Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-25
PRETTY R R WOMEN.
An Active Demand for Them in London
Society.
Cor. New York World

Luulon NoIs NEW luIk hOTlQ.l
If there is little prospect at present
of any excitement in public life it is
only reasonable to look forward to a
change for the better in social affairs
Il mean so far as liyelinesS is con-
cerned, for in other respects | will not
venture to make any predictions.
Some people will have it that the
morals of the community are at a very
low ebb, but although the barometer
may show great variations, there is a
general average kept up, one year
taken with the other.
A good friend of mine declared the
other night that he did not believe
the state of morals in fashionable life
was ever so low as it is to-day, but /
fancy his recollection of Evelyn's and
Pepsy's stories of Whitehall and court
circles cannot have been very fresh in
his mind, and he doubtless forgot the
anecdotes of the immaculate William.
Prince of Orange, and of all the
Georges except George III. Greville s
Memoirs" even bring the strange
eyentful history down to a later date.
There never was so moral a court in
England as w have to-day; and as to
the tone of society" before pro-
nouncing an opinion upon it a careful
distinction ought to be drawn between
those who are really at the head of
social life and those who are merely
impudent pretenders. London abounds
with the latter class, and in these
free and easy days they have a simpler
game to play than of old, when class
distinctions were marked out between
hard and fast lines. These lines are
almost ~obliterated now. We have
now entered upon the pretty woman"
era, money itself being less sought af-
ter than beauty. If a man chances to
have a pretty wife, all doors are open
to him-he can go anywhere, although.
to be sure, he does not count for much
when he does go.
There are about half a dozen beau
ties in London already to begin the
season-marrled beauties. mind Won
for bread-and butter misses are no
longer in fashion. The pretty married
women are ever so much more piduant.
The knowing people who want to form
a set Of acquaintance in the exclu-
slve circle get these pretty women 10
their houses and all the men will soon
follow. Of course stories get about
how a one help that? People will
talk, and a page of your paper would
not contain all the s~candalous title
tattle that goes from one house to an
other. A pretty woman mania in a
community is sure to be attended with
disadvantages Of that kind. But who
cares? Not the pretty women appa-
rently. Not their husbands. The
keynote Of the season has been struck
and it is a popular one. Ask all the
good looking young married women
whom you ar scrape acquaintance
with to your house. Get six of them
to dinner on one evening. Let them
be dressed in the height Of the mode.
which is rather low. Ask a few of
your male friends (all Of the best ton
be it understood to drop in after
dinner. They will drop in fast enough,
never fear. The word will soon reach
far and wide that your parties are the
best in London, and half Of the aris-
tocracy will be begging for your invita-
tions.
Such is the prescription, and il is
not an unpleasant one 10 take. For
my part | would rather bow tho neck
any day to a pretty woman than a rich
broker, userer or sp%eculator, who for
years together went whore he liked
and did what he liked in English so.
ciety.