Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-30
THE UPPER CIRCLES.
HOW THE SWELL WOMEN MANAGE
THE LION BUSINESS.

HOW THE SWELL WOMEN MANAGE
THE LION BUSINESS.
A Lady who Finds Parliamentary Prac-
tice Good Training for the Manage
ment of Notwithstanding into the
Higher Circle OF GentIIity.
Literary people are very like other
people, and We may presume that they
have not altered much since Thackeray
wrote "Pendennis," but notwithstand-
ing the number of times this fact has
been repeated, we ordinary mortals go
on expecting something extraordinary
from them. We know il is not at a liter
ary house that "languid beauty keeps
her pale faced court, and if we don't
/ get enough novelty to excuse her absence
, we are apt TO feel that we have been
/ cheated. We go there TO hear the utter
anceS Of illustrious mouths, to compare
I genius with common people, in order,
| when it is over, TO call the latter stupid
ard dull and the other ridiculous, and
/ at last 10 take our hats and go away, say
! ing What fine talk"
There are houses in New York where
temples of tedium, where people meet TO
show off, and not 10 exchange mental
pleasure. The hostess there appears to
be no more than a conversation manager;
when lion roars she makes signs TO the
other guests 10 keep silence just as if a
prima donna were singing or Joseffy were
at the piano. She listens with all her ears
and constrains her guests TO listen to all
the nonsense that may flow from Cele
brated lips, while she stiles her yawns
and rustles her fan ut every word uttered
by a nobody. Matter cannot be sensible
unless it is vouched for by fashionable
name. With such a principle for its
raisOn d'etre q salon cannot be but I'M
successful. This prejudiced censorious
society will not believe that a hostess
treats the favorites of the public will sys-
tematic adulation because she regards
them with frank sympathy and sincere
admiration. 1t ascribes her action 10
motives of personal vanity.
Jennie June is the exact antipode OF
hostess of this order, even her appear
ance says so. She is a little woman,
with brown hair, small sensitive
mouth, the guietest manners and u low,
sweet voice. During her long incum-
bency of the SOrusis chair she never once
lost the reins of order, and her voice had
never 10 lie raised 10 command the attsn-
tion Of the logic loving sisterhood.
Ex-PREsIDENT OF soRosIs.
suppose good hostess needs a knowl-
edge of the rules of debate, and because
of her thorough acquaintance with
Robinson we need go no farther TO in
quiI why Mrs. Croly is so successful in a
private capacity. She answers precisely (
10 the de finition of the truly superior
woman who knows enough never to ask /
ridiculous aud i'll timed question and never
to oppose people of merit on the ground
of personal prejudice. Her parliament.
ary ability comes in to help her keep
apart two powerful antagonists eager to /
tilt and TO display their learning by dis |
putting about question that nobody |
wants 10 understands she believes in |
making the subject general, piece Of
wisdom taught her no doubt by the Soro- |
sis. where it is said, all the members |
want TO talk at once.
Personally Jennie June is a favorite |
with all kinds of people; with the doc
tors, who like her because she desires TO |
learn and is attentive to any good things
they may say; with the ignorant, because
she does not care TO humiliate them, and !
is indulgent to their abSurdities In q
word, she knows how TO keep silent, |
and that, no doubt, far more than her !
parliamentary skill, is the secret Of her |
success.
Have you ever thought how lonely a
woman may be-nay, is certain TO be
without friends or society in great city
like this? II man is a gregoriOus animal,
woman is immeasurably more SO. Liv-
ing in New York, surrounded to-day by
friends and fiatterers, is a lady who left !
Chicago upon her marriage with a man
in politics, about four years ago. She
was a good deal surprised at first by the
snubbing she received, and when her
lind took in the fact that she must make
q position for herself, she realized at the
same moment the herculean nature OF
the task. She accomplished her ends
OILY after a thousand rebuffs and a
thousand notifications and sights Con
sequently she is able TO tell you that New
York society knows how to protect IT.
self; she could tell you how it encom-
passes itself about with ceremonialS. al
most with armed force, and she could
estimate the proper amount OF admira-
tiOn that is due the successful social
pusher, who, keeping her object in view
constantly, wades through the sea %
difficulties that divides her from the goal
OF her ambition until by incredible exer-
ton, by ingenuity, by hook, by crook she
uttains the higher circle Of gentil.ty.-
Willis Steel in Chicago Times
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