Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1882-01-19
NEWPORT sNOBBISHNESS.
Some of the Ridiculous Airs Put on by So.
cial Upstairs.


cial Upstairs.
Margery Dean in Boston Transcript.
Newport's winter residents are of two
| classes-one keeps shop and the other
shines in society. Itrequires little exertion
to do either, and climate and people 90 ad-
mirably together. Speaking Of society
makes Ice to think of one of the last stories
this time true-which is very good
commentary on the state of things here
socially. To be in trade pronounced with
a very broad a is something according
to our social ethics that is
simply impossible to rise above.
II am thankful that none of my
family have ever been in business, said a
young gentleman to me once, who lived on
his mother, who, in her turn, lived on a
rich son-in-law; and business has even
more reason to be thankful in this instance.
But to the story. The small daughter of
one Of the F. F.'s appeared at school, re-
Gently, with face expressing much salts
faction, explained in this manner to her
teacher: Il am not to study arithmetic any
more. My mamma doesn't know anything
about arithmetic, and my papa says it is not
much use; and as shall never keep shop,
you know, there's no need Of my learning
it," You are not to judge Of Viewpoints
winter residents, constituting society" as
a whole, by these instances; for there gath
er here every year large number of really
delightful people, cultured and sensible,
but there is leaven in the lump that would
give Thackeray great delight. Society
itself finds much amusement in this very
thing, while it yields to the influence 0
this curious element, which some how has
come to lay down it's laws. It is not every
body who can appreciate the depth of feel
ing which caused lady to say on our streets,
What is society coming to, when naval
officer marries a school teacher?"
Il is a person almost invariably whose an
tecedents are better not looked into who
makes such 4 remark as this last. Fancy
one lady saying to another who had just
come to town, Il did not introduce you at
my house last hight to my other guests, as
they did not know who you are, and they
might not have been agreeable to you. "Is
there to be no dancing school this winter?"
asked the other day. mo, last winter the
children Of two OF three townspecple {syn-
onymous With tradespeople) got in and there
was such a fuss that they can't get up a
class this year," was the answer. Now I
am on this subject, let me give you a per-
sonal experience. I was once, at party,
introduced by the lady giving it to another
guest. who had been in Newport long
enough TO become imbued with the ideas
of few social leaders, and who was very
much alive to the feeling that she. through
marriage, had really acquired social posi-
ton for the first time in her life. She
was sweetness itself, and bealning cor
diality. suddenly found that she was
under the impression that I belonged to the
navy. I 1ndeceiyed her. "Are you not
Mrs. - Of the Navy?" she asked, her
sweetness vanishing into air. Il am not, !"
l replied, and with inward gratitude, too.
That woman could not finish her conversa-
ton with me until she had abruptly turned
away and asked neighbor, "What Mrs.
us this?"
It is a study, this society question, when
you reflect that this is America. Of course
the summer society looks far down On this
winter coterie. It is curious, too, to see
the influence Of this peculiar exclusiveness
on all grades from the highest to the low
est. We are known by CHOPS" here, and I
assure you the "first chop" does not feel
any mole keen]y its superiority over the
second chop" than dothe Fifth chor"e
over the sixth. We are glad to ape the
En- glish in winter a SUI MINER, bat we airs
not at all English, we are not at all Ameri-
can, we are Newport. and if here is an
other place just like Newport in the world
I have yet to find it.