The Washington times., 1918-07-28
be Surprisingly
Gratifying
Meta
morphosiis of
America $
Once Most !.
Gorgeous
Social
Butterfly
Frivolities
and Extrava-
gances All
Burned
Away IN the
Fire of War

Sherry's. In the insurance exposure Il
came out that the fete cost $4,000. So
ciety, however has always insisted that
1t really cost 100000, for il counted in
many items, such as gifts, that naturally
did not figure In the insurance accounts.
Hardly had New York recovered from
this event when the Divine Sarah" ap-
peared for a short dramatic season, and
the butterfly Of fortune rendered her q
banquet estimated to have cost $4,000.
Mr.. Hyde, even during his meteoric career
at Harvard. where he led all the giIded
youths Of his class, gave evidence Of being
a noteworthy French scholar, and in his
senior year dabbled extensively in art
1t was said that he even patronized John
Sargent! He founded the Cercle Fran
cais at Harvard and the Alliance Fran
caise to help Frenchmen living in America.
His dinner to Sarah Bernhardt was but
one evidence Of his interest in the Frenci.
sage. Society speedily recalled that the
crowning feature Of his famous costume
ball had been a little comedy OF Fren'h
life performed by Madame Rejane. fo-'
which Mr.. Hyde had sent to Paris for the
scenery.
Perhaps no one man ever so puzzled New
York society as did James HaZen Hyde A.
this time. He apparently had two na-
lures, two temperaments. He could be the
scholar and patron Of arts one moment,
and the next the most exquisite Of Beau
Brummels, paving his barber ten dollars a
day to keep his celebrated Vandyke beard
and black pompadour in a state of per
fection.
New York stared agape at his manners
and habits. He gave a luncheon for NJ.
Cambon, the French Ambassador, at which
he cahA1oru 4,
present. He held them spellbound by his
eloquent knowledge of French literature.
But his costume held them equally en-
tranced, for his necktie, socks, spats and
carnation bOutonniere were all bright
green.
"How could a man." said these savants,
wear such clothes and know so muchi"
Mrs. "Bobbie" Goelet formerly Elsie
Whelen, of Philadelphia, and now Mrs.
Henry Clews, Jr, Of Paris, caricatured Mr..
Hyde and his clothes and the French
savants wondered anew. The caricature
was painful but true!
Then the insurance storm broke over the
butterfy's head, and his social stock went
down, way down. OF course, being a sports
man, Mr.. Hyde waited until il was all over,
for with all his spectacular eccentricities
he was a brave man and would not run
when attacked. When the Investigation
was closed he sold his American holdings
and went OF on roundthe-world jaunt.
In India he studied the dances of the
Nautch girls. In Arabia he learned how to
make the most wonderful coffee. In Tur-
key he was invited to visit a notable pasha
and his harem-when the ladies were
absent. In Japan he studied Geisha girls,
and in China he assaulted an impertinent
coolie, an incident that almost Drought
about an international complication. All
these things he did, and more, and then he
arrived in Paris ready to spend the rest Of
his life forgetting America and all Ameri-
cans.
But the great world tragedy has brought
out his real American human nature.