Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-20

HkfS EA o'' auieA Wust u
4E G 1t was an old woman
fnK who made the exclama
w. tory remark. The sigh
that so impressed her was a section of Fiftt
avenue and a cross street crowded with car
riages To her mind, nothing less than the
obsequies of her patron saint could get to-
gether such lot of equipages. But she
looked in vain for anything like hearse,
and the liveries of the coachmen and foot
men bore no trace of mourning. This oc-
Cured on Wednesday of the present week
and the vehicles were conveying guests to
| and from Mrs Cornelius Vanderbilt's after
noon reception. Only a few days previ-
ously there had been a precisely similar
spectacle further down the avenue, when
Mrs. William Astor had received a thou
sand of her friends. The Astors led off in
the seasons gayeties at home, and they did
it gorgeously by means of receptions, sup
pers and dances. But the present has been
a Vanderbilt week, with its supper and
dance by Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt, its
music by Mrs. William d. Sloan, "a Wander
bilt daughter; reception by Mrs. Elliott
f. Shepard, another heiress of the family,
and the grand reception by Mrs. Cornelius
Vanderbilt, already mentioned. There Is
no reason to accuse the Vanderbilts of
plunging socially. They are simply crowd
ing their entertainments into January,
because Cornelius and William K. will
both go to London early in February. In
the English capital they will undertake to
solidify and extend their already important
position by means of elaborate hospitality.
1 am told by a we'll informed lady from
London that the Vanderbilts have made an
excellent impression there-that their lavish
expenditure of money has not been
accompanied by the slightest vulgarity,
that they have not forced themselves upon
anybody, and that they are bound to be-
come leaders over there before 1889 is over.
An incident in Fourth avenue car con-
tained Just grain of beauty. All the seats
were occupied, when an old, poorly dressed
woman entered at Forty-second street. The
first one to offer his seat was a we'll built,
clean-cut gentleman considerably under the
middle age, his face smooth shaven and
firm, his eyes clear and alert, his whole
bearing engaging and graceful. The poor
old woman was one of those loquacious
creatures who often talk away in an inno-
cent manner to strangers, and so, after
thanking the man who had given her a seat,
she told him of her intended trip to New
Jersey to see her married daughter She
wanted to go to the Christopher street ferry,
she said, and didn't know, for the life of
her. how to do it. Her new acquaintance
listened politely to all she said and assured
her that he would see that she was trans
ferred to the blue car at Eighteenth street,
which runs to the ferry. The gentleman's
hao I'd ho sir o1d
gaining the admiration of every one in the
car, he was so patient and good natured with
her. AT Eighteenth street he stopped the
car. Just then the desired other car shot
across. Rushing to the front platform the
obliging gentleman called loudly to the
driver OF the erosstown car. Then he helped
the old woman from one car to the other, ran
back, and smiled good-humoredly over all
the trouble he had been put to.
happened to recognize this good Samari-
tan. 1t was Cornelius Vanderbilt. He had
chosen to do some unusual conductors work
on one of his own lines of cars.
Every Friday evening Lille Devereaux
Blake gives coffee, assisted by her daugh- |
ter and some of her girl friends. There is |
always at least one distinguished guest |
and limiIless amount of talk, music add |
coffee Mrs. Blake prides herself on the
quality of her beverage, which she brews at
a square table in the dining room, seated |
before a large tray of solid silver, heavy
with the sterling sugar basin, cream jug,
spoon cup, slop tureen ana toast rack, each
an heirloom that was at one time the pride
of Burr or Dix a century or so ago. At
the last coffee the pretty advocate Of woman's
rights was dressed in All antique moire be-
longing to Aaron Burr's mother. The gown
of peach yellow, with peach blossoms in
brocaded silk, was caught at the belt with
girdle, the clasp of which had been fash
ioned from the lid of silver snuf-box be-
longing to Aaron Burr.
"It isn't true.' said one of the strong
minded ladies at Mrs. Blake's last recep-
ton, "that women are more quarrelsome
among themselves than men. The contrary
is true. Look at Sorosis. That club of
women has been in existence many years,
and it has never had row worth mention
ing. But take present glance at the best
Of the mems clubs. There is a row in the
pretentious old Century that is going to
smash it all to flinders. The new Players
is hardly started before a rupture begins,
md it is as good as broken up. The Union
md the Manhattan both have fights on
hand that get into the papers. Doesn't that
prove women to be better tempered than
nen?"
"And did you ever think" interposed
Mrs. Blake, that every year we have a
whole week ofprayer throughout Christen-
lom for young men, while there is never
of such universal and pro-
onged plea for young women? Why not?
Because our sex, 1 suppose, doesn't need
week of supplication by all the praying
people on earth to move heaven to forgive
less."
T. AT NC oorsidar opa ladrr rbo ;s s,,,or. |