Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-28
Past Era
Returns
With Hyde
Wraiths of Gibson Girl
Drift Back TO u. S.
EDWIN I. HILL

w days drift back TO our
shores with the return of James
Hazen Hyde from Paris, after 35
years of self-imposed exile. In
the long view, noting Mr.. Hydes
diligent service of American in
terests during the World War,
we let bygones be bygones and
think only of the afterglow OF
an epoch and write off the in
surance investigation which.
while not smirching Mr.. Hyde,
caused him TO seek a more
peaceful retreat in Paris.
One could rebuild that Gibson
girl era around the elegant per-
son of James Hazen Hyde. In
Harvard University. he was -
shy that he was tagged with a
nickname which later would
have been translated as chick"
Moving into his fathers life as
surance society, he contributed
undreamed of embellishments TO
the life insurance business
Van Dyke beard, fresh bou-
tonnierc every hour, French
ChateauX, a E1fdcd safoff, regal
coaching equlpage and horses,
and a wardrobe which outshone
all pOSSihip councillors
He chartered the Green Point
ferry to take an Oriental po-
tentate TO his Bay Shore mon
sion in Long Island. He was the
most famous whip of his day.
gathering resounding fame by
driving the Liberty" coach
frpn NeN- York 10 Lakewood
From early boyhood. he had be-
+ come obSessed with the French
F cultural tradition For his
French Renaissance ball at
Sherry's. there was an expense
account Of 100000
THERE are aging DANES. dow
Il ayers and coiillion leader,
who remember that ball
wisffully. as possibly our high
est reach OF elegance. in those
days when We first realized that
we didn't have 10 take any ones
dust when il came 70 throwing
party | quote from an ac-
count OF the ball from Albert
Stevens Crockett's book Of later
years. called "Peacocks on
Parade
THE ballroom ST Sherry's
had been transformed TO repre-
sent portion of the Palace Of
Versailles. with frescoesr mir
rors and period furniture, copied
tn the last detail. II was said
that many of the necessary de-
tails had been made in Paris and
imported Hyde received his
guests I'm white satin breaches
and long. silken hose and the
rest of costume adequate TO
convert him into portrait OF
Louis XVI. His sister. Mrs.
sydney Ripley, received with
him, CARRIED as Marie Antoinette.
The guests were costumed In
harmony.
Altogether. the picture was
one that would have graced the
Palace of Versailles itself. at a
period when splendor in France
was measured in royal or I'M
perial terms.
s9INHE piece de resistance Of
the occasion was the APP
pearanee OF Nine. Reiane, the
great French actress, who was,
In effect. guest of honor as
well a. the chief performer. Her
arrival provided n real sensa-
tion. for she was borne into the
ballroom seated in sedan
chair, the bearers being four
husky men in the uniform Of tho
Swiss Papal Guards.
Guests were seated during
her act, which consisted mainly
of recitation. There was moth
ing in the slightest degree inn
moral or suggestive, at least to
ears accustomed only to Eng
lish: and certainly eyes could
not have detected anything that
need offend the tenderest sus-
capabilities of even mid-Nicto-
rian morality. The act over.
Mime. Rejane was handed into
her sedan and carried out OF the
room as she had come in.
But IL was the lavishness OF
the affair that made the talk.
Even the least important ar
-rangements- The entertain
ment were designed to dazzle n
thrill-sated throng. The favors
were exquisite, the food perfect,
the wine of rarest vintage. 1t
WAS that particular ball at
Sherry's that had considerable
+ bearing upon the great insur-
ance investigation Of the same
year which served TO center
public attention upon rising
young lawyer. Charles Evans
Hughes, later to be governor of
New York, then. in turn, a JUS
tice of the United States SUI
preme Court, presidential
candidate. secretary OF state and
now chief justice Of the United
States"
Copyright. 1871. King Features synd. Inc.