New-York tribune., 1911-01-22

wheeled round as he was announced: she
transfXed him with her eye, and she al
most spat with contempt: "Meel, Ioln
ing rapidly: "Ye're very fine, and ye're
very fashnable. bW DeW hare 10 90 array
0t II OclOck. all the same
Needless 10 say long before the ldieiul
hour the unfortunate TON" was nowhere
to be seen. nor did he ever thereafter re-
appear at Miss Helen Walkers parties
Lady Ruthven was another autocratic
hostess of the period, one to whose
whims cvel ybody submitted. Here is a
story which Mrs WaIford tells of her:
over acr household she ruled with a rod
Of iron and, as those were the days When
old ladies-including even my pious ana
society hating grandmother at Park Place
personally Inspected the legs OF pro
Spective footmen and had their calves
measured, her ladyship was not perhaps
singular i'm keeping her Donald Of that ilk
we'll under her thumb.
Donald dared not call his soul his own,
let alone his wardrobe. His mistress sup
pl>d him with but one suit OF INery-he
had himself TO supplement II with other
garments-and wear 1t only when she or
Gained. But there came a day When lie
had forgotten to take her orders or she
had forgotten to give them anent this
ard there was a dinner party IN prospect,
and the afternoon was waning. The ola
lady was engaged with visitors, Wnen the
door opened and an agitatod head was
thrust in: "Is't ma ain bTeeks, or Yer Teddy
ships breeks I'm TO pit on tie nicht? Re-
port had il that her leddNShlp, without lhe
alteration Of q muscle, decided IN t0t0r OF
her breeks.
Another quaint parsonage of old Edin-
burgh was Professor Blaclie. whose
taste i'm dress was most peculiar. The
author once found him sitting at tea
with his wife and a friend. and COM
fortabIy attircd in blue and red dress
ing gown, broad brimmed straw hat
with a flowing blle ribbon and Chinese
slippers turned up at the toes. An Edin-
burgh acquaintance, when laughing over
this description, recounted an expert
ence of her own: "Hc was sitting in that
very Chinese Gct-up when we went in
one day. After a while he rose went
out and returned attired as sailor
loose blouse, open neck tapping pdnta
looms. and bare legs and feet Not con-
tent with this tranformation, he vanished
again. and this time reappeared in the
imposing garb of a Spanish grandee, a
huge sOmbrero crownng his snow white
hair, Thus in the short space Of half
an hour we were treated TO three appa-
ritions, each more extraordinary than
the other The old professor enjoyed
his own oddities and loved to call him
self Daft Blackie.
There is a curious story here about
General Grant, who during his visit to
Scotland expressed an urgent desire to
see John Colquhoun and ask him a ques-
tiOn.
My father was anxious 10 know what the
famous soldier was ike II was Il some
what rough -hcWn face We told him ruddv
and sunburut With q beard Not unlike
Lord SeaNeld' said one, pointing to an en-
craving Of a former Earl Of Seaheld which
hung on the drawing room wall
But We little expected that the Question"
10 bc asked by the Grant from over the
water related 10 this very resemblance.
Oui u came almost immediately after
greetings mad passed You are Grants,
aren't yOu?' quoth the general. with frank
disregard OF ceremony. Il know you are,
for the heireGs Of LuSs married a Sesheld.
and that Is why you Colquhouns had TO get
new creation. ] know an about it, and
now tel me,-he looked little self-con-
sciOus, actually a little shy-"peOple say IL,
but I don't know II il is humbug OF not;
am | like the late Lord Seaheld?"
father-and took him up to the picture.
IL" spoke the simple truth, and ! think
never saw man more pleased than this
American deSCendant--fOr he was de-
scendant albeit through several genera
uOnS-uf the ancient Scottish family.
He stayed long while and talked Of
many subjects but always his
eyes kcpt wandering back 10 the Seafield
portrait
Presently my brother accompanied tee
elderly couple 10 the verge of the ColqII-
hOuu lands and came back smiling II be-
lievC they would have turned back II they
could" said he, they said they were more
sorry than they could express 10 leave be
hind the beauties of Loeb Long and Loeb
LOmond.'
"He sdid that?" Ny father knew human
nature. Those are the sort Of things peo-
pie say Uut'-and he laughed a iittle--"the
general was more taken up with being a
Grant thau With all the beauties of Loeb
Long and Lsch LOmond" II"
And probably this shrcwd opinion was