The Washington times., 1919-05-11

tact was another result Of Lebaudys pfu dread Of the
sword Of DamOces under which he believed himself be
living. For this he dispensed during the last
three years of his life with the services Of the confidential
secretary who had previously handled the details of his
extensive investments
But when he had secretary he handled most Of
his correspondence through the public stenog
raphers in the hotels He made it rule to dictate
letters to the stenOgrapher than twice in
week Often he would employ several stenOgraphe for
single letter. debating the first paragraph One the
second to another, and so
ALI the time he spent In the Offices Of the hotel stem
ographers was not however devoted dctaton He
passionaely fond of Shakespeare and when he found
stenographer whose voice struck him especially pleas
ing he would engage her read him by the hour from
"Kng Lear Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet
and other plays.
If the readers rendition of any passage failed to sat
sfy him he would snatch the book from her hands and
read the lines himself he thought they should be read
Whenever Robert B. Mantell the actor and his wife,
Genevieve Hamper were appearing in Shakespearean
repertoire Lebaudy would attend every performance BE
was so captivated with Mrs Mantes ability actress
that he offered to pay her $40 per hour than her
usual salary she would visit his home in Westbury and
read to him for three hours every day
Taxieabs appealed to Lebaudy particularly efee-
tive of eludng the enemies whom ne was always
expecting to discover stealing up behind him. During
the years he in New York probably nobody else trav
elled in these motor cabs so frequently as ne.
With all his growing eecentricties Lebaudy never lost
his fondness for imperial pomp and display Uniforms
held an irresistible fascination for him-provided he
could make their wearers do his bidding.
He was never so happy when surrounded by crowd
of servors and he preferred giving them their nsrue
ons through printed typewriter manfestoes rather
than by word of mouth.
For the guidance of taxicab drivers he had prepared
special code of Ten Commandments" of which ne al
ways carried quantity Of printed copies These read as
follows:
Never let a hotel doOrman or other lazy hound
touch your door assist your customers IN get
ting in or aighting in any manner.
2-Never blow your horn until you have passed the
danger
3-Never ask for any information under any circum-
stances nor solicit my patronage.
4-Never seek to assist me in any way unless told
TO do
5-Never speak unless spoken to-
6-Never look behind at your pasSenger-always
keep your eyes straight to the front.
Never shut off your motor Keep it running at
all times.
S-Never stop directly in front of a door which
wish to enter Always stop twenty-five feet in
advance, and after l alight drive twenty-five
feet beyond the door and wait.
9-Never hold conversation with any
10-Drive slowly on all occasions. Never speed
under any consideration.
One of Jacques Lebaudy'S most eccentric undertake
ngs and one which ended in his commission a santa
rum for of treatment his invasion of the
fashionable Meadowbrook Hunt Club at the head of
groteSque cavalcade of messenger boys whom he had
hired in New York for this particular purpose.
The Meadowbrook Club is not far from the home
which Lebaudy had taken in the fashionable suburb of
Westbury Long Island It's membership is limited to
the wealthest and most exclusive of New YorkS smart
set.
One bright Summer afternoon the members of the club
and their guests to the number of several hundred
gathered at the polo field An important match was to
be played, and everybody watching with keenest
interest the players and their ponies they made ready
for the game.
Suddenly above the gay hum of laughter and cOnver
saOn heard the of hunting horn ringing out
loud and clear the still Summer air Again and again
the horn sounded each time louder than before
Eyes strained in the direction from which the sound
could detect a distant cloud of dust the highway
leading from Westbury
Could it be belated party coming to the polo game
by tay-ho coach9 Perhaps but nobody could recall
any of the club members who had had such plan mind
Nearer and the Srident notes of the hOrn
At last it possible what it whose approach
heralded in this noisy and unusual way
1t tally-hO coach, no automobile that was ap-
preaching the club at such furious pace Through the
dust which had previously hidden them could now be
a body of horsemen-nneteen, twenty, twenty-one
of them all riding if their very lives depended on this
.breakneck speed
And both horses and men were deeked out in a man