Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-23
NO MIDDLE COURSE
To b. IN BUSINESS IS TO BE OUT
OF SOCIETY"
Experience OF u Wide Awake, Vigorous
foung Man I'm New York - Not
Like London or Puris-Eariy
Closing.
lBroollyn Eayle.l

It Is sail that tia early closing movement
II such a torn may be applied in this in
stance-wmch the society lad es Of New
York tried to inaugurate last year, Il
doomed to bitter failura when next season
opens. This doesn't refer to shops but Il
dances. Ii has been apparent for several
seasons that tbs wear and tear on young
society men who were in business would
have to be alleviatel. Dancing until or
O'Clock in the morning. hurrying home,
snatchng four hours sleep and going down
to business, heavy-syed, tremulous and
weary is not conducive to the health OF
cheerfulness Of the young society man.
There Is no leisure class here as in London
or Paris, from which to draw a supply oil
dancing men, AMI SO society women decided
{, look after this health OF the young men by
inaugurating early dances.
The scheme was much discussed and woll
Endorsed. but it is now doomsd &c failure,
for it has been definitely settled in Lond on
that it is proper to serve the supper after
the cotillion or german. as it is usually
called here. This means q supper at
o'clock as general thing, ana that keeps
the festive young man out Of his little bed
just as it did year or two ago. The young
man who works for his living in New York
hasn't much OF chancs, after all, socially.
The men who are thoroughly in society
have no tins for anything els, than their
social duties. Hence society is largely COM
posed Of younger sons and agaJ beaux.
wide awake AMI vigorous young Amer.
can is not content with a continuous round
Of luncheons, teas, dinners AMI danceS He
must GO into business athletics racing q
profession-must do something i'm fact, and
as soon as he gees to work he must Of neces.
sity drop his social pleasures i have an
acquaintance who has within two years es.
tablished himself rs printer AMI publisher
on small scala. He i; n man Of scholarly
attainments, n graduate of Harvard, and
las been admitted to the bar A natural
taste led him into artistic printing, and by
sticking close to his work he has built up q
paying business an | laid the foundation Of
what il confidently expected to be great
publishing house in the future. Less than
four years ago hs was society man in the
wild est acceptation Of til, term. His name
apparel in society reports constantly; hs
wa: a fashionable leader Of the German,
had oflicia;e1 as best mal for doz,ns of
well-known men, and spent all of his time
OH the wing.
"For a long while, he sail, II felt that
business was low. classed all merchants
rs shop keepers, and looked down ON trade.
Ibid not realiz, how a man felt who was in
business for himself 1t seems to ms that
one grows to like hi business as he would
his child, and that he takes tho same intsr.
est in it, growth. l get down town at half
past every morning, and stay till ). As a
rule. dine here at tie club, because my
people entertain good deal, and l find I'm
more or less in the way"
"You're quite out Of the swim nowl'
"Oh, QUITE" he said, with smile There
Is no middle course in New York society,
you know. A man must lie altogether in or
altogether cut 1t is different on the other
siie In London or Paris il you are once
on the invitation lists Of leading society
matrons you are free to attend or not as
you choose, or as affairs permit. 1t is not
thought harshly Of there il you absent your
self for a time. Theory is that you are so
cially eligible and valuable and that you con-
tinue SO no matter how many cards you re-
fuse. 1t is very different here. Women
who entertain extensively in New York are
imperious to the last degree. 1t is every
thing or nothing with them, AMI if you de-
cline tive or three successive invitations
they promptly drop you, no matter what
your connections or social position may be.
Take my case as an example. / was a
slave for several years to society women. /
danced till / ran down to l3) pounds,
whereas now weigh clean 10. My skin
grew yellow from eating canfections at late
supper, AMI l slept every morning till
after II. 1t was a Graz, with me, but a
very enjoyable ore, for enc can find no
more enjoyable eompanionship than among
the beautiful girls Of New York society.
They are bright, clever. agreeable and
beautiful, Well, l made up my mind one
day to GO into bu 'iness, and went at it,
hammer and t0nys. For some weeks / tried
10 keeps up a limited social connection, but
found it wouldn't work. II went out to
two dinners a week that made. with the
nece ;ary party calls, four social visits. That
was four nights out of TIE week. What re-
manned was spsat at the club. I'm fond Of
and now put in two nights a week
at the Racquet club.
u don't know how it happened exactly
yet, but the fact remains that in the course
Of year l found myself almost as CON-
pletely sloof from the social world as though
had Just arrived from Ireland. My sister
callel ms q hardened bachelor, q hermit
and dozsn other things, and I'm in per-
petual hot water at homs because won't
go out Ny younger brother took my
place, only be made the place hotter than I
did. He's the precocious anglomaniac, who
had his nose broken by the kick Of his horse
while fox-hunting in q pink coat last fall,
you know The only friend have in the
family is the guv'nsr who backs mo up like
a brick in everything Bat Pm glad I'm
out of it all AMI would not go back fer
worldi | ai,st men now Instead Of sappy
dudes and Ike the change"