beauty that they somehow manage to convey the hint
that only by an unwinking watchfulness do they succeed in foiling the
onslaughts of his ogreship of avoirdupois. In their eye lurks terror
and in their lines one spells their secret of rebellious hunger; of
Delsarte, gymnastics and massage. Sometimes the matron is an
improvement on the maid. But this is not always true. For those who
turn coarse and harsh with years, we recommend Christian Science and a
less flexible self-denial.

* * * * *

We find it difficult to understand that lack of sense and taste which
led to the recent criticisms of Mr. Jefferson's oratory on the Actor's
Home occasion. Mr. Jefferson, happening by mistake to pass over one of
the many names of benefactors, and, presto! there were a dozen
listeners, malice-prompted, eager to ascribe to this falter of an old
man's memory every meager and jealous motive. An intricate and, of a
necessity, a somewhat didactic argument, delivered in the open air,
does not become the simplest of tasks in the hands of an old gentleman
who has turned his back upon the fourscore mark. He was brave and he
was most obliging to undertake a speech of any character, and now his
payment seems to be in the customary false, ill-natured coin.

* * * * *

It is said that the late Ward McAllister shrank with peculiar distaste
from the vulgarity of divorce. If so he is to be congratulated on
passing away before the publication of his niece's domestic misfits.
Mrs. Young is appallingly frank concerning her wrongs and the suit
threatens to be spicy; although so far, the name of the actress
corespondent has not been given to the press. It was good of Mr.
McAllister to attempt that separation of wheat from chaff which at one
time rendered his verdicts of such dread power among social aspirants;
it may be the irony of mockery that to-day his family are conspicuous
upon only two points. One relative goes clamorously into the divorce
court while another wins celebration by the showy style of a bodice.

* * * * *

The gossip who predicted that the wife of the French ambassador would
decline to be received by the Countess Cassini must content herself as
best she may with the development of some lesser scandal, for
certainly this last effort has met refutation. Mme. Cambon dined at
the Russian embassy like the diplomatic woman that she is.