The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-02-22

A word about american aristocraey to be
gin with.
What, American aristocracy?
Yes, certainly.
assure you that there exists III America
social sanctu;lrics into which it is moro diff
cult to penetrate than into the most exclusive
mansions of tho Faubourg Saint-Germain or
of Mayfair and Belgravia.
There are in Philadelphia; in Beacon street,
Boston; in Washington square north sile,
New York; in Virginia; in Canal street fright
side), New Orleans, Americans who look upon
common mortals with much more pity and
contempt than the Montnlorency's of France
or the Towards Of England.
The Ainorcans, not havinr any King to
give them titles of nobility, have created m
aristocracy for themselves This aristocracy
boasts as yet no dukes, marQuses, earls, or
barons, but the blue blood is there, it appears
Dutch blood us a rule-and that is sufficient.
When a European noblcnan arrives in the
States, the American aristocracy leave cards
upon him at the hotel where ho has alighted.
He may perhaps be personally known to none:
but all nobilities are kindred everywhere, it
is an act Of international courtesy, as it were.
The European nobeulan, who often goes to
America for a lowered wife, is much obliged
to them, and returns all tho visits paid him.
A New York lady, who is quite IN author
ity upon such Matters told me ono day that
society in New York was composed of only
four hundred persons. Outside this company
Of elect, oil Philistines
Money or celebrity may allow you to enter
Into this charmed circle, but you will never
belong to it. You will be in il, but not Of it.
Tho lady i'll question entered also into very
minute details on tho subject Of what sEo
called the difference between society people"
and people in society,"" but, i'll spite of all
her explanations, confess did not seiZo tho
delicate nuanccs she tried to convey. AL |
clearly understood was that tho aristocracy
of birth exists in America, not only in the
brains of those who form part Of it, but also
in the eyes Of their compatriots.
The desire to establish an uristocracy of
some sort was bound to haunt the breast of
the Americans; it was tho only thing that
their dollars seemed unable to procure them.
The second aristocracy is the aristocracy OF
money, plutocracy. To belong to this it is
not sufficient to bo Il milliouaire-you must,
am told, belong to third generation of mill
ionaircs OF such arc tho Astors. tho Van
derbilts and company. Three quarters of
mobility" are the necessary key of this little
world. Tho first generation makes the mill
ions, the second generation is parvenue, the
third is urrivec. In tho eyes Of these people
to havo from thirty.or forty to fifty thousand
dollars year is to be in decent poverty. To
hnvo two or three hundred thousand dollars
year is to be in easy circumstances.
The third aristocracy is the aristocracy Of
talent, literary and artistic society. This
third aristocracy is'incontestably the first, If
you win excuse the Hiberniauisln.
l do not think that one could find any
where, or oven imagine, society more re-
fined, moro affable, more hospitable, more
witty or more brilliant. l should like just
hero to indulge in q string Of adjectives after
tho fashion of Nine. de Seyigne.
One Of tho consequences Of the position
which woman takes in tho United States
is, that in good American drawing rooms con-
versation Is never dull.
| "If | were queen" exclaimed Nine. Re-
can,ier ono day,="1 would command Nine.
de stael to talk to me all day long" One
would like to be able to give tho sumo order