Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-26
FAvORs FOR LITTLE DINNERs
Rivalry In the Giving OF Them-SOms Points
on Arlstocracy in New York.

Rivalry In the Giving Of Them-sOms Points
on ArIstocracy in Now York.
''NNHE FASHION OF GIVING COSTLY
Il favors at dinners and on other such coca.
siOns is passing. said New York caterer who has
newly established himself in Washington. "Of
| course all such fancies spread from the metropo-
lis. To meet the demand there our trade has been
| obliged for the last two years to keep in stock
all sorts of expensive knick knacks For ex-
ample. we have supplied each of the guests at
swell repast with mandolins and violins in
miniature at $40 each. On other occasions
each one OF the ladies present would have Q
feather fan with an oval mirror in the middle
valued at 50. Embroidered sachets ct Sl6 q
piece and imported hand mirrors framed In
ivory and silver. for the men and women re-
spectively, were thought particularly appro-
pirate.
Il have known opera hats in pink, blue and
yellow silk to be used as favors for tho gentle
mon at a dinner, the ladies receiving riding
| hats In light materials. They cost IS each On
particularly festive occasion at the house Of
some very rich people hand-painted bon
bonnleres OF china and crystal were given to
the women. while the men had cigar cases of
like materials. The china was real Sevrcs and
the articles were worth $50 each. Gentlemen
sometimes got beautiful cigar cases as favors,
while gilded hay rakes, adorned with ribbons
and bells, are much cheaper, costing only "a
| each.
FROM THE JEWELLERS.
inexpensive trides may do well enough for
poor people, but such small gifts would be apt
to condemn a New York hostess as stingy, if
| she offered them at dinner at her house.
Mrs. Aston or any one o. the Vanderbilt ladies
| would never think Of depending upon their ca
terer for their favors. They 60 to the big jew
elers for the purpose and buy rings, scarf pins,
gold brooches and even diamonds. OF course,
people who are ordinarily wealthy cannot
afford such an expenditure and they are COM
PEELED either to go beyond their means or to
| content themselves with being out of it. This
| state OF affairs engenders pleasant sort OF ri
yalry which affords q suggestion of the causes
| which bring about large business failures.
Certain ignorant persons, doubtless inspired
| by Jealousy, have gone SO far as to assert that
display OF such kind is vulgs:; but it goes
| without. saying that the Astors and the Van
derbilts could never be vulgar.
speaking of aristocrats, there are some very
interesting ones among the Four Hundred in
York. A lady, who was one Of my most profit
able customers, came to my place OF business
near the Fifth Avenue Hotel a while ago in a
great hurry. She said that she wanted an eiab-
crate dinner for twelve persons served an hour
later. Said /:
"'Madam, it is impossible
'Her reply was:
"'Oh, ty-blankety.bl blank it'll II you
don't have that blankety blank dinner on time
an hour from now. blank you, will withdraw
my custom from your blsnkety-blank estab-
lishmsnt. So now!
That is not the usual language Of fashion IN
New York city, but We caterers are obliged to
put up with it occasionally when . customer 10
displeased or impatient"