The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-27
WAT 1s CONC ON IN SOCIETY.

! carry nervous prostration In their train. have
untitled every one for the enjoyment OF society
functions, II indeed they have not driven
| large number into the relentless grasp OF our
old enemy the grip. Opera singers seem AL
ways the first to be attacked by this strange
| malady, and frequent changes OF programme
owing to the indisposition OF tenors. sopranos.
and bassos have therefore recently occurred.
| As q matter OF course disappointment ana
| thin houses have been the result.
The late President Lincoln is credited with
having remarked after the second. battle OF
| Bull Run that no felt as II he had been pitched
| into the middle OF last year. Middle-aged and
| elderly operagoers have been feeling since
| tho opening Of tho present season as II they
| had been blown backward to the middle Of
| fifty years ago. To listen to the attenuated
melodies OF Belllni. or even the more tuneful
numbers Of Verdi. night after night is. to say
I the least. enervating at the present era. and
| but for the relief afforded by such charming
works as Gouuod's Romeo and Juliet" and
Meyerbeer's Hugucnots." with an occasional
afternoon with Paderewski. or tho tonic Of .,
Symphony or Philharmonic concert, music
lovers would perish Of iuanition.
|, The Polish pianist. by the way. has become Q
sort OF social lion. The women who can speak
French with him say he is uncommonly agree
able. and his funny red hair has given him the
appellation OF "the human chrysanthemum."
Two subscription recitals which were got up
for him at Artist Chase's spacious and pictur-
esque studio in West Tenth street week be.
fore Ast. were crowded with fashionable aud.
encds. both of men and OF women. who paid
six dollars apiece to hear him play. Two more
recitals have been arranged to be given at the
same place upon the same terms. and on Jan.
30 he is to play at Sherry's rooms for the ben.
eft OF the Society for the Summer Rest for
Workingmen.
Tho dancing part OF the community have
been taking rest, the second Of the combina-
ton dinner dances or dancing dinners Of Mrs.
Shepard and Mrs. Sloane having been the only
occasion Afforded them for hopping. jumping.
spinning. and other Delsartean achievements.
Tho most notable entertainments Of the
week have been Mrs Marshall O. Roberts's two
dinners in her Inner picture gallery" for
Col. Ralph Vivian and his former companions
in arms. Col Herbert Strategy and Col Cuthbert
Larking. There was lavish display Of every.
thing that is pleasant to the eye and crafty.
ing to tho taste Of refined and luxurious hue
mainly at both the dinners. and Mrs. Roberts
certainly spread before her foreign guests
the best that her native country had to
exhibit in the way Of artistic surroundings
and feminine beauty. Mrs. Lloyd Bryce. Mrs.
Ogden Goeet. Mrs. Roche. Mrs. Jaffray. and
Mrs. Francklyn made pretty fair showing Of
American good looks. while Mrs. Bradley Mar.
tin. Mrs. Ogden Mills. and Mrs. William q
Whitney rivalled the fair hostess in the purity
| and brilliancy OF their gems. Ex-Secretary
Whitney. Goold Redmond. John L. Cadwala-
der. and Perry Belmont were also we'll chosen
| as specimens Of the American gentleman
pure and simple.
When Mrs. Marshall o. Roberts changes her
| name. as she will so shortly do. to that Of tho
| gallant Colonel. whose six feet two Of bone
and muscle carry 80 much fascination with
| them. she will have reason to congratulate
herself upon the alteration. as Mrs. Ralph
| Vivian" has q flavor OF romance about IL
which is decidedly lacking in the highly res
| spectacle cognomen that che now bears.
| Mrs. Astor's dinner ON Wednesday evening
| was in the usual style Of sumptuous grandeur
peculiar to the Astor family. Twenty-four
| guests neither young nor old. nor hardly mid
| dle-aged. were seated around the table where
gold and silver cleaned and roses bloomed.
and where nothing was left to be desired that
money could buy or good taste suggest Ban
Quets at the Aston mansion. however. are al.
| ways much the same.
hnns ,a IN by S
The reception given by Mrs. Orme Wilson on
| Thursday blocked Fifth avenue from the Union
| League Club to Madison square. It was
was lat home" with her sister-in-la looked
| extremely pretty. and all tho bellies Of this
| and previous seasons. with q fair supply Of
| desirable men. were present This will pos
| sibly be tho last crowded reception Of the wins
| ter. unless on the occasion Of wedding. as
| January will bring such rush of balls dina
ners. and dances that daylight GATHERINGS will
| cease to be attractive.
In addition to the endless number OF SUBJ
scription affairs at Delmonico's and sherry's.
| four evening entertainments. with music or
dancing. are to be given by Mrs. Arthur M.
| Dodge. four by Mrs. Seward Webb. who. how.
ever. has gracefully yielded her claim to Jan.
| to avoid Interference with Mfs- Anson p.
| Stok es monster dinner and cotiilon in fancy
| costume: Mrs John W. Minturn has secured
| Jan. 20 for q dance at her Washington square
house. and Mrs. Robert Goelet announces 6
cotillon on Jan. %
The marriage Of Miss Post and Mr.. Howard
will doubtless DO the occasion for many enter
tainments in the Vanderbilt connection. a.
| already they are in request for q series Of
sumptuous dinners. February which is leap
year month. still remains. however. as Lcnt
| comes in late this year. and probably some Of
the handsomest balls Of the season will be
postponed until near its close.
Cards are out and have been very extensively
circulated among the smart set for Madame
Bonapartes ball at the Arlington Rooms.
Washington. on Jan. s. for the debut Of her
daughter Miss Bonaparte is by no means the
beauty that she has been represented. but she
is quite handsome enough for an heiress. and
is said to be very attractive.
Mrs D. p. Morgan's superb house in WASH
ington will be closed this winter. as Mrs. Nor
gan has Joined Miss Clementina Furniss and the
Ridgely Carriers OF Baltimore In a trip UP the
Nile. Miss Furniss will DO missed In society
here as Mrs Morgan will be at the capital
Old Boreas still rules tho winds and waves
on the Atlantic Ocean. and passengers by the
Majestic. which arrived on Thursday. were
quite Frustrated by the violence Of the storms.
Among them were Mrs. John Davis Of WASH
ington and her daughter and Miss Adele Grant.
Mrs. Dayis's arrival will DO welcome news to
her many friends here and in Washington.
Mr.. Thomas Hitchcock. Jr. has been In town