The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-18
THE FOUR HUNDRED.
Only Two Real Beauties at Mrs.
Astor's Beauty Dinner"
WOMEN AT PUBLIC BANQuETs,
Their Presence Helps Keep the Men
sober-Mrs. Van Rensselaer, Cruser,
the Society Novelist.

NEW York, Jan. 12.-[Special. Mrs.
William Astor's beauty dinner" is still
spoken of in the gilded circles of society.
To be sure, it is thing of the past, and it
is not likely to have any successor, hut
like the great masked ball of years ago
and other social events it marked an
epoch in the mad whirl of New York So
clety. 1t was given with the idea of at
tracing attention. Mrs. Astor has known
for some time that her social leadership
was in danger, and she has not been will
ing to give UP the scepter without de-
termined struggle. Mrs. Whitney, the
Vanderbilts and numerous others have
broadly thrown down the challenge to
her, and she saw early in the winter that
she would have to do something out of the
ordinary to attract attention and maintain
her position. Her great reception few
weeks ago was given with that idea. Those
who were present say that it was alto.
gether one of the most disagree
able brushes imaginable, and in
the room where luncheon was
served the scramble for sandwiches, cakes
and wine was something awful. The
beauty dinner" for such it was described
on the card of invitation. was given to
select few. The ladies were all possessed
Va SOAliOIttDic jain dCtoulttS, anu Utdny
of them are owners of splendid tiaras.
But of the dozen who were present, nos
more than two could be called beautiful,
that is, if one wished to keep within the
boundaries of truth. There were an
abundance of flowers, superb dinner,
talk; that was all. 1t differed in no other
respect from scores of other dinners given
by Mrs. Aston, and was meaningless, for it
did not bring together an aggregation of
beauty, as the card of invitation would in
dictate. Quite naturally, the dinner
caused a good deal of talk, and for
the first week or so after it there
were rumors that other society leaders
would follow Mrs. Astor's example. But
when they began to make up their lists,
and found out that 1T would be mis-.
homer unless the women really happened
to be beautiful and that it would be the
cause of many social jealouses and quar-
rels by those who were not classed as
beauties, the idea was abandoned. and 10 is
not likely to be taken up again. Just what
the new fad will be ii is hard to tell. Is
was thought when Mr.. James Waterbury
gave his famous circus that he had reached
the limit of novelty. Perhaps so. We
shall not know till later on.
WOMEN AT PUBLIC DINNERS
An innovation in the matter of public
dinners has taken place in New York this
winter. At most of the great banquets
the wives and mothers and daughters and
sweethearts, to the extent of all that could
be accommodated, have been present to
listen to the speeches made when the coffee
and cigars were passed around. l noticed
at dinner in Delmonico's last week that
the little gallery that surrounds the white
and gold ballroom was crowded by score
of pretty women, who paid marked atten-
ton to the speakers. At the Reform Club
L.. Ill -
ladies, aud they seemed to take very kind
: to the new departure. There is no
reason why women should not at least be
invited to listen to the speeches at a pub
lie dinner. If they can stand the tobacco
smoke, surely the men cam and it may be
a move in the right direction in preventing
the over-indulgence in sparkling waters
that intoxicate and leave one the worse for
the banquet the next day.
A SOCIETY WOMAN AS AN AUTHORIZES.
Mrs. Jane Van Rensselaer, Cruger is still
the most surprised woman in New York.
Her novels have made a hit beyond the
widest of her expectations, and her work
is so much in demand by publishers that
just now she is undergoing the pleasing
experience of declining offers for stories,
sketches and poems, at prices that would
make many seasoned author frantic.
Mrs. Cruger was fitted by nature for So
cial leader She is beautiful and brainy at
the same time. She was fortunate enough
to marry husband who had money, Il
good social position, and man who loved
his wife. So she was pushed ahead, and
today she is one of the most attractive of
New York society leaders, as well as an
authoress whose work is in such demand
that she cannot do half that is
wanted of her. She divides her
time between New York, where
she has a splendid home, and q lit
tie country town Oh Long Island, where
she occupies an old-fashioned farm house.
fitted up in all that art can do TO make a
home beautiful. Here she gives delightful
breakfasts to society people, more particu-
larly the hunting set, of which she Is
member, and in the afternoon she works
steadily at her writing. In the evening
her house is always open TO visitors, and
AN invitation to one of her receptions is
gladly accepted. | do not know of any one
who is as much to be envied as she.
FOSTER COATES.