The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-10-21
Excerpts from His Forthcoming
Book on Society.
THE ART OF ENTERTAINING.
Introducing Debutantes to the Great World
The Value of Pleasant Manners-Tact
and Good Breeding.


New York, where she met her husband,
then young Georgian. The mother then
went to Savannah, where five sons and one
daughter were born. This is what Meal
lister says of the famous Hall, whose name
will be ever remembered by San Fran
ciscans:
MY second brother, Hail, grew up with
the poet Milton always under his arm. He
was a great student. AT the little village of
Springfield, Georgia, where the family had
country house, we always passed the
summer in the piny woods. [ remember
as a boy fifteen years of age reading the
Declaration of Independence en- the Fourth
of July, from the pulpit of the village
church, to the descendants of the old DALI
burghers who came over soon after Ogle-
thorpe, and it was before an audience of
these ping woods farmers that, with this
brother at meeting of our debating soci-
iety in this village, | discussed the ques-
ton, Which is the Stronger Passion, Love
or Ambition 2 he advocating ambition, l
love. 1 well remember going for him as
follows: If his motto be that OF Hercules
the invincible. assume for mine that of
his opponent Venus, the victorious. With
my sling and stone | will enter this I'M
equal combat and thus hope to Stay the
great Goliath
'sThe twelve good and true men who
heard the discussion decided in my favor.
To the end of his days this brother of mine
was guided and governed by this self same
ambition. 1t made him what he became-a
great lawyer, the lawyer of the Pacific
coast, his boast TO me being that he had
saved seventeen lives, never having lost a
murder case. let ambition go and through
| life and to the present moment l swear by
my goddess Venus as supposed heir to my
saving godmother."
He proceeds: 1.-THE portals of New
York society were easily open to HE and [
well remember my first fancy ball, given
| by Mrs. John c.. Stevens in her residence
| in College place. A company of soldiers
were called into drill on the waXen floors to
perfect them for dancing. A legacy Of a
thousand dollars paid me by the New York
Life Insurance and Trust company l ex-
pended in fancy dress, which l battered
myself was the handsomest and richest at
the ball. l danced the cotilion with nun,
strange costume for her to- appear in, as
| Il won't be nun was engraved on every
expression of her face.
''The next great social event that / recall
was great fancy ball given by the Sher-
merhorns in their house ON the corner of
! Great Jones street and Lafayette place.
All the guests were requested to appear in
the costume of the period of Louis XIV.
The house itself was furnished and deco
rated in that style for this occasion. No
pains or expense was spared. 1t was in
tended to be the greatest affair dc luce New
Workers had ever seen. The men as well
as women Wed with each other in getting
up as handsome costumes as were ever
worn at that luxurious court. The lace and
diamonds on the women astonished society
A to of hn
tunes correct copies of those worn at that
period. The men, in tights and silk stock
ings for the first IL ne in their lives, became
Jealous of each others calves, and in one
instance a friend of mine on gazing at the
superb developments in this line of guest
doubted natures having bestowed such
generous gifts on him, SO, to Salty him
self, he pricked his neighbours calf witt
his sword, actually drawing blood, but the
possessor of the fine limbs never WINGED
Later he expressed forcibly his opinion O
the assault BY not wincing, the impress
} sion he had aided nature was confirmed
} These two balls were the greatest socia
, events that ever occurred in this city,"
, winter in Washington brings TO Meal
lister some amusing "reminiscences. H
saws t'In passing winter in Washington
; | soon learned how to ingratiate mysel
with the lawmakers of our country. Goo,
, dinners and wine were always effective
: and as l had the friendship of the Cali
fornia, New York and southern delega
: tions, was dining out all the time, invite
by one man or another who had an axe t
grind. On these occasions there was al
ways room prepared to receive a CUES
who had INDUCED too freely in stron
i waters. Men tnen drank in good earnes
/ in striking contrast to the days in which w
!. now live, when really at dinner people onl
taste wine, but do not drink it. | was the
placed on the committee of management TO
= the inaugural ball and did good service an
learned much from my Washington winter
: aAn amusing incident must here re
d late Quietly breakfasting and chattin
, with beautiful woman, then bride VIII
n had lived for years in Washington as
. widow, she asked me if l was going to Cor
f coran's ball that evening, and on my reply
i ing yes of course | was, she requested N
; to accompany her husband and self, whic
: | did. On entering MIR. Corcoran's ball
room with her on my arm [ noticed tina
, the old gentleman bowed very stiffiy to u:
a However, / paid no attention to this an
a went on dancing and escorting through tn
U rooms my fair partner, from whom [ ha
do sooner been separated than my hos
tapped me on the shoulder with My dea
young man, 1 know you did not know i
8 but the lady you have just had on your ar
: is not only not guest OF mile, but tn
$ morning | positively refused to send her a
: invitation to this ball. Fortunately ha
J: brought letters to this distinguished mai
70 so seeing my annoyance, he patted me c
It the shoulder and said: My boy this is nj
an unusual occurance In this city, but let
be warning to you to take care hereaftt
whom you bring to friends house,"
McAllister also tells of his visit to Win,
4 sor and that wonderful kitchen of IL
u Queens.
is At a ball in Florence McAllister fir
$. learned what ball should be- and had a
n adventure as follows II remember at or
r. of these balls dancing with an America
le girl, strillingly handsome woman, gre
q Stonington belle. We waltzed by the Xii
n of Bavaria. l felt hand placed on Il
shoulder and voice exclaimed, Mai
monsieur, c'est LIE roll stopped at on
r. and hastily inquired of my fair partne
n What is it!' She replied, 4 did it; w
=. determined to do it, AS passed the Xii
u / punched him in the ribs with my elbo'
Now am satisfied | rushed up to d
King and grand chamberlain sayin
Mile pardons, mile pardons;' and t.
- affair soon passed over, but soon dispos
ic of the young woman and never 'attempte
e. her again. The diamonds the woman wo
O. amused me. You see nothing in tt
ar country like the tiras of diamonds saw
this ball. Tiara after tiara, with t
whole head blazing with diamonds, and y
there was but little beauty.
,r tSociety must have its leader or leader
- 1t has always had them and will contin
re to have them. They are more or lie
70 absolute
IL In chapter eighteen Of the book occu
a. this 81 would now make some suggestio
d as to the proper way OF introducing
young girl into New York society, partic