Evening star., 1922-11-19
TEA GUESTS AT GAMMA WALSKA'S
Mansion o.
md Has Brought
BeutyCa t. New Pennies ReuseeE YearsAe
BY KARL X. KITCHEN.

BY KARL N. KITCHEN.
lTHE prince passed tho tray Of
pastry. AS one OF his COM
panions refused the proftered
eclair he laughed. 'It is all
right-on my word" he protested,
still laughing.
whats the joke?" I asked. for, the
three others Russians with whom !
was sitting could hardly contain
| themselves.
There was momentary lull and
| then I was "let i'm on the laugh.
"Prince Youssoupof is the man
who killed Rasputin." explained my
| companion on my right.
"Yes?" I nodded.
"well, he had planned to kill him
with poisoned eclairs, but as Ras-
putin wouldn't eat them he had TO
shoot him
No wonder the companions OF
| Prince Felix Felixovitch Youssoupon
laughed when he assured us that the
eclairs were not filed with poison.
1t was at Nine. Gamma Walskas-
or Mrs. Harold F. Mccormick. II
you prefer-that this little incident
took place. The occasion was an
| afternoon tea, to which ] had been
invited. And in the upstairs draw
ing room of her magnificent home
the former James Gordon Bennett
mansion-in the Rue de Lubeck, !
heard the story Of Rasputin's end
from the man who killed him. The
dramatic incidents that led up to the
murder Of the evil genius OF the late
cxar's household were related oe'
! tween sips Of tea in the most non
chalant manner. And from time to
time they were interrupted by laughs
from the princes friends.
The main outline Of the story, OF
course, was familiar to me. but the
amazing detail which the speaker
supplied held me spellbound. Ras-
putin must have been a veritaole
Samson.
And, would you believe il. said
Prince Youssoupoff. as he finished the
story, teacup in hand. "Rasputn pos
.essed such tremendous vitality that
when his body was recovered from
the Neva canal his torn finger tips
showed how he had clawed at the Ice
despi,e the fact that he had six bul-
lets in him
"Bu, no eclairs?" interrupted.
"But no eclairs,' repeated the
prince. putting down his teacup
The arrival Of Nine. Walska in our
i corner OF the room put an end to all
serious conversation.
"You are neglectinE me shame
fully" she said reprovingly. And
! what is worse. you are negiectins 'ne
| sandwiches"
DESPITE our protests she forced
~ all OF us to take another caviar
.andvich while the butler took
! our cups.
NO one can refuse Mime. Walska
ANYTHING" said Prince Youssoupoh gal
! lantly.
j madame is irresistible said the
princeling-with long name enoing IN
| .Pou,offski'.-who had been sitting at
nv left And suiting the action to the
word he kissed the outstretched nand
of the famous beauty.
| Merely AZ a matter of record it must
be admitted that Nine. Gamma Walska'
a. the wife Of Harold Mccormick pre-
fer, 70 be called, was worthy Of their
gallantry.
In her rose-colored afternoon gown
she made a beautiful picture, which
was further enhanced by Its frame
one of the most tastefully appointed
drawing rooms in the French capital.
II might be added that the three strands
of pearls around her neck-I happen to
know they cost s7oo.ooo--a 63-carat
lheart-shaped diamond ring on one hand
and a large emerald on the other-dtd
not detract from her appearance
III may be permitted to drop from
nv usual Cardinal Newman English to
the yernacular of Broadway, Nine.
walska. as she faced me, looked like
million dollars.
please sit down and tell me all about
yourself" I pleaded. for 1t had been
many months since had seen the ceie-
brated beauty.
II can't sit down while I'm the host
ess," she explained. But remain after
the others have gone and I'll tell you all
about myself-that is, nearly ALL she
added with q smile.
While she moved away to look arter
her other guests-in addition TO the
four Russian princes there were sew
eral American and French musicians
II had a. chat with Harold McCor-
mick. Our conversation ranged from
grand opera to bolshevism.
'Im not the only one who had
nervous breakdown from running the
Chicago Opera Company" said the
formsr son.in-law Of John D. Rookie
TELLER cheerily. 1T put Sam insult
to he'd for = while. It's no joke run
ming q big opera company. I'm giad
ed from the ground. Ip q strong wind
Il