Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-19
Society Gossip in New York;


 great difference is observable in the ser vice of dinners, those effete things called ''fa- vors" being by universal consent declared tresome and almost abandoned, especially the toys made in imitation of chairs, sofas, tin watering-pot and the like, whilst the fla vors for the German constantly increase in splendor. Gold pencil jeweled shawl pins and other gifts of value take the place of the flowers and ribbon bows so long in favor, which is a thousand pities, because the people who cannot give jewelled shawl-pins will he's itate about giving Germans. This fashion originated at Newport last summer.
 There is scarcely limit to the desire of the human heart for flowers at the celebration of dinner and wedding feasts, but even that form of decoration seems to receive less attention this winter. Perhaps it is because the rooms of modern Amphitryons are so exquisitely finished in the decorative art way, and there is little space left to fill with flowers. Grow ing plants in vases, making every day fresh additions of their own, are most attractive.
 There is not so much painting of the face as there has been. Those passees beauties who have been in the habit of using the hare's foot have either died, gone away, seen the folly of their ways. Champagned hair and rouged cheeks are, to the credit of society, gone out of fashion.
 Ladies lunches prevail, and are as recherche as ever. The profusion of wines, however, only serves to assuage the thirst of the butler, or no woman can drink much wine at half past in the day, even if she can at any oth CT time. These gorgeous entertainments at an hour when no one is ever hungry, would seem to be the most unnecessary outcroppings of luxury, but that they serve to show beauti- fuI china, table linen and exquisite toil- cites.
 Nobody has yet written a sonnet to the poke bonnet, and yet it is one of the liveliest inno- vations of fashion. Imagine 8 beautiful young face beneath grandmothers poke, and you have "Walter Crane" picture made to orderI That, and the fashionable short dress, renew the costume of one hundred years ago, and are seen at every tea The short dresses worn at balls are not graceful, although in the present style of dancing, which revives the old jumping polka, they are decidedly convenient. The figure of robust woman (and thank heaven our women are becoming more and more robust with every decade) needs 8 lengthy skirt to be graceful particularly in dancing Nothing can be more beautiful, however, than the growing fancy for white for all young women, and the appropriate Titianesque splendor of the dress es of the matrons. A very good fashion is also being introduced of the double benches, so common In Europe, along the walls, on which the matrons sit high, behind the charges at their feet. The double row Of "SnoW and Shadow" is very becoming to ballroom. One misses out of the heap of cards the little supper once so fashionable. Have those rival houses, Delmonico and the Brunswick, ruined this once perfect flower of modern lux ury? After the theatre people go to Delmon- ico's. Formerly they went home to 8 supper, at which good things were apt to be said The tendency of society, however, is not con- versationaL It is more devoted to the gaudy pleasure of the eye than of the ear. The quip and the quirk are all unnecessary now. To be we'll dressed, to dance well, to eat well, to walk well, to row well, are all in order; but to talk well would be an unnecessary accom- plishment. It is the age of the worship of the body.