New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-21
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 81. 1873

from this footmanipoint of view. What YOUTH
with the first down darkening his upper hp'
standing on tiptOe on the edge OF the dear,
delicious chaos of balls and calls, afraid yet
longing to make the plunge, but will welcome
such definite instructions as this description
of the course in life Of the true gentleman
The Gentleman does not smile when bowling
to lady, unless the acquaintance be intimate.
If he does smile, it must be with the eyes
rather than the mouth. A Gentleman who
NAV chance to be in the opera house in
dress-suit "a place, we are TO infer where
dress-suits are only worn by chance) may pay
a visit of ten or fifteen minutes to the box OF
a lady. On no account would he remain
longer than that time. To match TINS
drawing-roOm Sir Philip Sydney jenkins
proceeds to give the experiences and dlihcul-
ties in the way of an imaginary lady III her
role as leader of fashion. The anecdotes nave
certain pre- Raphaelitish touches about them
which almost persuade us to believe the lady
actually exists queen of some ambitious cluO
of green-grocers' wives. She lately gave
ball, we are told, to which no men under
twenty-one were invited; but finding one
hobble -de-hOy under that age had been bid
den, served him as a man unprovlded with
wedding garment, and shut the door in his
face Through the mouth of Jenkins she now
lectures him on his wrath at this treatment
and holds out the promise to him, II patent
Of coming balls when he shall have grown
ND enough for them. Her own experience has
been equally unfortunate Invited to o musical
soiree, she was afterward requested not to come
her host having learned that she had spoken
sanderously of the person in whose honor the
entertainment was given ga rudeness," she
informs us, "of fragrant character" Indeed,
this mythical leader of the ton delights IN
showing us the snubs she has received, sears
Of her hard fought battle upward into good
society" She once proposed to business ac-
quaintance in Philadelphia to call upon his
wife, and received the prompt reply that they
chose their own circle of friends and had no
desire to enlarge it," This sensitive woman
slgely assures the public she never shall place
herself in such position again. Henceforth
she is the sought, never the seeker. Surely
under this thin disguise he tells his own story.
How have l scratched my way up" cries
Poddy in the play. "Thumps in the front and
kicks in the rear! But l have crossed the
We have noticed jenkins and his ideal lady
for the same reason as we infer that the paper
was admitted into a literary magazine, because
they very Justly represent large class OF
American society. Often possessing wealth
and always presumption, they too frequently
represent to foreigners all of American society.
1t was Jenkins and lady "whO in New-YOrk
"sent their daughters ont TO meet the Grand
"Duke Alexis in Philadelphia marshalled them
"into the supper room after he and his suite
81 of men were accommodated; and in st. Louis
" allowed them to invite him to dance" 1t is
unfortunate, but inevitable in q society where
money is given the pas. The surprising point
in the matter is, that with the shrewdness to
make money Jenkins and his ilk have not
been able to initiate the manner Of those
to whom ease and culture have inferred
for generations, and to whom opera boxes,
foOtmen, balls, calls and the puerile
points of etiquette are familiar and in
different trfes, and not matters too new and
heavy for The handling For the sake Of gene
raj comfort, at least, we should be glad as he
goes jostling into every avenue of society that
he would stand MOI longer, like TOots, in the
doorway, debating as a question of life and
death whether his shirt cuffs ought to be up
or down, or whether he should remain fifteen
or sixteen minutes in an opera box. No use to
try by precision in etiquette to rid mems minds
of the memory of the source of his wealth.
" Jones, saddles" Thompson, whisky;'-these
things stick close in America as the broom to
a Plantagenet or the battleax to the De COurcy.
But by lifting his mind above trihes he can at
least learn to wear the purple with such care
less ease that men would forget he had not
been born to it.
We nrn told Of q Instice of the Peace an Old