The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-14
S0CIETY'S FALL COURTS.
THE FASHIONABLE SET STILL LIN.
GERS AT NEWPORT.

Everything de Rigeur ct Rhode Is
lands Famous Resort - Mrs. Fred
Vanderbilt, Der Charity and Her
Home-McA llister and His Family.
(Copyrighfl
NEW York. Sept. 13-Fashion's court Ia
not where the President is, nor where the
greatest number of people are, nor VET,
where the money is, though money is there
incidentally. but it is where Mrs. Aston
gives audience and dispenses hospitality. In
Mrs Astor's wake is always the efficient,
prime minister, Ward McAllister, and
where these two are is the head
quarters of American aristocracy. If
certain others did not elect to coms
also-the Belmonts and Goeless, the LIVING
stones, Vanderbilts, Coopers, Lawrences
and Bonapartes-if these did not mako
common cause with Mrs Aston, then no
place could be called the court: but they
do, and by these presents upper swelldom id
still at Newport. ;
But the super pretensions OF
Newport are not based entirely on blood
and money, for Bishop Potter lends'hi holy
presence, and last year fought the claims
of the common people to the use of theb
beach
There is a subtle difference entirely pail
pable to the casual visitor between the social
atmosphere OF Newport and that of the
other similar Observation-Disclosures pier,
Lenox, Bar Harbor and Rlchfeld-to which
sweldom goes occasionally. This is a
gravely important point on which the
public will be glad 10 be instructed
Be 1t known, therefore, that at the
other places visitors not in the set
ara
themselves unfrowned upon as intruders,
and one may live at the hotels without being
called vulgar OF course by including
Lenox refer to the time before the court
moves up there later in the autumn. But
at Newport everything is de rigeur. Society
does not indulge itself even in surf bathing. !
tlking It's aristocratic baths indoors. There
is here no hotel life; only hotel existence. |
There are sets in other places; In Newport
there is but one set, and woe to you If you |
ara not in it.
The social surface here appears TO the
outsider calm as a summer sea- but it has
its sensation within; its intrigues, its jeal-
ousies, its people with idiosyncraies-
Among the last is Mrs. Paran Stevens, who
started the epidemic of burglar-frights
which is at present robbing the set of its
beauty sleep and furnishing the stoclr
thene for small talk. Mrs Stevens
inaugurated the season by tho loss
and recovery-found in her own bed
of $4,000 worth of diamonds, and
a suit for false accusation of a French
maid. IL is not many months
since she had Paris agog, aud the detectives
of two continents hunting for jewels found
eventually in her own rooms At this time
she had suit against her by Swiss maid
for false imprisonment. Last year she had
three detectives to watch her grounds.
which we're invaded by night marauders,
who turned out to be her own maid keeping
tryst with a lover These exploits by an
outsider would cause harsh remarks, but
Mrs. Stevens Is au fat at Newport and they
are thought o delicious manifestation oc
individuality.
Ward McAllister is social noudescript
who gets kind Of advertising which he
would feel to be undesirable If he had a
modicum of refined taste. There is not q
man with whom he KNOCKS elbows socially
who would not scorn it. One can't help
feeling for his family; to be known in So
ciety as Ward McAllister's daughter must
be heavy fate. The announcement at
the beginning of the season that "Mr. Nc
Allister mad gone to Newport earlier
than Is his custom to prepare for tho
reception Of Prince George of Wales and
the English squadron" struck the keynote
of his importance here this season; and
though Prince George has not appeared he
has entertained everybody else, and fairly
fills the eye as the most important person.
age In Newport after Mrs. Aston. 1t viii
interest the philosophic reader to know that
the man who has attained this eminence has
a comparatively small income and that he
does not live in costly cottage.
Mrs. Fred K. Vanderbilt is perhaps the
most interesting cottager here. She has
more character than all the other Vaderbilt
women together. She is the Lady Bountt-
full of Newport.
Mrs. Cornelius is stingy, and counts even
the money she pays out to those who servo
her, but Mrs. Fred, born herself In poverty.
seems to have heart for all who suffer.
The christian scientists in the set-there are
lots of them-maintained after her sewers
sickness last summer that Ii was the
prayers Of the poor that restored her to-
health.
The truth seems to be that Mrs Fred has
taste as well as character aud heart, and
whatever pertains to her gains some new
grace thereby. But there really are some
aesthetic marvels in her house. There is a
drawing room in it that is the envy OF ALI
Newport. 1t is sunshine color, Of all others
the color for a summer interior. It has
plush wall hangings which are deep orange
In the fold and pale yellow where the hight
glances like sunlight through a wood, and
hand woven tapestries of the same colors
mingled, and woodwork of white and golds
O summers idyL
Some knowing people have turned their
spy-glasses on Newport for the express pur-
pose of watching the operations of Mr..
Calvin Brice, of Napoleonic ambition, who,
not content with western senatorship. is
understood to be now engaged in scooping
in the social position at Newport which his
genius has clearly predestined him to hold,
1t was a bold experiment, for politics ara
considered vulgar by ''the set.' but as ha
has been allowed to secure valuable property
and to become one of the governors of tha
Casino, his success 10 an outsider seems
already assured. ADA CONE.