THE , OREGON : SUNDAY u- JOURNAL. PORTLAND. ' SUNDAY ' HORNING, : MARCH 22. 1903 ' '
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A "Medical" Event in
High Society With
Several Sensational
"Courses"
"'TWAS the gayest Sunday night dinner
' ever. given in Baltimore, according to
accounts. Baltimore isn't slow, but is
somewhat dignified in the mattct of enjoy
ments; it doesn't expect, "in its midst," the
joyous revels that tend to perpetuate the fame
o the Newport Four II undred.
J So when there were, at first, whispered
rumors, then more details, and. finally a gen
eral and frank discussion on the part of those
not present at the function of the nozv cele
brated "med'icaj." dinner at the ultra-fashionable
lkridge Hunt Club's exclusive suburban
home, it is putting it.mildly to state that all
Baltimore sat up and gasped.
r ' It was not intended, by any means, that
the spicy details of the "medical" dinner
slioiild ever become public Property. II oiv they
leaked out is even now a mystery to the ma
jority of "among those present." Because of
the unexpected sensation created, the densest
silence prevails in interested quarters. But,
like tlie contents of Pandora's box, many en
tertalning items of information escaped, and
these "set the town by the ears" in a way that
has not been known in a long while.
I
; Whrt lives the man that hath not, tried
How mirth cm into folly tilde. ScolL
Jf THE first place. Mr. and Mrs. O. Howard Harvey
-tied Invitations for a Sunday evening dinner at
, the Elkrldge Kennel. Mrs. Harvey Is the eldest
-.daughter of former Mayor Ferdinand C. Latrobe,
who was seven times chief executive of the fair city
on the patapsco. . "
One of the most vivacious and charming' of the
younger. matrons of Baltimore. Mrs, Harvey always
finds her invitations eagerly accepted. Upon thin oc
casion there was quite a gathering of the socially
elect. Assisting the hostess -were her ulster, Miss Vir
ginia Latrobe, and Mrs. Henry Clews, Jr., of Baltimore,
New York and Paris.
It is said that the Interesting features of the even
ing were due largely to the inspiration and genius of
Mrs. Clews.
This Jolly yonng matron has been spending the
winter In Baltimore, and It is whispered that at other
fashionable entertainments she Introduced Parisian
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novelties that were new to htr nutive town, to say
the leant.
Before her first marrlse to Frederick usually
called "Freddie" Obhurd.of New York, Mrs. Clews,
then widely known as "tho beautiful I.onise Morris,"
was a prominent figure In Baltimore society.
widely-heralded escapade attrihuted to ner was
wading one evening through a fountain In fashionable
Mount Vernon Place, attended by the f rollc-lovlng
irrenresslble Harry Jjrhr who Inis since tran
scended to the loftier and more enduring fame In Its .
wuy amidst the charmed circles of New York and
Newport.
hatever the source of the inspiration, that "med
dlnner at the Klkridge Kennels was undoubtedly
novel affair. And its success was enhanced by th
enthusiasm with which the. guests enU;red Into the
plans outlined for them.
Tie "medical" Idea, It Is stated, was carried out
with xlue regard to details. "Physicians." "nurses"
and "patients" were represented by the highly amused
guests. Naturally, too. ;i vast deal of fun can bo had
from "clinics" held under Joyous circumstances.
That some of the features of the occasion proved a
surprise, and were not down on tlw advance program,
so far as a number of the guests were aware, seemed
to be the consensus of opinion afterward.
As the affair was a "nwdical" dinner, the stars, of
course, were the big "doctors." Two physicians of
national in fact. International reputation were Im
personated. One of these was "Dr. Bull," of patent
leal"
a
medicine fame, and the other was "Dr. Osier." .
Oscar (5. Murray, president of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, was "Dr. Bull," a corpulent and bcno
lcnt gentleman with side whiskers and spectacles,
who commented sagely upon the prevalence of human
Ills and was not slow to recommend his "syrup"-and
other remedies.
General N. Wlnslow Williams, secretary of state of
Maryland, clubman, writer and society favorite, was
made up as "Drl Osier."
Near his "ofllee"' was posted a placard announcing
that consultations with "Dr. Osier" would cost at the
rate of 500 a minute that is, consultations for those
under 40 years of age.
It was fcenlly and pulltely Indicated that the cases
of patients over the age of 40 w-r?re regarded as hope
less, and that the consolation offered In the next world
was about all that was left to them.
In order that consultations with the learned men
of medicine be Impressive as possible, a side table
wns filled with medicine bottles, surgical instruments
and other things regarded as Indispensable In the
optrntion of a hospital.
Then there were charming nnrs'S, among them
Mrs. Harvey, the hostess of the evening; her sister.
Miss Virginia Datrobe, and Mrs. Alexander Brown.
They wo no dainty white caps and "sweet" little
aprons. With Hie devotion to duty f the true nurse,
they lent valuable aid In "assisting" the "doctors" In
doing what was deemed best for the comfort and re
lief of tire "patients."
Mrs. Kal Purr, whoso fresh beauty, willowy form
and vivacious manner have made her socially famous
In several cities, was selected as the star patient. Her
malady was diagnosed as typhoid fever.
Perhaps the fact that Mrs. Parr was attired for
tne "clinic" in a bathing suit, and the knowledge that
Icy baths are now given for typhoid fever, suggested
that as the proper "disease" to fasten upon her.
At any rate, coupled with the announcement of the
W W I II
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IMAGINE from 80,000 to 50,000 pigeons, near
, ly all . white as snow-flakes, circling and
sweeping through the air. Then you have
, some idea of - the beautiful scenes to bo
v ilnessed at tho celebrated Johnson pigeon farm,
near Los Angelea, CaL :
.; This Sa aaid to.be the largest pigeon farm in
ihe Lmted States, and may be the largeBt in the
vorlvL.If there is a larger, its reputation hasn't
traveled extensively. ;.
Among; pigeon raisers all ver the country
Johnson farm is known; iris one of the intcr-
-tiuff ehow places Tiaited by strangers, in Loa
.'.riiroJcs ' , ' .
TIERE have been as many as 100,000 pigeons In
the great Johnson flocK. In breeding the birds,
Mr. Johnson has culled out carefully all the
young with dark or colored plumage, so that
nearly all those now on the place are white, or
- nearly so. ,: . A,;
When the great flock indulges In exercise flights
about the place, and the air is tilled with the beauti
ful circling -White creatures, one can fancy a snow
storm sweeping over the picturesque valley that
knows no snow. ' : .
- pigfat acres of - sandy, gravelly soil compose the
pigeon farm, which ! located on the Los Angeh.s
river, in San .Fernando valley.
For the use of the pigeons, six large buildings
have been erected, new ones being added from time
to time as occasion or the growth of the flock re
quired. The main building is 30 by 60 feet and is 20
feet high.
Both Interior and exterior of the buildings are cov
ered with nest boxes, and there are a great many
more boxes placed around the yard. Those on the
outside of the buildings are arranged in tiers of ten.
In all, there are nearly 6000 nests in the main
building 30iio happy households under one roof.
All the interior nests are arranged along aisles,
so that they are readily accessible, both to the birds
and to the men who care for the premises. Once a
year every nest on the place is carefully cleaned and
fumigated.
Mr, Johnson markets his squabs when they ar
about four week xld, and usually receives from (2 to
$3 a dozen. Upon an average, he sells 1000 dozen a
month, so that his gross income of late-years has run
over 130,000 a year.
Cost of feed Is the greatest expense In the opera
tion of a pigeon farm. Upon the Johnson place the
birds are fed three times a day, and consume about
seventy bushels of wheat every day.
Throughout the country a great many persons are
engaged in raising pigeons for market. While a con
siderable number depend upon the Industry for a liv
ing, the great majority engage in It as a side Issue.
Jt is a business that a great many women have taken
up wlCtl success. , v
Several years ago. after as careful a census as
could be made, an authority asserted that In southern
Tiew Jersey alone sooo men and women were engaged
in raising squabs for market. .
As a pigeon, like a crow, will live in almost any
climate, the business extends from Maine toOregon
and from Canada to the UUlf.
Some of the lowest grades of squabs will net aver
age more than six and a half or six and three-quar-.
ter poands to the dozen. . If the meat is dark, these
feathered youngsters will probably not bring over
$1.50 a dozen in the market- Higher grades birds
ranging in weight all the way up to eight pounds to
the dozen tay sell for as 'much as $3.60 a dozen. In
fact, 14 has been received during recent years by
growers of fine birds.
diagnosis, it is said, came the '"doctors' " order that
the fair patient be given a cold bath.
Necessity for having a bathtub on hand for such
requirements had been .overlooked, it seems, so there
was some delay In securing one. Finally one was
found, brought into the -room and placed upon a table.
This was carrying reallsin a little too far, the
"patient" concluded, and she made objection to the
cold bath treatment . But gaiety was supreme, and the
orders of the "doctors' were carried out.
Despite her protests, the handsome young matron
was placed in the tub, according to accounts. It was
then concluded by her sympathising friends that ths
efficacy of the bath could be enhanced by streams
from numerous syphon bottles, and so for a time there
was a veritable deluge of aerated water pouring over
the struggling figure in the bathing suit.
Of course, accidents will happen, even In the midst
of an evening of mirth, so this feature of the gay
proceedings was terminated by the breaking down of
the table that held the improvised bathtub.
Mrs. Clews, finding her novel Ideas of entertain
ment proving such a decided success, was not averse
to adding to the general merriment by taking her
place as a "patient ' ,
The role selected for her, or by her, was that of a
person addicted to drugs and the morphine habit
one of those cases recognised- by the medical 'profes
sion as quite difficult to treat.
When her arm was bared it was found that ths
surface was covered with excellent imitations of the
. little marks left by the needle of the morphine user.
With these and other joyous proceedings the even
ing of gay revel passed all too quickly. At one
time, it Is reported, the appearance of three Teddy
hears upon 'the scene was hailed with shrteks of
laughter.
Considerable reticence marks all reference to this
feature, and it has not been fully explained just what
part the bears played .in the "clinic," other than being
given a bath and hurried off to the seclusion of the
bear nursery for an undisturbed sleen.
iuoil Ul ilia yrL ijr, iuu, yunvu KB pt&iivuiftf, . nttir
added their share to the general merriment Among
them were Henry W. , Williams, Alexander Brown,
O. Howard Harvey, Kal Parr and Spalding Ij. Jenkins
all high lights In the constellation of Baltimore
.-society.
The clubhouse of the Klkrldge Hunt Club is an
ideal place for a merry gathering. Located In the
suburbs, with beautiful surroundings, it Is an exceed
ingly popular rendezvous of the younger element of
society.
' During the summer it Is the scene, of an almost
continual round of brilliant functions, upon the spa
clous lawn Baltimore's annual Horse Show is held.
All the guests at the "medical" dinner are known
as belonging to the inner circles of Baltimore society.
LEAN TO NOVEL PARTIES
Mrs. Ral Parr was formerly Miss Laura Jenkins, a
member of one of the city's wealthiest and most fash
ionable families. She and Mr. Parr have a beautiful
country home in that suburban abode of wealth and
fashion.' the Green Spring Valley, where they enter
tain extensively and give brilliant as well as novel
functions.
rti the future their entertainments will be given,
probably, with military trimmings, as Mr. Parr was
appointed recently a colonel on the staff of Governor
Crothers, of Maryland.
Oscar G. Murray, president of the Baltimore and
Ohio Kallroad, is one of the most popular men in Bal.
tlmore social circles. Although a bachelor, he main
tains a splendid home on Mount Vernon Place, where
he entertitfrns his friends right royally.
It Is said that Mr. , Murray regards 13 as bis lucky
number. He was born on the 13th of the month, some
of his most notable successes and promotions date
from the 13th, and in some way that number, like an
influencing thread, runs through the story of his
career. - "
. It is related that some years ago, when he found
that his staff of servants numbered twelve he prompt
ly hired another to reach the magic number of his
good luck.
Secretary of State N. Wlnslow Williams was ap
pointed to that position by Governor Crothers last
winter. He Is a lawyer, and has won some reputation
as a writer, one of the most striking of 'his stories
icitiui) v a i a a v aoiriru in a, vess'o wins m iiuu ev v lU
"Zoo" that was then wintering in Baltimore.
Mrs. Clews is a daughter of the late John B. Morris,
of Baltimore, and was married to Frederick Gebhard
March 14, 14.
In October, 1901, she was freed from these marital
bonds by Judge Jones, of Sioux Falls. South Dakota,
who decided that Mr. Gebhard was guilty of wilful
desertion.
A month later Mrs. Gebhard became the bride of
HenryClews. Jr.. the quiet wedding taking place In
Christ Presbyterian Church. . " .
It was said that Henry Clews, the bankr, gave his
son a. large. check, and among -the bride's possessions
was the house at 8 Fast Seventy-ninth street. New
York, which she had received, together with $185,000,
' as alimony from Mr. Gebhard.
A few days. ago It was rumored in Baltimore that
Mrs. Clews contemplated seeking a divorce from her
second husband, but the report was denied by the
young woman's mother.