The Washington times., 1924-10-14
OF
LONDON is
DETAILED
Amusing Tale rs Told of
Mrs. w. Harry Browns
Success

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weeks in Paris and presumably will
her apartment in Washington for
the winter.
More or less detailed accounts Of
Mrs. Browns activities and sue.
cesses have drifted in from time to
time, but the story recently writ
ten by Karl X. Kitchen annetlt
her conquest OF London is amusing
enough to bear reprinting here in
Washington where Mrs. Brown
has SO many friends. He says:
Almost any oneewho has non.
cOllapsible banixroll can take a great
London house for courle Of
months. II one has engaged a ia
nous chef and given due consideFa-
ton to the wine cellar, there is no
difficulty in having lot Of titled
guests. And it is not an impossible
trick to get the Prince Of Wales to
drop in for tea or dinner.
But to have the Prince Of Wales
stay for breakfast-ah that's some
thing else again!
The most famous ducaI mansions
can be leased, baronets and earls
may be hired for the weekend, but
1t takes a. great hostess to keep the
prince for ham and eggs. Only one
Americansin London, up to the pres
ent at least, has succeeded in doing
this. Consequently, it is only just
that should give credit where
credit is due.
Mrs. Brown is the plain and UNI
distinguished name of the American
hostess who triumphed over the
breakfast table.
AT first glance this name conveys
nothing to the average reader. And
even. the information that She ia q
widow from Pittsburgh does not helm
much. There are so many MRS.
Browns" in Pittsburgh and every.
where else
But in London Mrs. Brown is a
name to cOnjure with. Not only
did she entertain the prince at
breakfast, but her entertainments
at Norfolk House-the town resi-.
dence Of the Duke OF Norfolk
which she leased this past summer
were the gayest and most lavish
OF OF the recent social season. Not
to have been entertained at Nor
folk House while Mrs. Brown was
It's chatelaine was social error
that few titled Londoners made.
For in the British capital the So
cial set invariably rises or sinks
whichever you preferto its gayest
level.
At this point It might be well to-
State. that Mrs, Browns late hus.
bands name was w. Harry Brown,
and that he was successful bank
er. 1t is said that the Duchess Of
Norfolk asked such q big sum for
two months lease for Norfolk
house that she did not believe any,
one would pay 1t. But Mrs. Brown
did not even show moments hest
tation. A few days after her ar
rival in London she moved into the
great house in st. James square
with her sOnAWilliam and his bride
of three months, And hardly hal
their trunks been unpacked before
the Widow Brown" began series
of entertainments that made London
society sit up and, take notice.
Sponsor Necessary in London /,
As Well As N. Y. or Washington.
I'm London, as in New York, an
outsider with social aspirations must
have q sponsor. And In London, as
in New York, there, are many i'm
pucunious personages, long en- fam.
lily but short on cash, who will func.
ton for q consideration. 1 do not
know who sponsored Mrs. Browns
social season nor does 1t matter. But
know that the list Of her guests in.
cluded the names of the greatest
social lights in England.
Naturally, the mere fact that Mrs.
Brown was ensconced in Norfolk
House gave her tremendous pres.
tige. This great structure, with its
portico Of four huge pillars, over.
looking st. James Park, has been
the home of seven dukes of Nor.
folk, one of whom lent it to Fred.
erick, Prince of Wales, for three
years. was during that time, in
1888, that the future George III
was born there.
ut is doubtful if any of the social
functions held in itse stately drawing
rooms during the two and half cen.
turtles of its history approximates in
gayety the receptions given by its
American chatelaine. For Mrs.
Brown made speciality of enter.
tanning the younger set in honor of
her son and daughter-in-law. The
latter, by the way, is an extremely
beautiful and personable young
woman. The best jazz bends and
the most skillful professional dancers
in London were engaged for these af-
fairs, which soon became the talk OF
the town.
Prince Enjoyed Himself
/ And Staved "a ERrealxfast