Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-21

the flames, stampede madly to their DOOM
The late Frederick Townsend Martin tells in his
book fittings Remember of an ambitious American
girl in England who after years of patient engineering,
managed to be presented to Royalty. She made
stupid blunder in royal etiquette and Immediately
followed her first faux pas with another Her fate is
pictured in this tragic sentence 3The silly girl realized
that she had snned against Society, which never for
gives fools. She made hasty exit, and the waves of
the social sea closed her forever And such was
the unfortunate fate of Mrs. Ira d. Shark woman
who started out with excellent chances of getting
into Society, but her worst enemy, whom l
tried in vain to from being the victim of her own
folly.
l cannot remember where first met Mrs. Shark. I
have faint impression that it either at French
Lick or the Hot Springs of Virginia. at the White
Sulphur sometimes go to these health resorts; but
my purpose always social with covert eye for busl-
But for longer time than would care to tell
Mrs. Shark had been habitua visitor at not only the
entire round of these places in America but also at
every notable spa on the Continent. have heard OF
her at Vichy, at Ems, at Wiesbaden and St. Mortz,
and all in the Each of these cures has
distinctive speciality.
One autumn she went through the heart treatment
at Nauhein, and then she at Evian for chronic
gou and before Christmas she had out to another
resort for inlammatory rheumatism And yet she
had time for considerable stay in New York when
gaeties at their height although at these periods
/ would now and then hear that she had been or was
about be operated upon by of the most fashion
able physicians for of the latest disorders vogue
could find out the nature of her trouble. She
always looked the samoa fabby, jelly-ike woman,
pald, with faded blond hair fshy eyes, and depre-
eating In those days she timd and shrink
ing with the animation of turtle. She profusely
grateful for nod of recognition, and sympa
thetic to the people she met, when they mutually
taking particular treatment that through actual
pity many of them civil to her. Thus after years
of this life she had managed to annex wide circle OF
acquaintance. She was widow, spent money lib
eray, and was credited with fortune
THERE came turn in the tide. One winter after
saw her sitting in the famous peacock alley
at the Waldorf There had been smart charity con-
cert and the dismissed audience troopng down the
corridor toward the tearoom l could hardly believe
my eyes. What change in the LADY, She fash
ionably dressed, and really not bad looking She
had acquired certain distinction of manner, quite
cosmopolitan, and many women including a few men,
bers of the utrase stopped and spoke to her She
actually holding court in her To crown all,
spied Flora McMasters bearing down upon her and
taking her off to tea.
then began to do some quiet thinking. Flora never
took up anyone unless there something in it.
suddenly recalled that when that most distinguished
woman, and of the great planets in society, Mrs.
Rutherfurd Clermont, operated upon for appendi
cts stated in the newspapers that she had been
cheered considerably by the company of another pa
tent in Dr. Scapels famous sanatorium and that this
person was other than my friend Mrs. Shark.
Elizabeth Blocker told me of similar experience at
a water treatment in the wilds Of Wisconsin.
Flora McMasters is every year the Hot Springs Of
Virginia. / will also add that she is energetic
social promoter She has ways and means, including
several influential relatives, and has had winning
way in landing aspirants in Society She is rich;
but she thrives by this undertaking. She detests me-
and it has been open between US ever since arrived
in New York and began my business Of securing social
recognition Tor my clients.
The situation flashed upon me! Mrs Snarl, was a
plum worth having: it had been dull year, and the
quarry had been scarce As for Mrs Shark herself she
was deep woman and a sy old fox She was going