The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-16
THE BElUx OF THE PERIOD.
DON p1ATTs VIEWS ABOUT SOCIETY" I,
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

DON PIATT'S VIEWS ABOUT SOCIETY" IN
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Whfffets-Ho,v Escorts to the Opera are
Obtained-Bribes for Benu1-Th h c
Story of IN Artful Youth.
Don Piatt, the witty and observant Wash
ington correspondent of the Cincinnati Com
mercial, thus discourses of +" The Coming
Men =
X could not help noticing, the other night,
| while being jammed in corner and looking
upon the muddle of pettlcoated and panta-
looned humanity that streamed into that Ill
ventilated, dirty. mncomiortaole nre-trap,
called the National Theatre, the odd appear
ance of the young men who conveyed fleets o1
feminine fashionables. Every little fellow had
two or three females under charge, and Ii
| struck me back of the eyes that these Ladies
must be badly Off for masculine entertainment
| TO accent such escorts. These .fOrked vega
bles are such dminutive specmens-such
Weasel-laced little whiffets, turned ont to the
world by remorseless fashion in abbreviated
coats and tight pantaloons. that show, alas,
What they are. and not what they were meant
| 70 he. In their faces one finds as much eX-
preston as in an old lppenny-bit, and In their
| bodies Just enough muscle to do the round
dances.
the melancholy fact in every social centre OF
orr degenerate country. and while satin is
| eyhoustinp itself upon female dress, the fash
ionable young man Is turned out in get-llp
enough ridiculous to make an undertaken die
laughing.
Tic Short coat terminates at that point
md tI,o oorp
the lower boundary line Of said garment there
is precipitous descent in the slender sticks
of legs. that the pt'less neither garments
clinr to, and suggest pipe-stems, weak and
Since Arthur Patrick visited us, blue neck
ties and slender silk umbrellas appear above
said legs, and the weakly youth walks with q
long stride, suggestive OF cranes In post-pral-
dial vibrations.
such nm exhibit OF whiffets. SdUdnS who have
studied the subject tell me that this weakly
race comes of mothers made incapable of vigo-
rous offspring by fashionable living and fash
ionable dressing.
In Europe, a girl has good healthy run as
girl, before entering upon married life. But
with us a girl graduates half-fedged into full
fashion. and becomes leader Of society, to
churn up, night after night, bad champagne,
sour ice cream and indigestible cake In round
dances until she captures whiffet, and be-
comes the weakly mother of whi1ets.
Idon't. however, put II all on the woman, as
that old scoundrel Adam did. Men make their
fortunes in this country, and In the hot pur-
suit of wealth neglect not only their own
health. but their children. Mammon takes
the parent and the devil takes the children.
Time was when the social evil received Its
supply from the ignorant-the lower classes
MS we are pleased to call them. This Is some
what changed An eminent phlanthroplst of
New York, who has devoted much time and
labor in this field, told me, last winter, that
would be astOnislcd to find what 4 proportion
ofthis degraded class was not only educated,
but accomplished. One could expect this ailer
little Thought. In the financial reverses that
are now so common since orr business has
come to be gambling. our most helpless peO-
pie. the wives, and daughters OF men once
wealthy, are thrown out TO starve. There are
50 few sources Of support open to women, and
especially cultivated women, that they are
driven by starvation TO vice.
But TO return 10 my mutton-my lambs.
wa, making the rcniarh Uvu.HIIH Inc iceoie
appearance of the youth of society to Mrs. =,
nv brilliant friend, night before last, when
she burst into peal of silvery laughter, and
said: .,
ticed arc The society men here, and are used
bv the mothers and daughters as 30 many con-
veniences. DO you know that when aching as
escort to the opera, for example, they are iur-
nishing these bcauX not only with tickets but
carriages They are put to no expense save
for gloves and neckties. After awhile these
even will be furnished the harmless lnnOcents.
The mother, for example, addresses the fol-
lowing note to the proposed escort:
"'My Dear Mr. LiGlypup:
s.sWe find ourselves in possession OF a box at
the opera tonight, but Mr.. Ball is so busy he
cannot spare time for such luxury May we
count on you to escort us? Yours sincerely,
"And now when one of these properties oI
society invites a lady 10 reception, ball, OF
marty, he Is expected to meet her at the dress
ing-room, and aiterwarl help her to her car
riare. The young man Is run on the most eco
nonlcal principles"
.'Why, who are thcy%'
a..Wei, many OF them are sons OF old arsto
cratic families here, fallen into decay. Others
mr., government officials. 1t is not uncommon
for Cabinet officers, having daughters Oh thell
hands. to appoint certain young fellows Of fin
ishrd cxtremilics 10 office. that they may
dance attendance on the girls, and be useful
| know of quito little romance OF the latter
class. Young Hamilton Camp, known as liam
| Camp, came up TO the capital from the back
woods, about as awkward and green ayollth as
| YOU ever run away from. He was poor, OF poor
| family. and had educated himself by working
during the summer to have means for school
! ine. in the winter He was one Of those knotty.
| headed. shrrwd fellows, always looking out fOl
self He found himself here, bent on office, with
| n frY hundred dollars in pocket, and no end ol
confidence in himself He took the measure
of men. and, what is more, the measure Of the
women. and planned his campaign according.
ly, It was original. Sleeping in an attic,
and regulating his diet on the most economic
scale, he expended his means on tailor and
dancing-master.
donkey"
tions. balls and parties to which he could gain
access. and as he soon came to be recognized
as an ornament, balls and parties opened be.
fore him. And ut all of them he was very at
tnntiye TO the lovely and accomplished daugh
trr of the Hon. -, of the Cabinet"
II see, the old story of love lifting the low
'..Wait bit. He had the adroit fattery o.
the ears He listened with the lntcnsest in
trrcst to all the little troubles Of Miss -, ant
came in time 10 be necessary TO her happiness
| i'm the ballroom. He never brcathed wort
| of love. or what was more important to him
of Office. The season drew to close, ant
liam Camp found himself out Of money. HI
suddenly disappeared from society. One day
| Miss - met lin on the avenue, and held OIL
hnr two little hands. where have You been
Won naughty man . she cried. He made nj
responsr. but as they walked along he qnicil.
nnve her what she had long before given him
n confidence, and told Of his ambition, poverty
and hnlcd at his love. few days after Il,
was appointed TO the best ONCE IN the depart:
mcnt. over which the Hon. father presided.
| MI g., 1;,.n1 I'M nnncr and djp8 i'm odinnct