Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-23

tremendous. The duration of their stay Will
be about three months. On their return
they will betake themselves to Newport.
Many 60 to the 0her side to obtain the bene-
fit of a sea voyage. and all for rest Ine
Newport season does not really begin until
August 1. There are some Lenten pleasures
like riding and theater parties, and there
may be mi-careme ball this year. II there
is IL will be held at some private mousse
Balls are the most popular of social events.
The cotilon ball and dinner is the most ex-
pensive and luxurious, but it has its au-
vantage. The guests are all selected by per-
sonal invitation. They must say yes or no,
and thus the exact attendance is known be-
forehand. The New Years ball is to become
q permanent institution, and it is intended
to take the place of another New Years
custom, that o. making calls. Conservative
society people have grown tired OF New
Years calls because they were overdone'
and many have made it q practice to leave
the city to avoid them.
WHERE BALLS CAN BE HELD.
"The reason the New Years ball was given
in the Metropolitan Opera House was be-
cause there was no private residence in the
city large enough to hold the people, and no
one wants to go to ball where he cannot be
in big dancing room. A ball of any size
at all can be held in only four private
houses in New York, those of Mrs. William
Astor, Mrs. William d. Vanderbilt, August
Belmont and Pierre Lorillard. In these
houses the guests would have to be divided
among a number of rooms. Few could
dance at once and the others would not be
able to look on. One of the principal pleas
ures at a ball is to watch the dancers.
"It is easier to manage a ball in Europe
than it is here. On the other side they have
supper ready as soon as the ball begins, and
people eat when they feel like it, which
keeps things going on all over the house at
once. Americans, on the other hand, insist
on all dancing and supping together. No
one can get up ball who does not possess
the confidence of the society leaders. This
confidence must be begot of the tried judg-
ment of the manager in selecting as partici-
pants persons of social eligibility. The
manager must have been familiar with So
ciety for years, and know everyone in and
out of its ranks. He must be out of busi-
ness, so as not to be influenced by personal
interests.
HE MUST BE FEARLESS.
"He must be capable of understanding
the social prejudices of all kinds of people
in society and also perfectly fearless in pro-
tecting both the kernel of society and So
ciety in its entirety. Men secure admission
to clubs through business influences. So
ciety could not retain Its integrity under
such a system. Having determined the
outlines of great ball, seek the counsel
of artists, into whose hands put the details
like the decorations, the supper. the music
and the control of the cloak room. These
must be men of known ability and expert
ence, who can be, depended on to perform
their parts. Ali the genius of mind and
beauty is not found within the boundaries
of New York society. There are people in
the world whose presence will set off an
affair as
DIAMONDS DO A FAIR FACE,
but who may never be brought into society
unless somebody brings them in. The man
who undertakes to perform this service must
never let new face escape him, and must
not let prejudice influence his. judgment.
Society must have handsome as well as witty
women. For men great talent is recon-
mendation in any field. Great beauty is
woman's passport. But of course, this is
passport only when the owner of the face is
unexceptional in all other directions. Here
is where Judgment and tact must be exer-
cised. Society grows constantly. 1t moves
in circle and with every revolution new
material is gathered. Society wants to keep
out no one who will prove an acquisition"