The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-23
ONEDAYIN FAST SOCIETY.
A DEMURE BOSTON MAIDS EX-
PERIENCE AT NEWPORT.
What Was Eaten and Done ct Pink
pinner-Why She Came Home on
the First Train Next Day.
From the Boston Herald.

From the Boston Herald.
NEWPORT, r. l., Aug 17.-An interest
ing ,ouare envelope OF best Bond paper,
white. and thick and firm, with a crest upon
the fap-a mailed hand holding aspear and
the motto, "Forwardn-was included in her
mail. She took it up, feeling a pleasurable
emotion as she did so, and, opening it, drew
ont its carefully folded enclosure-a sheet
of crested paper-upon which sprawled the
following words III large, irregular hand
M, Dear Miss Boston: Will you dine with me.
very informally, on Monday evening next at
40 o'clock. and 20 with me afterward 10 the
Casino? Hoping that You have no previous en-
cagenent and that we shall have The pleasure
OF seeing you, am very sincerely yours
BESSIE r. VAN SCHENcK.
Miss Boston was naturally delighted
Here at last was the opportunity for which
She had longed during the week she had
been in Newport-that of seeing the famous
watering place from the cottage point of
view. which, she had been assured, was
widely different from that Of the Ocean
house, fascinating as the latter might be
When, few days before, she had been to
make her call upon the Van Schencks, who
were second cousins Of her mother, and
only known to the poorer and humber
branch of the family by tradition and the
newspaper accounts of the splendor in which
they lived, it had been with fear and
trembling. Her shabby cab had ratified
audaciously up the weli-kept avenue, and
the dapper footman in livery who opened
the door at her approach had looked with
some disdain and contempt at her unassum-
ing figure, clad in garments of lrreproach-
able Boston cut, neat and trig and trim,
but utterly lacking in the charming grace
that only New YORK artist can bestow.
NJ avn hos in thasa lttla S1lhtla Iistino
lions more gu ckly than servants. and
madame in her drawing room does not
gauge the social status of her visitors with
more correctness than Peterson at the porte
cochere, as a general thing. On this occa-
sion ne was wrong, for Miss Boston, in spite
of her plain attire and lack Of style
was Enthusiastically a lady, while a
steely glitter in her eye proclaimed
that she meant to be treated as such
The luxurious beauty of the 'charm-
ing house on the cliffs did indeed impress
her, but it was rather with its loneliness
than it's lavishness; and as she sat in the
dimly-hghted saloon, waiting for the advent
of the unknown relative, she glanced about
at silken hangings, Indian rugs, rocco
cabinets, Dutch clocks, Chippendale chairs
and tables, Vatican screens, cosy sofas
strewn with embroidered cushions, most en-
ticing for a lounge, a dozen lamps of dozen
sizes, with shades of silk and lace decorating
each one, ard a melange of bric-a-hrac
quaint and beautiful, all arranged by the
hand of a genius, an interior at once pict-
ureSQue and effective. The faint light that
filtered in through yellow shades gave an
air of delicious mystery to the darker cor
ners of the apartment, and here and
there a tall palm or rubber plant
gorgeous pot of gilded oriental ware, while
the atmosphere was heavy with the scent of
the roses and lilies that filled the vases on
tables and chimney pieces. Through half
drawn portiere she could look out into the
great square hall with its heavy rafters of
oak and rich carved waiuscoting Of the
same wood The monstrous fireplace had a
seat within it, a chimney corner where Gin
derella might have sat to watch over the
fairy godmother among the Goals. There
was armor on the walls, and q suit of mail
by the foot of the stairs. On a
carved table by the door stood large green
jar filled with gaudy yellow marigolds to
give bit of color, and flterlng through a
stained glass window on the stairs, the light
fell in floods Of gorgeousness on the polished
inlaid floors.
Never in Miss Boston's spinster life had
she seen anything so tremendously beauti-
full. With the keen instinct of her New
England nature, she felt that it would be
impossible even for her to listen to all the
promptings of conscience in
SUCH A SEDUCTIVE PLACE,
and she forgave Mrs. Van Schenck on the
spot for half the follies and frivolities of
which that brisk little widow had been
accused. When at last the hostess de-
scended, marvelously clothed in a gown OF
pale mauve silk, judiciouslY decorated with
Valenciennes lace, which Miss Boston in
stantly discovered to lie real and of an ex-
traordinary fineness, her bright eyes spark
ling, and Just suspicion of rouge upon her
delicate cheeks, her merry affabiity and
reckless chatter, lavishly sprinkled with
foreign phrases, at once won the heart of the
censor from Massachusetts She replied gen
erousy to all of Mrs Van Schenks honeyed
inquiries about family for whom that lady
did not care a snap of her pretty taper
fingers, declared the Ocean drive and the
Cliff walk had given her a great deal of
pleasure, and that the table at the hotel was
really very good, recognized portrait of
Mr.. Van Schenck's defunct papa, whom
she had once seen Years and years before,
and discussed the newest books and pictures
with genuine cleverness. After half an
hour she took her leave, delighted with the
new-found relative and prepared to report
in Beverly, when returned to the bosom of
her family, that Bessie Van Schenck had
been most shamefully maltgned and was
really very charming woman.
Bessie herself was half annoyed, half
amused at this sudden appearance of a
third cousin upon the scene. Sac returned
TO the drawing room, after the last fare
well had been said, and murmured TO tall
figure which rose out of a distant corner
and approached her:
81 shall have to ask her to dinner, sup
pose. What did you think Of herr Is she
quite presentable, FredN
Fred was another cousin, devoted to polo,
hunting, champagne and pretty women,
and generally rather disreputable. But
society adored him, and his opinion was OF
weight.
Have her by all means" said he.
promptly "She is not so bad looking and
only 25, heard her say. Poor thing, do
give her a glimpse of the world, and re-
member how narrow the horizon is in
Boston,.
well, will, agreed Mrs. Van Schenck,
relonting. "Only, Fred, don't flrt with
her, will you?" with sly glance from her
violet eyes
And Fred-but mol let us draw a veil
over the scene. At any rate, Miss Boston
got her invitation the very next day, and 1t
Is needless to say, accepted it with aiacrIty
When Monday came and she was arrayeI
Tor the dinner, the friends, with whom She
was staying at the Ocean house, Inspected
her toilet with critical eyes and pronounced
tperfect for the informal little family
gathering at which she was expected -
assist She wore a gown OF white crepe,
carefully made with silver embro derry, and