Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-02-24
FREEHAND NOTES.
TIE VARIED PHASES OF SOCIAL
LIFE,
The Methods Of Fashionable Callers
Nine. Rllmenreich in MARY stuart IT,
"Adrienne Lecouvreur Etc.


weather in which to make calls, and &C.
cordingly many exchanges of visiting cards
are taking place. 1t is an established butt
for the ridicule of society play. wrights and
novel-wrlters, this fashionable afternoon
call but, as the devil observes in "The
Deformed Transformed, " it is poor fun to
laugh at what all the world is laughing
at; and the fashionable call hos its points.
First of all, woman's carriage costnme is
by all means, when it is in good taste. her
most becoming dress. If her hands are
ugly, they are faultlessly gloved; if her
feet are large, they are booted 'to kill. Z"
There is no competition for mems admira.
ton to excite the fair callers envy. She
hurls herself and her bonneted loveliness
at her hostess unbonneted, and has all the
| advantage Of one on the wing. She feels
like an event, whereas her hostess feels
necessarily like a fixture-advantag of the
butterfly over the flower expressed by
Hugo: " Je reste, tn ten vas" Neither does
the true caller, who understands her part.
| miDce, dawdle or rustic into the room as the
''callipg" actress is forced to do to make
the satirist's point. All the visitors points
are her own. Either her manner expresses
Joy for herself-by way of fisttering her
hostess, or an implied favor-by way of
piquipg her hostess. I know one woman
who PAGES into the drawing room like a
goddess
LIES IN HER CHAIR LIKE CLEOPATRA
In moment of repose; looks about like
one who says, 'The whole world is op.
pressive, but this is rather the best place
in it." Sac is called stupid and spiteful ];
she certainly says very little, but she is
vastly, Orientally ornamental. Another
woman sails into the room like ship car
rying all her canvas. 1t is written in her
manner that she can only remain long
enough to be spoken but she will do
what she can for you. She is brilliant
talker, fires rafting salute, and plows
by, walking the Administer like thing OF
life. The shy boldness of the debutante
out without her mother is another beauti.
f1l study. She sidles in blushing, and
holding her head down as if she expected
to be taken in ones arms, as she frequently
is. Tne established belle patronizes every
body, hates calling, and is correspondingly
execIated, while she feels unutterablypopu-
lar and adored. Her conversation is most
like what the satirist represents she talks
of all the entertainments she can think of,
passionately desiring to hit upon one to
which her hostess has not been invited. If
the latter betrays or confesses her sighted
state, the belle instantly harps upon that
ball, dinner or musical as the very acme of
revelry, the choicest gem in a season of
social joys only a few; just friends, you
know all people who knew each other
well don't you think that's the pleasant.
est sort OF party?" The belle never talks
scandal nor indicates that there is any
thing uncomfortable or distressing in the
whole world, for the most important seq
nent of the world ravolves directly around
her. Bless her The married belle is a
very different sort of person. She is a con-
versatiohalist or nothing. Size even con-
fesses to having read stray novel or poem
at some period of her existence, and haz.
ards criticism of life occasionally, often
brilliantly intuitive. Far from endeavor-
ing TO make her hostess wretched, the mar
ried belle while calling keeps up a
CONTINUAL SOOTHING BREEZE
OF almost imperceptible fattery, as lullipg
and eneryating as the tanning OF vul.
lures wing, and they have such soft eyes
ard soft fur, these destructive little bats
And all these studies are only possible
through the medium of the fashionable
call. At balls women see nothing of each
other the morning call is for friends and
therefore the formal afternoon call should
by no means be abolished or even written
against, for in the midst of much frivolity,
gossip and general futility, there come out
many witticisms, much grace and many
loyal acts and words of honest friendliness
and kindness. There's a great deal of
red. veined humanity under plush and lace,
and humanity is more than bad, or the
world were not. Mademoiselle Musette
could not hear her heart beat under an
eighty franc corset, but she was only
grisette, who was wearing so costly
cuirasse for the first time, besides, che
adds, {" l think l have left my heart in
Msrcel's upper bureau drawer Marcel,
the artist, whom she loved, really loved,
sin Calico
Mrs. Lawrence Pool has gone to San
Diego she will spend the summer in San
Rafael, and possibly try Europe in the
autumn, though the trip has been con-
staDtly postponed on account of Mrs
POOLS delicate health. Saturday night
Mrs. Robert Hastings gave a dance, the
first since her beautiful house was finished.
From fifty to hundred guests were pres
ent, and the party was the usual thing in
the way of flowers, canvas, music snd sup
per-all graceful. choice and in good taste.
Another event to which everyone has been
paying more or less attention was the APP
pearance of
MADAME ELLMENREICH
In English. In Camille and Mary
Stuart the cry was of her costumes, but
in ''Adrienne Lscouvreur of her acting
and her voice, and although delicious
person once remarked that :" in matters of
taste and judgment the majority is usually
wrong" IN this instance the maiority was
right, for Madame Ellmenreich is best in
"Adrienne." Modjeska is the only other
good actress the San Frsnciscans have seen
IN Legouve's tragedy, and she is fine and
supple and subtle past all parallel There
is simply no comparison ct all between the
dainty little Pole and the powerful, leonine
VieDnese. EIlmepreich Is perfectly
trained actreas-most foreigners are, from
Aimee up. They give pleasure by every
pose; they know there is plenty Of time
they are not bit afraid to turn a complete
back to the audience aud walk composedly
down the stage, and turn and walk up
again, if they feel like showing the lines of
their figure and the sweep of their trains
just at that time. Whether she sits or
stands, watches others, or knows that she
herself must take the initiative, even in
taking bank bill or striking SAKE love-
blow with the book Of fables, Ellmen-
reich is
GRACE AND RESTRAINT ITSELF.
Dignity, which somehow in America has
come to have an undermeaning of primness
and stiffness, with her gives salt to little
things In French the adjective formed
from dignity is the same as worthy"
and that is what Eilmenrech's dignity is
-worthiness. Life seems worth while
when women study their parts at little Ia
bles, or take off bracelets for examination,
or even hold their lovers heads in their
hands with the admirable gensleness and
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