Morning journal and courier., 1890-10-06
AT A NEWPORT VILLA.
The Sentiments Of u New York 500
ety MAN.

The Sentiments OF New York SOcf- |
city Man.
LILLIAN Whiting In the New Orleans Times
Democrat.I
We were grouped near the long French |
windows opening out on the piazza last |
night, finding it just too cool to actually
sit outside, watching brilliant panorama
of yachts and lighted boats fitting on the
water, while moon that was golden rath
er than silver bathed the scene of en-
chanting beauty, when very representa-
tive man of the -Four Hundred" dropped
in on his way to the Goelet ball. AS we
all drifted into q discussion of life from
various standpoints with the earnestness
of group of Bostonians, and as this
somewhat exciting conversation, begin
ming almost Immediately after dinner, did
not terminate till nearly twelve-at which
hour the representative of the -Four
Hundred" called his carriage to be driven
to the ball, it will be seen that there was
ample time for wide survey of life and
letters on the part of a small group of
people who were nothing if not accom-
plished in the art of expressing their in
dividual convictions with fervOr and flu
ency. I confess that retired in such a
state of excitement as one might feel after
assisting at new play of Sardou's.
The conversation drifted to some COM
| ment on q very charming dinner party
| that one of the many millionaires had
| given the night before to twenty eight
| guests. With the host and hostess thirty
of these exceptionally well cared-for peo-
| pie sat down to dinner which cost las an
| intimate habitue of the house told us)
something over ten thousand dollars, in
| GLIDING the floral decorations and the mu-
sic by the Hungarian orchestra concealed
in leafy bower, although also included
in this sum was the price of candelabra
purchased for this occasion, which was
forty-fve hundred dollars" ''Ten thou
sand dollars, however," remarked one of
our number, sis the cost of this feast,
even though the candelabra will not, pre-
sumably, have to be purchased over
again" Eyes," remarked the knight of
the Four Hundred, ''and how could ten
spenta This is all life is for, anyway-to
have a good time. There is no rank now
but wealth. Whoever has great wealth is
society. Many who do not possess it may
be received by society, but they are not,
themselves, society. And it is the best
possible thing for the people, the common
people," proceeded the expositor of the
'society," sit is the best thing for the
people that these luxuriant and elaborate
entertainments are given. The money
flows into trade channels and thus does
good in the very best way. When Miss
Hargous orders a gown costing hundreds
of dollars she enables forty working girls,
perhaps, to support themselves or others.
| 1t is Just as great an act of benefcence as
when Johns Hopkins endowed the univer-
sity that bears his name. In fact" con-
tinued the knight of the Four Hundred,
81 have no doubt that it is a much better
act. Men who endow universities do il
with wholly selfish aims. Johns Hopkins
wished to perpetuate his name so that the
next generation and those who come after
should remember his existence. 1t was
nothing but self arrogance on his part.
| All this higher education, in my opinion,
does more harm than good anyway But
let that pass. / contend that all this edu-
cational and religious work of the world
is pure selfshness and arrogance The
churches are nothing but women's club
houses. The ministers are as worldly, as
selfish, as covetous and as jealous as any
other men. There is no such a thing as
coed motives. 1t is the same thing in lit
erature. No writer writes for anything
except to crafty his personal vanity"
One of our party protested, and sug-
gested names of those who had, clearly, a
message to be delivered, who had some
thing to say and left the high responsible
ty of saying it.
"But that is all the worse" rejoined the
knight of Society" and continued, "that
shows intolerable arrogance. How dare
any man set himself up as superior to all
other men in having anything to teach
) thems 1t is all selfish vanity"
$50 far as the -Four Hundred CO." pro-
ceeded their interpreter, 81 should like to
know what the country would do without
them. What would the newspapers find
to print-not that ever read newspapers
but what would the people who write
for them find to write about, l should like
to know, if it were not for the perfection
of life they can see in the people of vast
Wealth.
Have proceeded from ad infinitum to
ad nauseama 1 can well believe it. Yet
this is q portion of the perfectly sincere
convictions expressed by well-born and
well-bred, and faultlessly costumed New
York man, to whom society-from his
standpoint-is his only occupation in life.
1t is his profession, his art, his religion, so
to speak. But should startle the read
: ers of the Times-Democrat, or any other
reputable journal, should relate this per-
sons comments on women. To him char
acter and qualities had no existence
Physical projections and artistic costum-
ing comprised absolutely all that he recog-
nized. AS phase of American life, and
one that is becoming somewhat largely
representative, this exposition interested
me- All the higher movements and
! achievements of science, of art, of educa-
ton, of philanthropy, of religion, are as
much dead letter to this social order as
they are to the most crude and ignorant
J portion of the population. This class of
society devote their entire energies to
what may not inaptly be called the wor-