New-York tribune., 1884-11-16
SOCIAL SILHOUETTES.
srrSo TIE IMPRESSIONS Of MR. MARK MAN
HAITIAN.
XVII.
...., Any Nu0 INVADED NEW-YOkk.

prummaecm Baker True, recoect the time u was
then mere youth when she was tho target oil many
scornfu little arrows from society's replete quVef'
Even when | first began TO go about, her os'rac'Sh
was by no means an ended matter. lhere "cio
stl certain "good houses that refused 10 receive
her Stories of her pertinacious pushing were sun
current Echoes of the old jeerlng laughter yet
lived and reverberated. She had not mere sought
20 pass the gates hundreds had done that, and
conld still do il with success. She had fixed her
eyes upon n high place in the citadel itself She
wanted to reign and not serve. She wanted 10
climb and climb high Her intent soon trans
piring opposition had met her at every step. 1T
might picturesquey be said that she used the
alpcnstock of resolve to cross III, icy glaciers oil
pride and the deep crevasses OF sn0obery.' but IL
had been an alrenstock gold she was very rich
II she had not s. shown her hand in the game
think she might have won it more easily; for
WIEN has money! with a little decent breeding
behind IT, failed to find favor among our sham New
York nobiessei But for some reason this lady pre-
ferred to show her hand. She was not at all
ashamed of her struggle; 1t was almost as II she
wanted to have il made very public, thus heghten-
ing her triumph when this should arrive, and giving
herself sort of historic note in the future un-
written annals Of our metropolitan life.
. Her money had not been that of her dead nus
band. Mr.. Brummagem Baker. as far as could
learn had been n cad and sot and had led her a
wretebed life somewhere in the West until finally
his death freed her far more desirably than the
divorce which she is said to have been on the verge
of securing. And soon afterward the stars
themselves had fallen into her thrcadbarc lap. 1t
must have bean very threadbare lap indeed 1or
she had Just cot ill-pad post-onice appointment
in an OHIO town when the news reached her that
Californian uncle whom she bad never seen bad dled
leaving her his share of silver mine. She sold out
lare eIa and uot three millions Ol
dollars bv the sale She might it declared
have roaped triple this sum if she had kept her
possession for a few years longer. But three round
millions were all she wanted and she had no WISH
to dwell in the West Her ambition. leapng into
active liIc with her sudden prosperity. tended eX-
clusiycly Eastward. And Last yarl her course OF
empire took IFS way.
She was then considered by no means handsome
woman though she must undoubtedly have had
what il called ga presence" For year or two she
lived Quiet w. observing keenlv. She seems 10 have
been born with vast natural aristocratic impulse
In tins country of ours Which ~ u complex repro
duction. regards its PEOPLE. of every nationality
aud every personality under the san. you often iind
individual traits and qualities manifest which would
appear wholly without prcce cnt. But n hrredl,N
accounts for everything in character, and as the
knowledge of "A great -grandfather n species
of uformlt.on throughout our monstrous masses.
the instinct to sh among pgtrcians Is no more IN
consistent with birth in u logcahn than is salient
aptitude for making shoes or rearing cattle.
Mrs Brmnmagcm Bakcrs first attempt at enter
ing soccty IN New-Nork WAS magnificent doicat.
She must then have been about livc-andthlrty.
She had rented roomy mansion in the lower part
of Ffth avenue She had heard II shall not give tho
names OF her male counseurs aud advisers though |
zone of them were enough dams e monte to have
known better that money and assurance would
carry everything. and that all she need do was TO |
throw open her doors and invite the proper sort OF
people She did not know any of the proper sort of
people She did not know any sort OF people what |
ever except u few pleasure-hunting club-men whom
she had fallen in with Heaven knows how, and who |
used to give Der thirsty delicious bits of gossip
about the select world whore she longcd to shine. |
Report declared that she borrowed long list of |
names from Brown. the now deceased sexton OF
Grace Church, and IN this way learned whom to IN
yite But do not believe that similar stories of |
poor corpnlent eccentric Brown. do not believe |
that with all his oddities of depormen his ex- |
traordnary inpudence, his remarkable candor, this
nan who for years spoiled and pettel by our |
so-caed old families" and made to believe that
none of their entertainments were complete without
his bulky form sat IN their doorways and shrieked
bnllyingy 10 the terrified coachmen of their guests
ever 50 forgot or cheapcne his position snch as
il was Browns lists used to be good deal
talked about IN other days. his " list of dancing
men, his list of heavy swes," his list OF the
second, third or fouTth-Iate Amphltryons But
they are in one respect like the Junius letters; you
could never meet person who had eeen them,
signed in the original manuscript
However, some one gave Mrs. Brumnagem Baker
a list II must have been very c0pious; 1t included
Everybody" from the inevitable Spuyenduyvis.
Poughkeepsies and Amstesdams to the last smiths,
Smither.es or Smthsono who had succeeded in being
considered des n6Jta.
The evening of the ball arrived. Brown hal been
secured. The spacious house ut belonged to the
Gramercys or the MadisOns or some such family |
who were then in Europe was beautifully decorated
with flowers Mrs. Brummagem Baker, gownc1 |
with splendor. stood to receive her guests. She had
had no acceptanccs and regrets for her festVly
was an At Home" aud hence no reply was ex
pccted A little after 10 o'clock her guests began
to arrive They arrived in considerable and IN
creasng numbers Mrs Baker bowed aud smiled at |
her graco Is best The concourse ausmented the
rooms became ut least fairly hlled But an awful
fact at length dawned upOn the mind of The bland
hostess. lier ball was almost Wh,tiy composed o. |
gentlemen The men had all come, but with cxas-
pe:alngy rare exceptions. they had left their wives
at home-or their wives had preferred to remain ut
home
II wasa severe blow. lf such an affair should |
occur now, a hundred newspapers would have |
printed accounts OF it from onr present ubilu ous
aNew York correspondent But then matters were
different The "socety column" in al ts classic |
grace and tate. yet to be reared amid mo lcrn
journalism Mira Drummaeem Bakers next step |
was 90 purchase very attractive villa on the New
port Clns She drove In charming oquipas,s
through bellevue avenue, when the afternoon tht
santpd over ,hc sea aud the hipcgcs ifcshpncd with
marine ,uolnuas. She must have looked very ims |
pfessi,e leavins back ia her landau, with her |
4 "A al ..ssI