YANKEE LADY AND "SMART SOCIETY."

NZ Truth, Issue 124, 2 November 1907, Page 8

YANKEE LADY AND "SMART SOCIETY."

An Outspoken Visitor. i Miss Florence Schenck, the daughter of Dr. Powhatan Schenck, of the United States Navy, who came to London as the lady, whip for Mr Alfred Vanderbilt's horses, and who "rubbed elbows and brushed skirts," as she puts it, with society, has been recording her very breezy impressions of England m the "New York American." Miss Schenck j starts right off with :— lt l have a very poor opinion of. the American i society man. I am sorry to say so, but that is the result of . my experience, and I ani nothing if not candid. There is only one consolation I can offer my countrymen, and that is that the English society man is still worse than the American. I think our churches should pay more attention to saving the souls of men of fashion instead of WORRYING ABOUT THE POOR, who are never very bad-" The next item of societv intelligence that is broup'ht to our knowledge is that "m the very 'smartest' English society it is considered bad form to ask a husband and wife to dinner at the same time. When a thoughtful hostess invites a married man to dinner she provides one of his particular friends as a dinner companion for him, and she is careful not to ask the wife, because her presence might embarass him." Next wo have Mr Walter Winans, the millionaire, m the character of a gallant. Mr Wina-ns once gave me, before a large group of people, a horse's head of diamonds. To the best turnedout little girl m the world,' he said, with a bow, which I accepted as a tribute to the fawn paddock coat ; the little black driving hat, and the white gartered patent leather boots I wore."