1 think all of New York
was there, and yet 1t was not uncomfort-
! ably crowded, except in the Whistler
room, where a wonderful collection OF his
pictures were hung. that was the feature
of the artistic element. but 1t is imposs-
BILE to look at pictures when there is so
much else to distract one. 1t was a
beautiful sight, the building Is SO mag
nif1cent. and with such life and color in
the midst of the great halls and cOrri-
doris. hung with the rarest of tapestries
and pictures. it was like some tale of
medieval life. 1t was rather imposing
as the long line of guests passed through
receiving line at the foot Of the great
stairway, the women beautifully gowned
and sparkling with Jewels 1t was one
of the brilliant things of the season.
In the absence of the president, J. Pier
pont Morgan, who is in Rome. the vice
president. Joseph H. Choate. and Mrs.
Choate were first in the line There were
also Mr.. and Mrs. De Forrest. George
Baker. George Blumenthal, f. d. Millet
and d. c. French. The Whistler exhibit
was the great attraction: 1t was there
that one met ones friends by appoint
ment and 1t was there that the little
Russian princess who Is stopping at the
Plaza held her court She was much
more of an attraction and surely much
more Of q sensation than the pictures.
She was surrounded the entire time and
was most vivacious, interesting and in
terested. She was gowned in rather a
striking manner a white satin robe elab-
orately embroidered in gold and glitter.
over which she wore sumptuous wrap,
1lst hanging off her shoulders, OF crimson
velvet trimmed with bands of heavy gold
embroidery. Her hair was fearully and
wonderfully dressed. crowned with "a
jeweled tiara holding in place brilliant
bird Of paradise. She was much dec
orated-her corsage. gloves, everything,
cleaning with decorations. She has a
superb suite, am told, at the Plaza, and
ten servants. 1 overheard a woman ask
ing a man who she was. He replied:
That's the Russian princess who is at
the Plaza with lot of pet monkeys
whether he referred to the servants am
sure / do not know.
The Lotus Club reception was unusually
interesting. You know, this Is one or the
best clubs here, and their new house is
extremely attractive and very large. the
members rather pride themselves on their
receptions, to which, of course, women
are asked. and well they may. Ihere
were a great many there and 1t was a
very fashionable and we'll dressed audi
ence The program was interesting. Sew
eral people played and sang Pretty
Kitty Cheatham, who had hurried from
the theater without taking time to re-
move her makeup, was captivating in
her monologues and negro songs. the
words of which were by Paul Lawrence
Dunbar.
Mary Garden was the guest OF honor,
holt NJ n
things said about her being unamiabie
and disagreeabie about singing for peo-
pie. She was most charming and graz
cious when leaving her seat in the au-
dience. In the most irlenoiy ana lntlniale
manner she silenced the uproar OF ap-
plause by q characteristic wave of her
hand assuring us she had no voice and
would have to disappoint us and herself.
She was terribly sorry. but she had sung
Salome the night before and would have
10 sing tomorrow and her doctor had said
If she sang today she could not sing to-
morrow. and she was very sorry After
the disappointed "ohs' from every throat
present she turned around and said:
well, I'll try. I'll do my best. but
have not one bit of voice." then in such
a natural and yet delightfully."- petulant
way she said: I'm not dressed to sing.
/ have on this abominable. high collar
I'll have to unfasten 1t, which she did
and after pulling it away from her throat
sang Annie Laurie like a seraph.
When she finished she ran right down
the room and out quickly as possible
only stopping TO speak to a few personal
friends No 1 call that downright love-
w. She 10 ned awfully well in an ivory
white silk heavily embroidered. the coat
and skirt bordered with Russian sable
and huge black hat. The only touch of
color was a superb jeweled ornament on
her breast. This was Of emeralds and
she carried a gold-wrought bag that
smacked of the barbaric.
There are quite a number of dinners
and luncheons, some large. some small
Restaurants and hotels are popular just
now for such affairs Col. John j. Astor
gave a small dinner at the st. Regis
Among his guests were Mrs. Harry
Symmes I,ehr. Miss Constance Warren.
Worthington Whitehouse. Stephen Van
theater and later to the Knickerbocker
for supper.
Mr. Eugene Gallatin gave a unique din
| ner at Sherry's for Lord Fairfax The
decorations were roses and mimosa. Dur
ing dinner pipers In Highland costumes
paraded about, singing Scotch airs, and
later there were negro melodies. After
these entertaining men had finished the
guests danced until quite late Mrs Orme
Wilson was there. Mr.. and Mrs. Zabriski
Gray the Warner Hoppins, Angelica
Brown. Wilfreda Mortimer, Gwendolyn
Burden Mildred Sherman. Buell. Hol-
| lister Worthington Whitehouse Malcolm
Sloane and others
| chanticler luncheon, given by Mrs
William Hurlburt and her daughter at
the Hotel Gotham was truly a novel
/ affair There were twenty guests seated