National Republican., 1879-12-23

Tho Conversation "a Dainty Handkerchief
Had with Japanese Fan.
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philadelphia Press1
dainty handkerchief and Japanese fan
the handkerchief careessy thrust through
the fans sticks were lying on chair.
well" !" said the handkerchief, chow do
you like this? We have had enough sea air
at any rate left out all night on this damp
piazza. 1t Is outrageous, look like an old
rag =.
II feel very rheumatic, aud / am sure my
sticks are spoiled"
Spoiled! should think so !" snapped the
handkerchief; all the varnish Is coming Off
on me. 1 shall never be fit to be seen again.
and hate rag-bags"
1T is better than ash heaps" said the fan
drearily THAT is where will be thrown at
last. II is awful Such dirty people pick
one up"
"Well, it is nicer to be picked up by a
pleasant person. said the handkerchief THAT
Mr.. Cartwright, now He always picks me
up so carefully when our lady lets me fall.
| like him."
Eyes, / know" said the fan, but why does
she let us fall SO oftenp / wonder IL ladies al
ways jump up without looking what they
have2 1t seems so. Up they get, down roll
dozen of things and OFF go the gentlemen to
| pick them up. They swear over 1t, too, some
times, when they roll far. So a ball of worsted
| told me-"
| "Oh ladies never think; IL isn't expected ~
said the handkerchief, shortly. "They are
supposed to look pretty, that's all Dress
does great deal toward position. Our lady
was very careful about her toilets for coming
here. She has her handkercliefs to match
every dress. She came here to get into society,
| you know" trt.
"Did she" said the fan, curiously. What
does that mean ?" XIX. H.g
| "Wel. really" answered the handkerchief,
| contemptuously, "you seem to know very lit
| tie of the world but l suppose quite simple
minded people live in Japan"
| Japan" laughed the fan, /" / never saw the
| place. Most of us are made in America and
periumed 1t does just as we'll. But never
mind that Tell me about society. What
must one do to get there? is ta place ~
"a place." laughed the handkerchief in her
turn. Al should think not, indeed. Society
is people. Not everybody, but the people"
"Wlat sort are they" asked the fan; "hand.
some ?"
,"Wel. not always--sometimss.
"Clever?"
No. not always sometimes"
Good people, perh ,psP"
am afraid not always"
"RchP"
"Often, but not always. Our lady is rich
enough, you know. Her father made 1t in a
| glue factory" ........
''Wel, what sort of people is society, theu2''
said the fan.
"ob, people of family--the Wallingfords and
the Shushans and the Gottards in our town
they are society. Blood, you know"
| II don't know anything of the kind" an
swered the fan, sturdily. II have heard that
! MIR. Wallngfords grandfather kept u grog-
shop, and that Mr.. Gottard's mother made
| flowers for living before she was married
Is that all society is?"
You don't understand" said the handker-
chief, Grossly; you are rather stupid. You
can tell society people in a minute they have
an air. They come into q room as II they
owned everything in 1t, and so they do. Plenty
of people bow down to them"
| "Ah now you begin to talk" said the fan
II am not so stupid; you did not tell me prop
erly before. | SEQ now-l see now 1t is push
which makes society smiling and bending
but pushing along into the same, never mind.
ing snubs aud sliding into place after all.
have seen people get through crowds that way
il is the same sort of thing. A smile and by
your leave here and gruf push there and q
stiff beg pardon another time, but always get
ting through. Before people know it some
times, there you are in front OF them. They
almost wonder how you got there. Push
smile, push, and on you go all"
Dear me-" interrupted the handkerchief
"there comes our ady-and with Mr.. Got
tard for all the world How did she get tc
him2"
why" said the fan, slyly, "he talked to hel
all last evening, very close, IN this very spot
were you asleepT-why, didn't you tell me h'
was society,""
1T was so dark" murmured the handkcr
chief, rather ashamed. "One can't tell society
people in the dark"
"Oh here II is," said bright, fresh youni
voice. II am so glad. Dear old fan woult
not lose it for the world now"
"Nor would have YOU" answered Mr.. Got
tard, very softly. "lt reminds me of one o
the pleasantest evenings ever spent"
"Oh oh y whispered the fan to the hand
kerchief; 'she is in society"