Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-30
TAME CATS" OF SOCIETY
The Difficulties London Bost%S
to Contend with In Ball GElnR'

From the Londoa RorT'
"Crabbing' ball is spoiDh2 IT, Lon
don balls are ant to be cry6bed by those
who wish the givers Tthem no good
and, by being crabbeY 10 DE converted
into dismal and ir1trieyable failures
There is a good deTwhich aspiring hosts
or hostesses MAJ attempt and achieVe
without excitDE to an uncomfortable de-
pree the emo<0u Of jealousy in emulous
breasts luncheon parties, dinners,
,.smaII vi earlies," or, az they are some
times ,ow called, ''early and lates.' are
deoved innocent and inotiensive rites, to
v6ch no one need take exception.
TBut a ball duly announced beforehand
in newspaper paragraph, and given in a
fashionable quarter Of the town, is re-
garded as challenge thrown down to
every ambitious or belllgerent member Of
the fine world. 1t is like starting pri-
Vate theatre or a coach, or, in the case Of
persons who have hitherto been content
with a One-hOrse brOugham. victoria
and pair. 1t is a deliberate EFFORT OF self
assertion, and Just as Englismen eye the
stranger who ventures 10 intrude into a
railway carriage or a hotel coffee room
with a look intended 10 remind him that
he has no right 10 be there, so the natural
instinct OF EAglishwOmen is while accept
ing the invitation for the ball of the lady
whom they speak of as a paryenue, to
discuss the protected festival as an act of
unaccOuntable audacity.
Ball-givers, in word, unless they have
secured a position which renders them
superior TO cavil or detraction, embrace
the thorniesU Of modern Ordeals. They
are equally exposed to attack at the hands
81 mr. Rf.aa hul y
gentlemen in London who claim TO have
Inherited the mantle of Mr.. Augustus
Lumley, who consider that they have,
each of them, separate right TO be con-
suited by the average hOstesses of society,
and who hold it to be an impertinence if
ii dance of any dimensions is determined
on without their initiative or advice.
These are the knights Ofthe carpet, who
distribute such hours in the morning as
they devote to study between cookery
book, "a court guide and handbook to the
upper classes. They meet in public APP
parently on the triendliest terms. They
are members Of the Bachelors Club,
lunch or dine at the same table, eat OF
each others salt and drink out of the
same cup. Bat, though they successfully
veil the animosities which hold sway
within their breasts they are RIVALS, for
an that. NOtOne of them but has, in his
own esbimRte, a priority of title to be
taken into confidence by the lady who,
not being an acknowledged dlctatress OF
fasbia9. isssAent upon giving Il ball. BY
sone l3kk'ofnature there is no period in
the hEeibfA@sstn when the masculine nature
Is so much prey TO petty passions and
spItes Of anessshtially feminine kind as
that through which these elderly young
gentemaRaTe passing. The tame cats of
dOwagers, they are the more disposed to
dght.s uOtl ebehlyy but secretly, giving
eaeh atbeEsstealtHS claws, and making AT
each fotler unpleasant noises, because
they are tame cats. 1t is III this way that
the instructive terOcity of their nature
itself for the trammels inn
posed dpOh1tsby the conventionalities of
polite lie. Unless hostess who aims at
a bah can cOnciliate this gang Of entire
preneus and, by composing their mutual
jealousies, can disarIn them, it is NOR
ally certain that her ball will be grabbed.