St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-22
The EXelusiveness of Boston Society,
and What it is
Based OH.
Excluded From Select Circles Because
His Wife's Cousin Was
Little Off Color.
How Persistent Office Seeker Found Ont All
About an Office He Wasn't
to Get.
A Bright Newspaper Woman Who Turned
Lawyer and Fought fer Admis-
sion TO the Bar.

DOSTON, Fec. l9.-BOStOn society is ful
OF inconsistencies and contradictions, which
are not readily understood by those who hav,
not the honor of entrance into the charmed
circle. am not fool enough to think ! an
stating novelty peculiar to Boston. TIL,
halo which crowns society everywhere il
phospborescent. 1t will not shine in pure
daylight. 1t affords neither warmth nor pro
lection. 1t does not shield the wearer from
the temptations, the Obloquy nor the physica
ills incident to life 1t is so thin that it fail:
To hide the moral and intellectual defects OF
the owner 1t is so cold that affection j:
chilled by it. and it repels the exercise o.
judgment and impulse. But it fascinates
All we whose names are not on the blue
book list of invitations would like to receive
the sacred cards, which are supposed to give
US admission to a set above us. | 90 not refer
to the set which constitutes the
much-boasted and much-ridiculed ''cul-
ture" OF Boston. Any one with talent and
time and disposition can fight his way into
that l refer to society" / do not under.
stand the term. / have never been able tc
extract its meaning from conversation with
any OF its members. Therefore must sim
ply content myself with the use of the term,
leaving it for the reader to apply his own def.
milton. | am not at war with society.
am neither q pessimist nor an iconoclast
Society is well enough. People have a right
to choose their own companions. l have nc
desire to
SMASH ANY OF THE IMAGES
which they worship. l may, however, ven
ture TO uncover one or two.
cannot understand, and therefore can
not explain, the particular qualifications OF
a Boston patrician. When / hunt up genoa
logical trees | sometimes find that the roots
were nourished in the barnyard, or took
their first nutriment from the debris of a
hshmonger's stall, or from a tallow chan
dler's drippings. Once in while I find
that the family tree started from &c of as
irregular or doubtful origin as you can find
in the history Of England's
crown, and that their irregu-
larities were not many generations ago,
either These are exceptions to be sure.
But why are the exceptions admitted! The
Winthrops, the Warrens, the Prescotts, the
Wigglesworths, the Wen lells, the Endicotts.
the Leyeretts, the Bradfords, the Winslows,
the Rrveres, the Dudleys, the Hancocks, the
Adamses, the Tudors aud others have such
right to the pride of ancestry that no one
cayis at it. Instead, every one who knows
the history of Massachusetts loves to do these
names honor. not because the
families are now patriciau, but
because they are identified in a
large way with the establishment of our in
stitutiOns. 1t is natural that the descendants
oil men who had place in the history which
we love should like TO associate together
They have something peculiar and worthy In
/ common. But they select others to Join
them, and reject the ''society'' companion
ship of sill others for reasons which appear
most singular To the uninitiated For in
stance:
know Of a man Of good family, who is a
member Of that most exclusive of clubs,
the Somerset, whose portals never open to
any Boston man who cannot pass the ordeal
Of the best society test. He is in good
standing. Moreover, he is accom- plished in
ali the
EMBELLISHMENTS OF GOOD BREEDING.
His business is among the classes held to
be most respectable. He lives in the proper
quarter of the city. He is amabe and good
| looking. But year or two ago he did some
things which called out a deal of
| public and private criticism, and which was
/ the talk Of the street, the clubs and the
/ drawing-room for the period OF the usual
nine DAYS wonders. During the following
/ winter a series of social parties was arranged
/ for, at which none but the hon toa, the blue
/ bloods, the creme de Ia cyeD.s, the-why waste
/ 4
were to be admitted. When the invitations
were sent out this gentleman received none,
/ although he had been a favorte always sought
( for before. There was something of a row,
! and as it was supposed that his little idiosvn-
| Grassy Of the previous summer had heen the
means Of debarring him, an effort was made
/ to have the committees decision reversed
/ But on investigation IL was found that a
more potent and more satisfactory reason
/ had actuated the committee. The
/ members had had the good fortune
/ to remember that when the gentleman
1 married, which was 4 long time before, he
| had chosen lady who was not In ''society."
/ She was pretty, virtuous, bright, wel-rdu-
/ Gated, had grace OF manner and perfection
/ OF form, her family was wealthy, the business
/ Of her father and brother was most respect
/ able, her mother and sisters were ladies who
would shine at royal court, but the family
/ had never felt the purifying touch Of society,
I aud
DID NOT POSSESS A FAMILY TREE.
That settled It. or course the husband
could not be invited without the wife, and to
admit her would leave open an awkward
question about the position of her mother.
her sisters, her brothers. wife, her cousins
and her aunts, and so on through the whole
list. l repcat-thst settled il, and so COM
pletely that the friends of the ostracized
gentleman could answer never word.
! Queer isn't it,
The approaching change in the national
administration causes n deal Of gossip in
relation to our local federal officers | for
bear, however, to give "A list Of the Democrats
who are mentioned" and Of that greater
number who have some hope-that is, good
deal Of desire and little expectation-that
they may be appointed to the customs collec-
torship, the naval Office, the postofficc or
other good place, with the salaries of from.
$1,000 10 SS,eJ0. One Of them, whose name
| will not give. took some preliminary steps
the other cay which
wERE VERY AMUSING
to thr few who knew the circumstances. He
called at the Office OF one OF our most active
federal officers, aud inquired for the oceu-
pant. Mr. Lawn. Now Mr.. Lawn expects 20
vacate his place, and be does not care
who bas IL so long as II is conpeteutIv
filed. The stranger, most courteous gen
tleman. explained that he came on some
what delicate errand, but be would like to
make few inquiries. He wanted to kuoE
who had the authority to make appointment to
that 1fice, what bonds were required. what