Evening star., 1924-09-07

scholastic year. OF the three hundred
one hundred are Americans and
twenty three are Washingtonians.
Lord Chalmers is the great authority
on Pail, the classic language of Bur
nah, Siam and Ceylon. and that young
British air hero. Comdr. L. h. 0.
Charlton, cousin Of the present mill
tary attache, Col. Charlton, who ac-
eompanied the Prince of Wales to the
Capital, is his favorite pupil. Comdr.
Charlton ranks second in British
scholarship in having mastered that
unique branch of study known as
Pail.
Mrs. Louis Spears, who calls herself
an ex-Chicagoan, has been visiting
her old home for few weeks and Is
now en- route to Washington FOR
brief visit to the literati hereabout.
Mrs. Spears is the author of what
many critics call the cleverest piece
of fiction written in English, produced
within the year, Jane, Our Stranger,
and is one of the leaders Of the
Anglo-American wing Of London So
ciety. She is the wife Of Gen. Louis
Spears and having been born one of
enormously rich Bordens of lacteal
fame, she established and conducted
at her own expense one or the pest
equipped and skillfully conducted
hospitals inside the British firing line
in the bullet-ridden sector around
Ypres. She worked there for months,
calmly attending to her tasks with
shots and shells whizzing all about and
she has ably worked in some of this
experience and the relation of various
types into her novel. Mrs. Spears is
the sister of that famous Arctic
hunter, John Borden, and both are
the children of the late William Bor-
den of Rumson, N. ]. She Is on the
most intimate terms with Lady Law
cry, also a daughter of the Windy
City and wife of the eminent royal
academician, at present the most pop
ular portrait painters. With Gen.
Spears. now retired. she spends much
time in Paris, which led the autocrat
of British letters, George Bernard
Shaw, to remark to her lately that
when he first knew her she was an
innocent, dowdy. somewhat dull little
American. but now she was a brill
liant. witty and wicked French
woman.
Newport is claiming place in the
sun and is seemingly undisturbed by
the glory of its rival Southampton.
The Reginald Vanderbilt ball last
Saturday was worthy of its old ira
ditons and will pass into history
among the many memorable events
of that queen of resorts. 1t is just
century ago that the first brilliant
costume ball was given for the New
port folk by Nine. de Brugiere. whose
mansion was on Broadway, now quite
forsaken by the modish. Then came
the masked ball of Mrs. Henry Bre-
WORT in 1910 and after that Newport
went forward in this matter on seven
league boots. Mr.. Vanderbilts splen-
did fete is the first given since his
second marriage and his lovely young
wife. who had been Gloria Morgan,
was an ideal hostess. In days to
come. some details of what this ball
cost may filter to the public and like
wise what the guests paid for their
costumes. 1t was Ward McAllister
who set down in his memoirs that
an obIiging relative had left him
legacy Of a thousand dollars and it
took every cent of it and more be-
sides to bedeck him properly for the
costume ball given by Mrs. John G.
Stevens. But as Il Spanish Cavalier
he f1attered himself that no one pres
ent was so richly and handsomely
garbed. One of the grand balls of
Newport was that given by Mr.. and
Mrs. William X. Vanderbilt in 1888.
and some ten years later came that
series of fetes given for their young
daughter ConSuela about to wed the
Duke of Marlborough. A good fifth of
the guests at Mr.. Reginald Wander
bilt'S fete were of Vanderbilt blood
and the remainder were nearly all
selected from the old Newporters
Washington was brilliantly repre-
sented. and Mrs. Sylvanus Stokes. jr.,
wore one of her resplendent Egyp-
tian costumes.
The former Governor of Illinois
and Mrs. Frank o. Lowden, who have
been spending the Summer at their