Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-05-23
New York Society. Il

The common idea of New York soci-
bty, outside of the metropolis, ii the re-
verse of favorable. Ihave been diverted
in visiting other cities, both In New
England and the West- to hear he opin.
ions expressed Of this city, sociaily.
They were very queer, amounting in
substance to this: That the sob stand
ard of merit and distinction hero is
money; that anybody who has wealth,
impudence, and energy can geda posi-
lion, and after a while lie ralked as
fashionable. I have even beeH asked,
in years gone by, if such p8sons as
William M. Tweed, James EVk, Jr.,
and ''Dr." Helmbold were lbt very
prominent in society. When laughed
in reply. my questioner would say:
"Well, I've often seen their Rmes in
the papers as giving handsome enter
tainmen s attended by q lot Of distin
guished people," The PAYERS we're the
society larers, as they name themselves,
and the distinguished people we're so
considered because the participk-adjec-
tive was printed in the notice hferred
to.
1t is not singular that strangers fall
into errors of this sort. One my read
any day in the Jenkins journaK iorid
accounts of fashionable receptions, ele-
giant dinners, delightful breakfasts.
charming musicales at the hdnse of
General Dyed Whisker, or Mrs. Pinch
beck. with a list of their guests, iaually
mentioned as well-known society peo-
pie. General Whisker and Mrs. Pinch
beck are spoken Of in glowing terms,
with illusions to bits of their fictitious
biography, and their entertainments
are set forth in the most falsely favorA
BILE light You need to be a New YORK.
u and acquainted with the ways 4
the world, particularlyof the Manhattal
wofid, to see what q sham all of this ID
that General Whisker is an adventu1
er; that Mrs. Pinchbeck is a pushing
woman, whose ~antecedents viii nd
bear examination, and that their guess
are imaginary, wholly unknown, SUI
pieious or indefinite. Those illustrioB
p%ersonages are as conscious as anybody
IAN be that they are cheats. They %
not care for that !; their whole conce1h
is not to be found out, to impose upa
the community, to be taken at theE
own assumption !; and they direct aq
their ingenuity and effort to this end
They are occupied, in short, with try
ing to get into society, (which is a adj
tive industry here, but is seldom al
tended with a degree of success propoI
toned to the %endeavor. 1t is interest
ing TO a student of human nature to oil
serve the devices and mannuvers Of te
socially ambitious, who are, in mot
cases, women +; women being naturally
the keepers of the gates of society, AMI
when they are shut out, most diligen
and adroit in attempting to secure early
admission. 4
The mode of operation for those who
have means and Intelligence, but who
from an unpropitious past are beyond
the pale, is to be lavish of money,
mainly in self advertising. and to court
notice in every manner. If they fail to
gain a foothold here after repeated eff
forts, they are prone to go over to
England and pass a season in London,
which has of late grown to be rather
lax and very indulgent. socially, to
foreigners. particularly to Americans.
In London various notable Britons,
among whom Gladstone, Lord Hough-
ton and Swinburne may be named. are
so kindly and amiable as to accept in
vitat:ons without inquiring or earring
particularly who or what the hviters
may be. They are prone to takethings
as they appear, to yield to their benev-
olent impulses and general desire to
please. They go, never suspecting that
their names will be used as levers on
this side of the sea in an effort to ele-
vate SHADY sort OF folk to a position
they are not entitled to. They probably
never see the ingeniously prepared no.
tees Of jenkins that are inserted here
in every sheet that will print them for
pay or pressing. The social aspirants
are mentioned as intimate friends of
divers distinguished Englishmen, plus
highly embroidered stories very COM
plimentary to them, though entirely un-
true. If anybody offers any objection
to them, it is declared that they are re-
ceived in the best society of London,
Just a. it is dcclaredin London that they
are received in the best society of New
York. Thus one cityis played off against
the other, and both are egregiously de-
ceived. Next the aspirants begin to en-
terrain here, and their entertainments,
If they have money, are sumptuous,
and, if they have credit, are equally so.
Those who attend are probably not i'm
pressed with the quality of the guests,
though they may be with the cost Of
things. The guests are more difficult to
secure than the material equipment,
and have to be skillfully managed to
make a proper show in the society pa
pers. They are, generally, one or two
innocent clergymen, theology is usual
Nv respectable foreigner with a title,
genuine or counterfeit is of no conse-
quence, a questionable colonel or self
styled Judge, a few singers and must
clans, a brace of broken-down authors, a
suspicious professor, several fast stock
brokers, and a. certain number OF
women with large wardrobes and
limited prudence. Not d very alluring
company, but as jenkins presents it, it
looks distinguished to outside barbar-
ians, and is not withol at a certain effect.
Rarely, however, do the aspiranhs
achieve their object. Society is weary
Of persons evincing anxiety 10 enter it;
il wants and welcomes those who show
indifference, if not reluctance, to Join
its sensitive cohorts.
New York society DESERVING of tho