Evening star., 1923-02-25
MEN AND AFFAIRS
BY ROBERT r. SMALL.

must be remembered that that vas
purely fiction.
In addition to the Spanish and Itai.
ian ambassadors and their wives,
Don Juan Francisco de Cardenas.
chamberlain to the King Of Spain
Signor Andrea Geisser Celesia di Veg
liasco. secretary OF the Italian en-
bassy, and Sigrora Celesia; Count
Henri (Pete) de Sibour and Mrs. de-
Miss Ailsa Mellon. daughter Of the
Secretary of the Treasury; M!ss
Louisa Hoar. daughter of Mrs. Gil
lett, wife OF Speaker CHllett; Henri
Chiffon. counselor Of the British EN-
bassy; Mr.. and Mrs. Georg. A. Gar
ret, Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Spencer, Mis-
Anna IIamiin, Mile. Lefevre. Mrs. Ma
riaua Sands, Mrs. Wallis Spencer, Mr
and Mrs. Eidridge Jordan ard "OlG
Bill' Hurley Of the State Department
One OF the most amusing storits
heard on Wash.ngton's riaito 10;
many long day was told the pat
week by Lou Payne. manager OF JOIN
Drew and Mrs. Leslie Carter. and, in
ctdentaliy, the husband OF the latter
Mrs. Carter has had q number of ez
citing episodes in her colortul career
on the stage, but II is not generally
known that she narrowly escaped
with her life from a burning dwell
Ing IN England during the world war.
That is not the amusing part OF the
story, however. Still, there never waS
q near-tragedy without its comic
side. and In the burning of the Leslie
Carter cottage in England In the fall
OF 1915 the country fire br.gade3 fur
ntShed the comedy.
The cottage was on the Bath roa1
not far from the twin river village
of Maidenhead and TaploT. The cot.
tage was on the Taplow side Of the
Thames. but on the night OF the frs
for some unexplained reason the
Naidenhead fire engine was first T.
reach the scene. II was just gettlEg
into action when the Taplow laddies
drove UP with great shouts and der
constructions. A fine quarrel ensuec
between the Taplow and Ma!denheav
companies as to whose fire Il was
anyway.
"Meant!-ne,'' says Lou, "the coetas.
Was burning briskly.''
Finally the Tapiow company proved
it's possession OF the confiagration arc
the haidenhead company withdrew.
AS may easily be imagined, the Garter
cottage was by this time a total loss
81 didn't get the fuu import Of t.,..
quarrel" said Mr. Payne, until severa.
days later, when q h:l! came In from tEe
Taplow firemen. II was q detailed
statement, outlining that SO many gal
Ions Of petrol had been used IN the er.
gtne and that so many men had worked
so many hours on the fire At such and
such a rate. There was q notation,
however. that the use OF the engine It.
self WAS thrown In free. II the cottage
had been saved 1 would not have beer
SURPRISED to get the bill, but as It burr.
ed to the ground, with virtually all our
clothing and other personal possessions.
thought II bit siH 20 get such a BIZ.
I took < to the insurance adjusters
however. and they said It vas quite Al.
right and customary and they wouid
take care Of Il. Evidently they were
not very prompt IN their settlement, tc-
in a few more days I received a second
bill. setting out again the details Of pc
troll consumed and the hours Of labor G.
the union firernen. And once again =
was noted that the use OF the engine
was absolutely free. But tt1s tin.
there was T. postscript. It said: $
prompt settlement would DO appreciate
as we desire to take our holiday
guess II was the only fro the compar,
had had that year"