, 1884-07-06
SOCIAL AMBITIONS
The Deceits, Devices and Struggles
of Getting Into Society.
Perseverance and ProdtgnIity of
Those Who Have Faith In Pecu-
nIousness-A Pacific muIIon-
aires Mistake.

lColstoun" IN Chicago Tribunal
While money alone will not accomplish 30
cial victories, money, united TO something
else, will perform pro ligiss. Thli is a COM
mercial age, and a commercial capital, and,
money is so necessary to the support OF social
movements Of any kind that it can not be ig-
nored. The mistake Of pushing people arises
from their excess Of faith in pscIniousneSs.
umsustained and unrelieved.. II they would
push less, manage more adroitly. and prac
tico a moderate degree of patience,
they might produce results that they
hardly dream OF. Society 1, always
suspicious OF pushcrs from tile simple
fact Of their pushing. They mar push in
private as much as they like; Il Is thoiI
open pus ling that injurrs them, rendering
their effort vain and defeating their special
purpose. II a family Of large means, witi
tact, and without vulgarity, should DO soc.-
ally ambitious, it might achieve its ambition,
wien a family of much larger means of a
clumsy, pushing disposition would be frus-
trated in all its attempts at advancement,
DOLLARS n SENSE.
Actual instances may be cited in proof of
this. A man with a number OF millions came
here several years since from the wesr, and
bought u handsome house in Fifth avenue.
OF humble origin and s~lenderly eiucated-
lie is reputed to have begun lso by keeping a
grocery in a village of Westcbester county
ne Is quiet in manners free from pretense,
and exceedingly fond of money. He had
but two children-a girl possessed OF good
sense aud a good education, without beauty
or brilliancy, aud Il son not above mediOc-
rity, though kind-hearted aud of pleasant
address. Neither he nor his wife seemed de
sirota of social prominence or to take any
Pains to secure it. But, after a while, the
young man married the daughter of
a man OF historic nntecedents, belonging to
one OF tile most distinguished fam lies in the
republic. Tue daughter found II husband in
4 conspicuous citizen who las made his own
why by ability, perseverance,, force of char
acter, aud seif-coniiuence. The western par
venus now move in what Is considered the
best circles, and do these no discredit. But
II they had not had great wealth, which rem.
dered alliance with them advantageous, they
an'i their children would have remained out.
ri e the pale. 1t is probable enough that the
western Crce JUS, who was eminent in the fin
anc' al world before coming here TO reside,
managed the conuubial campaign Of his chill
dren, ns he uns managed so many enterprises
Of a different, though scarcely more difficult,
nature.
DISAPPOINTED PURsE-PRIDE.
Another millionaire broke up his hom 9 on
the Pacific 5 opo, a dec ,de, since to found
one in this city, with the evident object Of
Getting into metropolitan society. His OBJ
jet WINS too evident. md his purse vtniry
was noisy and offensive. lie had not tue art
Of hitting his defects, or OF deferring to
others, and lis wife and daughters were de-
VOID Of the instincts which, with the ether
sex, often count for more than birth or
breeding. They spent u deal of money in
pursuance of their design; they hal q srlen-
did mansion: they had superb carriages;
they bought pictures, books, b~ric-a-brac
al pr"fusiun; they were Respondent at the
opera; they pushed hard, steadily and long;
hut all their efforts miscarried. They were
not received by anybody whose recognition
hey coveted; they couli not get over the
first barrier erected against them, and they
Tere obliged at last to surrender. They were
greatly DIS ippOinted at their failure; they
denounced tile society they could not enter,
calling it vulgar (vulgar persons are genef-
ally the readiest to apply the word to others)
sor,iid, corrupt, contemptible, odious, dis
Susting. They went abroad and settle in
Paris, where they take solid comfort in abus-
ing America and Americans to whoevei will
listen to thein-usually their ~compatriots of
sneir own grade.
GREAT SOCIAL MISTAKES.
The same mistake is frequently made hers
by persons who ought to know bctter. They
"a agine that money is all that is needed
Tor social position m New York, and with
Sbis belief they quit the interior town OF
village where they have secured their fortunes
to disport themselves in Manhattan. On
arrival they discover that wealth in the
country is not wealth in the capital; that a
million there is only an Independence here;
and that to make u show, which is
their chief aim, requires a vast ILL
come. Sill, they are bent on so
doing. They are prodigal to this end,
hint fhRN lea ara Lone thak
brings not what they want. Their costly
drawing.rooms are silent; their handsome
furniture is unadmired; their lu1uriously
furnished table has no guests. Is 1t possible.
they ask themselves, that wealth will not acc
as an open sesame to the best housesl They
re: ceine their error in time; but they do NOT
avow it. They assume, instead, TO get tired
Of New York; they find that it is not health.
ful, or agreeable, or convenient, or some
thing else, and they remove with their house,
hold goods to their former home and indulge
their Imagination in rehearsing their expert
ance in Manhattan. They often pretend that
they liked the city and would have been glad
to stay-they had SO many delightful friends
If it had not been for mammals health, or
papa's business.
Ridden TO THE FEAST.
Repeatedly it has happened that families
have come here from the country and, with
out ihtrcductinns, or any of the regular
forms, have given enter ailments for notable
persons with whom they bad no acquaint-
ance. They coul d not see why those invite
should not accept, since they might be sure
Of good fare and warm welcome. They were
actually surprised when no attention was
paid to their notes, and were overfiowing
with ind gnation at such ruieness. Sc igno-
ant were they of social laws and social Gus.
toms, that they were incapable OF under
standing why kindly intent should not
he respected, and polite invitations
answered by personal presence. Such
n thing would not be possible
except for the false reputation fastened on
New York by irresponsible chrouiclers, who
maintain that the sole care Of New Yorkera
is for money; that money will secure any
thing; shield anything; efface anything;
that money is omuiscient, omnipresent,
and omnipoient. A large portion OF the in,
t~eliigert public. in divers parts VI the coun-
try, APP ears To be that tie metrppo-
lis is oIher than c1mme Gil The simple
truth is that it is like nny other great city;
that it abounls in detects, in misgovera-
ment. in gIred, selhshneSs, vice and crime:
but it has another side which it is not printed
in the newspapers. and it NAV lay claim to q
society not entirely mercenary.
Merchant Traveller; velocity Is the spies
OF Life" says the fast youuy mar,
e n -