Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-25
Swell Life Mt Newport.

Miss Seawell in Boston Transcript.
To one who comes to Newport at intervals
and examines it good naturally, it always ap-
pears like a place designed by the author of
"Alice in Wonderland Everything Is accord
ing to the rule of contrary. and the people go
gravely on their way without noticing the vast
and laughable incongruities that are enough to
make craven image smile. First, it is So
ciety founded essentially on trade. Bellevue
avenue, with Its palaces and swell turnouts. Las
q rock-bottom foundation of leather hides
sugar, tobacco, and such. But never was trade
SO hated and loathed anywhere at Newport
Ihere, society has chosen to model itself after
that OF great landed aristocracy, when the
only thing that the society people here have
not is land Isn't it too funny for ANYTHING?
Then, they build great houses, modelled after
the manor houses of England and the chateaux
OF France, which are expressly designed for the
entertainment OF great numbers of guests. But
such thing as house party is practically un-
known at Newport. Imagine the Astors or the
Nanderbilts entertaining an average party of
twenty persons all through the season But
no-the Iaind cannot grasp the idea. Yet they
go on building enormous houses and living in
one wing Of them. Guests at Newport, beyond
two or three desirable men and q fashionable
girl, or very swell couple would be utterly
disjointing and impossible. One couldn't take
ten persons to dinner or a small dance, and SO
Sucots arc FEWER mere tnan anywhere else on
the civilized globe. 1t is true that one NAV
utilize ones acquaintance as guests. by way OF
getting footing In society, and it is done very
often; but the fact remains that after all the
entertaining done here there is but little hos
pitality. Life indeed, il a great spectacular
function at Newport; everything is KEYED up to
the note OF beauty and it would be vain and
foolish to expect anything else. And. alas
Newport society, the best Of it, is deadly dull.
The result of this luxurious, material life is.
first. to prevent people from beginning to
think; and, second. to prevent them from
thinking It once they begin. Stray foreigners
who come to the United States with great an
ticipations of American esprit among women,
and American humor among men, would never
find Any of it here. The young men and
maidens are sham English. They are not in
touch with American life-nor with English
life either, for that matter They are i'm
maculately well dressed and perfectly we'll
hammered. The men have, under ali their
veneering, certain manliness and courage
such as the Duke of Wellington said that pup
pies usually have. The women are at heart
womanly. but they are the duliest Americans
that can be found. A Newport dinner is one
OF the most splendid and stupid functions in
the world. 1t is exactly like dinners given by
the great moneyed class. as represented by the
rich English Northumberland, solemn con-
scious, each one anxious to impress his neigh
Dor with his social consequence. There is no
especial depravity in this-it is merely the way
that q society founded on money must organize
ITSELF