The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-29
Cranks in Society.

tie surely plenty OF Cnem IN New Ork
society-and in its highest circle There
are men and women who 90 everywhere,
who are known to everybody, and whose
names appear in all social records, that
are far more unsound in mind that many
man and woman who has been sent to
the insane asylum, or the Home for the
Feeble-Minded. There is mystery as
to how many of these queer people OBJ
tanned good social footing; but they
have it, and hold it undisputed. | might
detail columns of their sayings and
doingsa but have only space for two or
three OF the most conspicuous cases.
There is one man who prides himself
upon being the handsomest man in New
York-and he is indeed fine specimen
OF the genus homo. He not only is hand
some, and knows that he is handsome,
but be says he is handsome 81 saw you
on Fifth Avenue, yesterday" said a
friend. eyes, yes,n was the drawing
response, Il was there; but 1 seldom
walk-it is so disagreeable having people
turn about to stare at me-" ''There was
great crowd at Mrs. Vandyke Browns
ball last night" remarked an acquaint-
ance to this elegant Turveydrop. Eyes;
it kept me moving through the room all
the time, to avoid making a group. l
stopped for moment in the back draw
ing-room, and the place became sufo-
eating; people were packed like sardines.
| have been so long in New York that I
should think people would be done
staring at me-" This is only self-con-
ceit, but it is colossal Self-conceit.
Rather a more pronounced case of
imbecility was told me the other day by
a distinguished English woman, who
with her family had been spending the
winter in New York, and has gone
everywhere. One evening, at one of
thebest houses here, she was approached
by tall and elegant gentleman, who,
bowling very low, said: MADAM, |
have danced with the Princes of Wales,
taken the Duchess of Edinboro' in to
dinner, have visited the Countess of
Dudley, have chatted with Lady Ions
dale, and am personally acquainted
with Mrs. Langtry.'' Having delivered
himself of this speech he turned on his
heel and walked away. When the lady
returned home she was met by her
daughter who had been at another
party. Mamma she said, eve met
the most extraordinary man; Mr.. -,
a very elegant person. He simply
walked up to me, and said: Miss -,
| have danced with the Princess of
Wales, taken the Duchess of Edinboro'
in to dinner, have visited the Countess
of Dudley, have chatted with Lady
Lonsdale, and am personally acquainted
with Mrs. Langtry.' 1t seems that this
man has but one speech for English ac-
quaintances, and he rehearses that to
every Englishman and Englishwoman
he meets. He dare not trust himself to
talk, and so when he has finished his list
of aristocratic acquaintances, he has
nothing to do but to turn away. l am
not sure that l have the list quite cor
rect; but if it is correct, one can't but
pity the Princess of Wales for having
had to endure such partner, the
Duchess of Edinboro' for having had
such a dinner companion, and the
Countess of Dudley for having had such
guest. This man has very old name,
a very elegant presence, goes every
where. and yet people tap their fore
heads when he stops speaking, or muir
muir, with charitable consideration, ''too
much champagne"
Then there are ''cranks'' among the
women. There is one lady whose name
appears in every list of fashionable
people. 1t is fine old name-but the
woman who bears it is so eccentric that
she would not be tolerated for an instant
in places where she is not known. She
dresses like guy, and behaves worse
than she dresses. 1t is said that she
often goes to parties uninvited-and
coolly walking up to the distressed
hostess, says: 81 knew it was an over
sight-and here / am" Once, when
living abroad, she invited a pair of young
Americans to be married at her hand
some apartments, instead of in the hotel,
where they had expected the ceremony
to take place. The wedding was to be
at ten in the morning. The party as
sembled, but the hostess had gone
to market. There was an awk-
ward delay. Presently the lady APP
peared W 18th her purchase in her hands,
babe the minister proceed, and while he
was going on, she. still shawled and
bonneted, reached from the chair where
she was kneeling, to inspect the lace with
which the other kneeling guests had
adorned themselves. A distinguished
American calling on this same lady in a
foreign city, received a message by the
servant who had taken up his card, say
ing that if he would step out on the side
walk she would be able to converse
with him from her chamber window;
that she couldn't come down because she
was en- dishdbile. So the conversation
occurred, the lady's head appearing in
curl papers, at third-story window, and
the gentleman standing on the sidewalk
below The same woman thinks it quite
proper to put her feet up into chair
while making call. And this woman,
as 1 have said, goes everywhere, and is
as well-known in the drawing-room as
Jay Gould is on Wall Street. She is &C.
centric to the last degree, but she has
kind heart, is herself delightful hostess,
and nobody seems to mind her peculiar
behavior or extra ordinary speeches.
Ignorant people, too, are to be found
in New York society-found and sought
after and liked, in spite of their ignor-
.ance, Mrs. Malaprop and Mr.. Malaprop
have been abroad on Murray Hill this