St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-30
When Blue Coats and Brass
Buttons Made a Girls Life
Worth Living.
MeSdameS w, r. Merriam,
Pope, F. B. Clarke as De-
butanteS.
The German That P. D. Fer
guson Used to
Lead.
The Old Saint Paul Dramatic
Society and Its Mem
bepS.

Newell was heard imploring society
lady last "Wednesday evening, and she
swOre by all her Christmas presents
that she would order her carriage at 9.
Accordingly. at 7:30 Pauline marched
into McMurran hall, determined that
not a single new wrinkle IN anybody's
gown should escape publication by rea-
son of her tardiness. There was not
sign of life anywhere; the tarantulaS
among the fayors lay like dead things,
their every feature characterized by
well-bred serenity that showed nice
appreciation Of the laws OF good breed
Ing. The decorations OIL the wall
spoke not a word but GA Happy
New Year" and this they said very
quietly. Moving one foot back and
forth meditatiyely upon the nicely
waxed floor, Pauline stood in the empty
hall wondering how it would seem
again to be of the world as well as in it.
when a voice appeared saying: "Ah.
there. lS874-1SSS; looking pretty gay,
aren't you, all gotten up in green and
nailed 10 the wall with fourteen years
between you. Going to stay for the
dance. | suppose. SO am |. Don't know
me, ell? I'm the spirit of the past. /
go everywhere, you knOw-dinners,
champagne suppers, headaches next
morning. germans, weddings, every
where. All tell you 1888 you don't
see the fun that ! used t. before the
world moved out on ST. Anthony hill
and when brass buttons and blue coats
made life for society girl worth living.
Fort Smelling was on the earth in those
days, and as soon as new officer
brought his family there, everybody
rushed out. "Our set was in the army
then. When Gen. Siblry's daughters
and their friends were dCbutanteS,
there were nine young officers on his
staff.
ALL WEST POINT MEN,
bent on having a good time; and what
balls, croquet parties and picnics they
used to have. Nobody went toboggan-
ing within an inch Of his te, but In
stead there would be straw sleigh rides
and dance at ! Ouse IN the country.
Men didn't spend two-thirdS Of their
time at any Minnesota club house play
ing billiards. and, to get even with
them. women weren't obliged TO give
afternoon receptions and o'clock teas.
Men and women took their pleasure to-
gether. and took il in big doses.
''Ihe same crowd went everywhere,
and prettier, more independent set of
girls was never seen. They did and
said exactly as they pleased, and the
men couldn't help themselves, for the
town was smaller then, and pretty
girl had To he kept amiable at any cost.
Fancy, anyhow, If you can, the man
who would not cut off his head or his
mustache to win smile from young
woman like Miss Lena Thompson, now
Mrs. f. l.. Clarke. or Miss Slbley, now
Mrs. Pope or Miss Sally Sibley, now
Mrs. +. A. Young, or even one APPROX
ing glance from the bright eyes of Miss
Laura Hancock. now the first lady IN
Minnesota. Mrs W. K. Merriam! Houses
in those days, too, were butt Tor
pleasure, and many's the dance that
has been tripped through the spacious
rooms of Gen. Sibley's home and. when
Miss Annie Borup was dcbutante, at
her home on Woodward avenue. Then
Mrs. j. f.. Thompson, with her beVy of
handsome daughters, reigned IN the
elegant home now occupied 10y L. ii.
Kelly, and gave splendid entertain
ments. as did Mrs. Hancock, who re-
sided in Gen. Simpsons place, and Mrs.
j. c. Burbank. i'm the Livingston house.
| remember that when the widow of
Col. Dousman, living down III Prairie
du Chien. wanted society Tor her son
Louis. she didn't 20 to Chicago or New
York, or anywhere but ST. Paul. The
most elegant party ever given here was
given 10y the late MIR. DouSman ut the
old Metropolitan hotel. Expense was
not counted. The flowers came from
Chicago, and all of the refreshments,
even the ices, were brought up from
Chicago and served 10y Kinsley, MI
DouSman, too, figured cOnspiCuouSly in
the most brilliant wedding StPaul has
ever seen, when he married Miss Nina
Sturgis. Gen. SturgiS was stationed
here at the time. and his daughters
wedding was appropriately military.
1t took place in the cathedral. There
were eight bridesmaids ana CORE
spending number of groomsmen, all
members of the regiment under com
mand of Gen. Sturgis. The bride was Il
rarely beautiful girl more like Miss
Kitty Gilhllan than any other
present society girl-and the gown
she wore. was Neiled with 5000
worth of lace. The marriage
ceremony WAS celebrated with high
mass and all the attendant pomp and
impressiveneSS of the Roman Catholic
service II lasted from 10 10 II o'clock
until one of tn" bridesmaids declared
she believed there had been enough to
marry the whole congregation.
There were social clubs, too, in st.
Paul before your day, ~. Don't get
the notion that because you're on the
wall there SO fancy tonight, no year be-
fore YOU was ever connected with a
clue. The Metropolitan club used to
give dances every two weeks in the old
Metropolitan hotel when i. ID. Fergu-
son was Luther Newport among the
girls. You might not believe il IS, but
he was a splendid dancer then. and a
girls happiness for an entire evening
was cOnSummated by
WALTZ WITH r. u. FERGUSON.
There was a German club, besides.
that had lived and died two years be-
fore you and your German club ever
saw light. ~. 1t was started by officers
of Gen. Sibley's staff and Stanford
Newell was as popular leader of the
dance then as is his son W. F. Newell,
now. II. B.Willls and James N.Granger
were always in demand. and f. b.
Clark. c. w. Mcintyre. u. ID. Ferguson
and l.. w. Rundlett were favorite part
ners. No suitable dancing hall was
available and the germans were given
in private houses. At the last given by
the Misses Sibey a figure was intro
duced which has never since been re-
peated. A kerosene lamp was upset.
enveloping a servant girl in flames.
Miss Slbley Mrs. POpelran To her relief
and the frantic girl throwing her arms
about Miss Slbiey set hfe 10 the light
dress she wore. burning her so badly
that she was confined TO her bed for
sixteen weeks and for two years carried
her arm IN a sling. The servant died in
four hours, and the serious turns of this
figure 50 wrought upon the nerves OF
Stanford Newell that he threatened to
eschew germans forever after.
The longer | look at you. "a, the
more I'm inclined to think you are out
of place. As l recoliect matters. it is
your younger brother, 10, who is asso-
ciated with this club. One bright after
noon in October. 1873. James \. Granger