Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-18
Even though somewhat slight, this
book is worth the reading.
PETRONIUS IN MOTLEY.
KING LEHR" AND THE GILDED
AGE. BY Elizabeth Drexel Lehr.
Philadelphia: j. B. Lippincott Co.

AGE. BY Elizabeth Drexel Lehr.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co.
WITHOUT doubt this is one Of the
mos unpleasant books that has
come to hand in long time. 1t pur-
ports to be delineation of what may
be called the best New York society,
from the late COS until approximately,
the end If the World War.
1t is not devoid of interest; that is
not what is implied by the term ''un-
pleasant" used above. On the con-
trary, 1t is highly interesting. But it
has an interest in which disgust and
embarrassment must mingle, if the
reader is to accept the story which Mrs
Lehr sets forth.
She tells, to be more exact, two
stories. One is Of the course which
society (monied American society Of
New York, Newport and Paris took
during the years in which its orna-
ment. amusement-maker and occa-
sional dictator was her husband, the
King Lehr" of the title. The other
is the account of her private existence
as this mans wife.
The latter tale. 1t would seem, being
private, has no business in print. How
ever, there are certain sociological
Qualifications for the extraordinary
revelations contained in the MARIA
tive. These Qualifications lie in the
circumstance that an individual, of
such standards as those which Mrs.
Lehr attributes to her late husband,
could for years have been regarded
as the flower and ornament and,
generally, the perfect expression of
the Nations society-not merely the
society which Americans accepted as
their most brilliant, but that which
was considered representative abroad.
But without these Qualifications, it
must be said, the account would be in
objectionable taste.
AS most readers will know, Mrs. Lehr
was daughter Of the Drexel family
Of Philadelphia. In 1901, young
widow. she married Harry Symes Lehr
OF Baltimore, champagne salesman
and penniless adventurer who had
scaled New Yorks social fortress by
the expedient Of pure effrontery. He
was presented to her by Mrs. George
Gould. Their acquaintance Powered
under the combined sanctions of Mrs.
William Aston. Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish
Mrs. Hermann Oelrichs and Mrs.
Oliver Belmont.
On the evening Of their marriage
(solemnized in st. Patrick's) Mr.. Lehr
Informed his bride that he had mar
ried her only for her money and that
he wished no association with her
whatsoever-beyond, Of course, the as
ISOLATION of permitting her to support
him.
On this basis they remained in holy
wedlock for % years. Mrs. Lehr could
not seek for divorce because of her
mothers prejudices.
This would seem to be a sufficiently
unlovely narrative in itself, but no
reader can escape further implications
as to the peculiarities of this man
who became an international figure in
American society. Indeed, such i'm
plications are strewn thickly through
out the book.
This is the personal narrative.
The other narrative, the delinea-
ton of our social customs as worn
during the period, follows the course
of Mr.. Lehrs triumphs. He was
leader of cotillions in New York and
Newport. He designed the favors for
the brilliant balls, he consulted with
the great hostesses on all types of
parties, he advised them about their
gowns. When Mrs. Astor, in Paris.
discovered that two of her hats were
unbecoming, it was to him that she
wrote for his ready sympathy" 1t
was his boast that he began where
Ward McAllister left off as arbiter
of taste for the Four Hundred.
He was the accepted playboy of So
ciety. To him the Emperor of Ger
many remarked, Il am told that you
are the man who makes America
laugh" And Lehr himself said of
his successes, Simpsons strength lay
in his hair :. mine lies in the favor
OF women"
1t would seem to have been true.
The great part of the presen. book is
made up of accounts of the pranks
with which he amused the ladies of
his crowd so delightfully."- that they
found him indispensable.
And the question arises from this
what was the reason that women, in
whose hands lay the wealth and power
OF expresses, should have found their
true level of pleasure in undergraduate
type of practical jokes? For while
Mrs. Lehr reiterates that her hus-
band was a brilliant man, she gives
us no example of his wit that proves
the statement. On the contrary, he