Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1874-12-01
Letter from California.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 20, 1874

Nobody, who IS anybody, REMAINS
at home if they can help 1t; ana no
body, who has them, thinks OF lock-
ing up their diamonds in downtown
safes, or. anywhere else, where they
cannot occasionally take peep at
them, and try their effect with the
variety of new dresses Just from
Parry, Madame VS., or anywhere
else, where fashion dictates they
must be purchased.
Sharon's reception was followed
by General Colton's; and the guam
titv Of anguish, envy, delight, and
jealousy stirred up by these two
triumphant successes in the march
of money, would probably agonize
the recording angel, who condes-
cends to notice these little events,
which throw a whole community
into a state of such agitation.
The Sharon wedding-the great
California wedding-the union Of
two hearts in one, symbolized III the
display of such taste as only wealth
can bestow, has been too distinctly
detailed i'll the Chronicle TO be again
more than passingly noticed; but
the Cotton affair has been less wide
Nv known. Even in this city there
are people now who were not aware
that Cotton gave party, and there
are people so insignificant as not TO
know who Cotton is. But the elite
of San Francisco We're at that party;
and the diamonds glittered; the
laces spread themselves; the supper
without wines was profuse the
guests danced, and wealth hobnob-
bed. By and bye, the show was
over, and all departed for home, to
bed, and wondering in silent eXpec-
tation as to who will be the next
millionaire to throw open his house,
diffuse his money, and make him
self convenience for the display
and ostentation Of such of his
friends as have passports to the
society which society Graves.
San Francisco has grades Of soci-
ETY., of course, like other cities; but
it is perhaps more distinctly marked
than any other, into that that has
money and that that has none. The
society, par excellence, is that of
wealth. 1t distinguishes everything,
der is the world out of gear or not
and is there nothing but wealth left
in it to improve it!
The same people attend the same
parties. Six hundred were at Col
toms; four times this number at
Sharon's, but his was partly polit-
ical affair, while Colton's was
recherche. The same crowd will
dance at every party during this
winter; and as six hundred will not
give parties, and indeed no more.
perhaps, than six, one can see how
enjoyable it must be, for the other
five hundred and odd, to get them
selves to be ent artained at their
friends expense; and how social
and pleasant it will be, to talk over
among themselves, the oddities of
this one, and the want of taste of
that one, or the beauty and excel
lence OF everything, as different ma
lures dictate.
But wealth is not absolutely neces-
sary to obtain the entree to this bril-
Liant society. Only to have the
appearance of wealth, false jewels,
mixed with real, may answer; and
no wealth at all, but credit enough
10 obtain the required habiljments
10 rival your neighbor, and influence
enough among friends to obtain an
invitation. Go yourself under some
pretext or other, and call upon the
people giving the party, and =. cheek
i out" as they say, till you have
accomplished your purpose. Don't
be backward; London Assurance is
nothing to San Francisco, when
studied and followed, and brass is
almost as good currency as gold in
some particulars and upon some oc-
casions, if only we'll used.
The Club parties have had their
day, so far as gentility is concerned.
Good, honest people go and dance,
and apparently enjoy themselves,
but not the elite; they turn up their
aristocratic, shoddy noses, look over
their stocks, count up the expense of
new dresses, and start off to enjoy
hANA3y -bCs nus
pitality.
Quiet, home amusements are al
most entirely ignored. The taste
for display, she greed for wealth,
has almost undermined the true
beauty of social life in this new city;
and the tact that hospitality belongs
to comparatively a few and not TO
the many, is attributable either to
the lack of brainss and Intelligence
on the part of our people, who do
not know how to make elegance out
Of any Of the ordinary conditions of
life by which they are surrounded,
or TO the overgrowth of selfishness,
laziness, and inability to appreciate
anything but gaud and glitter; con-
sequently, upon that condition,
which looks, to use in anything but
speculation, as a nuisance, and feels
itself amply able TO wait for the
good time coming, when the mines
pay and their fortune is made, TO
begin to take life as it is, and use it
10 its best purpose.
Whatever its cause, the result is
state OF social hamilton, perfectly
1pplOrable on the ona hand and