The Mineral argus., 1883-08-30
AMERICAN sNOBBERY.
How Ii is Illustrated at the Great
Watering Place.

How IL is Illustrated at the Grea
Watering Place.
Letter to Springfield Republican.
Newport differs from most places of
its kind in being a summer residence
rather than a resort. Its transient visi-
tors are not many and they are usually
the guests, in a strict sense, of the
~cottagers. There is not, nor has there
been for a long time, any inducement
there for summeTers to stay at hotels. In
the first place, the accommodations are
not desirable, and, secondly, hotel peo-
pie, as they are called, are not favorably
regarded by the c~ottagers, who, as a
rule. look down upon them and treat
them with conspicuous disdain.
In order to have ANY position, or to
be socially accepted, one must have a
cottage which, in local significance,
means a spacious, handsome, very cost
" villa with grounds, horses, plate, pic
lures ana whatever modern sumptuous-
ness demands. Newport makes a deal
Of assumption in respect Of family. high
breeding and the like; but what it NEST
requires is wealth. Nobody can be a
| Newporter, in the social sense, without
an ample fortune, and having that, I'M
less there be very serious objections the
way is easy. Newport is, judged by
its De.ense, q downright sham, and
cannot be otherwise; for II pretends TO
be a community OF the est kind OF per-
sons in the best kind Of circumstances.
The circumstances must be admitted;
but the persons eanno be, without great
discrimination and numberless excep-
tions. Some very fine, highly cultured,
most estimable men and women may be
found here. of course, but
many of their associates
are Of a very different order, having
neither birth nor intellect nor training
nor delicacy nor tact 10 recommend
them, But they have abundance OF
money, and have acquired such knowl-
edge Of customs, forms and external
manners as passes for breeding in what
STYLES itself good society" Society,
nowadays, is necessarily mixed all the
world over, particularly so in a denloc-
racy like ours. 1t is, in any large sense,
none the worse, but rather the better,
for this mixture, since otherwise, It
would.be inane, monotonous, dull to stu
piditv. But this is not the idea, indeed
IL il the very reverse of the idea, OF the
summers here. They claim, at least in
ferentially, that they possess all the So
cial virtues, and that anything and every
thing akin to meanness or yulgarity 10
foreign to their nature-a claim which
I ~ NANAEAN AnAA0A bk - $500
be easy TO mention, if one were lima
|, tured, certain ~well-known men and wom-
en-, prominent in social circles here,
who are the %antipodes of what they pre-
tend to be. Their acquaintances-lt
d. would be untrue to say their friends
=, laugh at and c~riticise them privately but
they receive, and fatter them publicly
because they are rich, and because 1t
would be both imprudent and inconven-
Z - II A.. Tk,o Nnmnnrt 40
: ciety is an epitome and q reflex oil soci-
4 ETY. abroad and at home.
e The Recommending cottage or villa
e life-is as gay as money and elaborats
: preparation can make it.. More villas
+ are unoccupied this ear then were last
n wear, or the year previous, IN conse'
v ouence Of their owners being abroad
T and Of other causes; bot the absent ones
d are not missed in the endless round oil
e formal festivity. Every day there are
i very expensive md very ambitious
breakfasts, luncheons. dinners, dances,
Ls receptions, parties, indeed, Of every
1f variety; each person trying TO Guido I'M
l. neighbor, and, in his own opinion, sue
Is ceeding. This is called gaiety, and II
In such. according to social definition
/, though, to persons not PROFESSIONAL,
fashionable. it would be extremely tire
some, If not repulsive. II is tiresome
le uDQueSilOnADlyB 10 luOse WHO pditASipae
"a in it; but they are glad TO tire them
T. selves in what they consider so good
eI cause, and are content 10 pass thel
I'd wears in this pompously empty mannel
or The chronicles Of the day read yer
ly much alike. Mrs. John Jacob Asto
IN gave an elegant luncheon yesterday to
Or dozen of her most intimate friend
by Mrs. Paran Stevens will give a germa
at her elegant villa tomorrow eveninl
is August Belmont drove a party OF Ia
Sc friends in his drag to his beautiful fari
e. in the adjoining township last Tuesda,
he William r. TrEvers has invited q part
rs of his New York friends TO dlpner
IN the Casino next week. JamesR Keen
id will give a magnificent fish oreakia
er next Wednesday to several English ca
ms ~italists now in town. James Gordo
st Bennett will take ia cruise in his yach
IN which has Just been reiitte | at enormo'
tn expense, toward the close OF the preset
gh month. So il runs, day after day, wee
a after week; the season" closing as It b
he gan, leaving everybody fatigued and n
ny body benefited.
de --
is Congressman Ryan, Of Kansas. late