The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-02-15
WHAT rs oorxo on IN sOc1rrY.

Tropical storms, with thunder and light.
ming one day and blizzard at tho temperature
Of nothing at all the next. do not tend to de-
velop the milder virtues or to Inspire any one
over IS with keen desire for amusement The
Cotllon on Monday night gave unmistakable
evidence that the gay world was not In humor
to enjoy itself. The ballroom was as brilliant
and becoming as usual. the Antsrooms oven
more tastefnlly adorned. and the supper quite
faultless In its arrangements but tho number
present Was smaller than at any ball this win
tor. Dowagers were almost without . ropre-
sentation. and the few who were thcre
looked bored and weary. The dancers. how.
over. made up In gayety wha. they lacked In
numbers and as there were about Ave men to
every woman the ladies had nothing to COM
plain Of. Tho surplus funds OF the club which
have been hitherto appropriated to an extra
ball after Easter. were this year expended la
favors for the german. OF which there was
great profusion. Almost every young lady car
ried away q souvenir OF her "Ootilon" tri-
umphs and enjoyments In the shape OF TUT OF
ostrich plumes. q fanoiful bracelet or q silver
pin and ribbons. Mr.. Hone lod q brisk and
pretty german. and dancing was kept up well
Into the night.
The last Assembly on Thursday was moro
generally attended than the Cotilon. and. like
all Its predecessors. was good ball. The d65u.
antes. many OF whom look as fresh rs they did
at the first ono OF the series two months ngo.
we're openly bemoaning tho cruel fate which
brought their happiness to such an untlmey
end. and consigned Thorn to six weeks OF sew
Ing classes. early hours. and enforced dones.
ITCHY. solemn concave that was held In the
dressing room. however. In which the raw
ages that the winters racketlng had made in
ball dresses wero duly discussed and compared.
rayenlal the fact that of than had
left" of the plentiful supply with which they
started IN tho race three months ago. II I
get respectfully through the Patriarchs. my
dear" said saucy little rosebud who has
been the first to come and the last to 10 at
every dance this winter. lit Is all that I can
do. and I'm happy to say there is nothing left
to mako over next year. They arc all going to
tho missionaries out West directly Lent be-
gins" She probably means actresses" was
the passing remark Of . veteran beile OF two or
three years standing.
A large party went on to Philadelphia on
Friday for the last Assembly there. and many
have accepted the invitation Of the Bachelors
Of Albany" to their ball on Monday evening. at
which the President that ia to be Is expected
to assist. The Myopls Hunt ball. tho first OF
the kind ever given In Boston. 10 also to take
place on Monday evening. and those festivities
in neehboring cities will probably thin the
ranks OF the Patriarchs' guests at homo. and
with their ball tomorrow night will close what
Is termed the fashionable season in New York.
But with the gay world. as with all else con-
nected with human interests and events. the
dirge OF ono link as It sewers from tho chain 10
only the trumpet Of welcome to the next On
the night OF Shrove Tuesday the Liederkran1
Society will hold high revol in tho Metropolitan
Opera House. thus opening the season Of
masked. military. and other public balls OF q
like kind. Tho interest felt by American
society women In public masQuerades varies
from year to year. There are seasons when
the Liederkranz and Arion balls are totally
neglected. and then again comes a year when
society goes mad about them. and when scores
OF well-known ladies. married and single, lay
their plans weeks beforehand and carry them
out 80 we'll that their prsnks are the theme
Of every tongue for months afterward. The
capacity Of q woman 10 mako "a good
mask" 10 something 50 subtle and deli
cato that it 10 impossible to define In
what 1t consists or to predict who may
or may not possess It. And the most expert.
enced society veteran. who In nineteen cases
out OF twenty will dotect the fair intr9uantes at
glance. may In the twentieth be hopelessly
dupod and mystined. Freouentsrs Of the
Liederkranz and Arion balls Of mature age will
doubtless remember the famous Extingulsh-
or" OF fifteen or twenty years since. mask who
baffled the penetration OF the most astuts.
whose identity was never disclosed. and who
drove every man sho approached almost to the
verge OF insanity.
This year there promises to be somewhat of
stir In masuuerading. and many parties have
been made up to attend tho Lisderkrnnz on
Tuesday. Ono Of the largest Ia to consist OF ten
or twelve ladies and the same number OF mon.
each lady to DO known only to one man. who
undertakes to escort and protect her. They
are to dine in . private room at Delmonico's,
the women all masked and dominoed, and IL
they have not hopelessly given themselves
away before midnight are then to repair to the
Liederkranz to taste OF the much overrated ex-
c!tements OF a genuine bal masque."
Possibly the dsappolntments that thsy may
DO fatod to encounter will reconcile them to tho
beginning OF Lenten 8usterities ON Wednesday
morning. As yet the antldotos to gloom and
announcements to ponitence which arc ipsep-
arabic from the Lenten season havo not been
fully prepared or generally announced. But
doubtless there will be sewing classes innu-
mcrable. and riding and lawn tennis clubs, and
evening gatherings for whist and draw poker,
varied by excursions to Lakewood. Hollywood.
and Atlantic City. with parties carefully paired
and selected. and chaperonod by youthful and
sympathetic matrons. And all those will DO
and BY careful observance of rules in the mat
ter Of abstinence and self-denisl.
But there IL one form OF abstinence that II
not enjoined and seldom voluntarily observed
by oven tho most devout. 1t is tho closing Of
the lips to calumny and detraction. and when
the young and the old meet together for social
or charitable purposes, the setting OF their
faces against the gossip and small talk In which
there Is always more or less OF maliciousnsss.
unkindness. and untruth. Thus would the
good season be made profitable to ALL and pos.
sibly the societies might como to be equally
agreeable. even although a reputation was not
slain or best friend stabbed In the back at
every meeting. But alasl the ancient order of
Trappists would stand but small chance Of q
footing In any community Of modern date. and
the golden silence OF which We read is about the
only thing golden which 10 not desired or sp.
precated at the present day.
Easter weddings are Already hainu discua.aA