The New York herald., 1922-02-19

Special Correspondence 20 IHE NEW YORK
HERALD.
MONTE CARLO Feb. 4.
Y VISITORS along the Riviera have
NJ been suffering prematurely
from the general complaint of
a dull season. but things are not al
ways as they seeem at a glance. In
stead of being dull one s--suld say the
season is a bit backward, but despite
adverse predictions, prospects for
February, which, after all, is the big
month, are of the brightest.
Last year prices rose higher than
even the most luxurious traffic could
bear, and there was so much grum-
bling that it was believed the resent
ment of the public would be long in
disappearing 1t is true that the
hotels have not been filed to over
flowing during January, and the man
ayers hold the high prices at Cannes
a year ago responsible for that fact.
The other villages on the Riviera
have SHOWN their resentment to the
Cannes situation by reducing their
prices and the word has gone the
rounds that visitors can have reserva-
tons for February at almost any hotel
at their own figures, as the Riviera
seems determined that it shall not fol-
low in TIE footsteps of Deauville with
a slow but sure death The conse-
quence is that every train, to say
nothing of the hundreds of automo-
biles, brings it's load of arrivals.
CIro's Center of Activity.
Ciro's restaurant is the center of the
Riviera. for all the visitors at Cannes,
Nice, Mention, &C.. who motor to Monte
Carlo to gamble, seem to think it a part
of the game to dine at Ciro's or the
Hotel de Paris, so Ciro's is more or less
the barometer of the Riviera season, and
according to the number of the old hab-
itues who have been dining there re-
Gently it would seem that the season
is rapidly approaching it's height.
Among those of the old days who have
been seen there is Mr.. Robert Watson
pOeleL, VINO TlOtOTeQ over bOr-
deaux with his brother-in-law for the
pigeon shooting. and reported that the
roads were not good for the trip. Then
there is Mr.. William Fleischmann, who
has been noticed with Mr.. Winchell
Smith, the Playwright, of New York, and
Mrs. Smith, who are stopping at Nice;
Mr.. Vincent O'Sullivan. Irish writer,
who is we'll known in New York: Mr..
and Mrs. Talbot Taylor, Baron and Bar
oness Rosenkrantz of Hot Springs, Va.
and New York; Mr.. and Mrs. Harvey
Phillips, who have been here since De-
cember; Col. and Mrs. Francis z. Drake,
who are here to rest after their strenu-
GUS trip to America with Marshal Foch;
Mr.. and Mrs. Florence Fox of Baltimore
and New York, who have been passing
their winters in Monte Carlo for the last
twenty years; Sir Walter and Lady Du
Freeze (the latter will be remembered
by Americans as Vesta Tilly. whose
fame OK the vaudeville stage needs no
recalling).
Then there is Major-Gen. Payton c.
March, formerly Chief of Staff of the
United States Army, and Mr.. Frederic
Penfield. formerly American Ambassa-
dor to Vienna. both of whom consent to
spare little time from the tables oc-
casionally to be seen lunching. And
still others are Mr.. and Mrs. Fl. w.
Brooks, who are passing their honey
moon at the Hotel de Paris. Mrs.
Brooks was Mrs. Dorothy Arents Hum
phreys, and their wedding was cele-
brated in New York in November. Then
there is Mrs. Elisha Dyer, Mrs. Girls
void Gray. Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Tuck.
Gen. and Nine. Taufflieb, Mr.. and Mrs.
John r. Drexel. who have recently mo-
tored from Paris: Mr.. and Mrs. Perry
Belmont. who are stopping at Cannes
for the season; Mr.. and Mrs. Claus
Spreckels. Field Marshal Lord French,
Mrs. Colombia Walker and her sister,
Miss Hayes of Richmond. Va.
Americans were interested yesterday
In seeing Miss Marie Dressler and Miss
Maxine Elliott lunching at adjoining
tables at Ciro's. When the latter entersd
Marie was heard to ask IL II could be
the American actress with her niece.
Miss Forbes Robertson. saying that she
was growing so old that her eyes otter
deceived her. though Maxine's beauty
should be easy enough to recognize with
feeblest eyesight.
fellow countryman recognizing
Maries jovial face assured her that age
made no difference. saying that her grin
ming countenance had made America
laugh too long TO ever die. whereupon
Marie consoled herself with "A nod in
the direction OF MISS ElllOtt, saying tnat
beauty surely dies and she herself was
so "bloomin' ugly" that she would never
die.
Miss Dressler has been with friends
in Rome for the last fortnight and after
"A short visit to the Riviera expects TO
return to Rome. as she says she loves
italy more than she does France. Last
night at the Sporting Club Miss Dress
ler Miss Elliott and Lady dc Battle
Oily Langtry) were noticed playing mt
the same table.
To Open Aviation school.
These old time visitors are struck by
many chanEes--the growth Of the
Riviera towns with their new shops and
hotels and their general air OF expan-
sion and enterprise. At Cannes for
example. an aviation school will soon be
opened. while at Nice and Monte Carte
new buildings are constantly going ur.
Any one who has known the pre-wdr
Riviera is at once impressed by tho
absence Of familiar faces and personali-
ties which contributed much to the Old
World cosmopolitan cachet of this
famous playground. One no longer socs
the Russian nobility. so largely in owl
dcnce before the war. with its abandon
and it's eXtravagances in gambling. IN
dress and In pursuit Of pleasure The
only representative OF this old aristoc-
racv is the Grand Duchess Anastaslc