The Portland daily press., 1892-04-25

-4s1" 4 Vim, %AEAA It.-AIluOSG every
mail brings batch of letters to Ward
McAllister, the leader of New York's
celebrated -Four Hundred, asking for
advice on Glow to become a society
leader" Pretty nearly all of these let
ters are from ambitious young gentle
men IN small towns who are DESTROYS of
forming q -Four Hundred of their own.
Invariably they are Of good family, en-
joying excellent social privileges, but,
not knowing the ropes, they are unable
to establish themselves at the head of
the procession. Hence they turn to the
great arbiter of American society for
counsel, and in such numbers do their
missives come that Mr.. McAllister, if he
attempted to answer them all, would be
compelled to hire a secretary to look af
ter this class of correspondence alone.
Since he issued his famous ukase, di-
viding the original Four Hundred into an
''ipner circle of $50, an "outer circle"
and ''fringe," these communications
have been particularly numerous. The
incident served to revive general inter-
est in the peculiar hold which the chief
Of the Four Hundred has on his follow
ers in the giddy whirl, and naturally re-
quests for instruction as to the best
means of climbing the ladder of social
fame have increased. For the benefit of
his numerous correspondents, none of
xry1,o ~, 1,n ~ -
his hands, Mr.. McAllister consented re-
Gently to an interview on the subject of
how society and society leaders may best
be built up.
SIT is the easiest thing in the world"
said he, "for man, young or old, to
become q society leader and to build up
a distinct society. But it requires
great many uncommon qualities, and
unless he possesses these he will be wiser
if he leaves the task alone. He must
possess push, the faculty of organization
and administration, fine powers Of diplo-
macy, perfect tact, a thorough knowl-
edge Of men and the capacity to make
enemies with equanimity.
Certain people of wealth and influ-
ence will be found in every community
who are in every way ineligible for adj
mission into good society. These per-
sons are absolutely certain to visit all
their resentment on the head Of the man
who is looked upon as the organizer Of
the set from which they have been ex-
cluded, and naturally they will do all
in their power to 1njure him. Therefore,
the ability to bear the attacks Of enc
mics is particularly essential to man
who wants to assume society leadership.
Given this ability, and being in posses
sion of the other qualities have emu
merated, the goal can be reached by fol-
lowing q very simple line of procedure.
GIN the first place, the aspirant wants
to be particular in his dress. I don't
mean that he shall be dude or a dandy,
but he wants to BIG always well dressed
and cultivate especially habit of wear
ing evening attire with ease and grace.
There is nothing that tends SO much to
the pleasures of society as the dress coat.
In America the PEOPLE are far behind
Europe in this matter. There it is real
lied that nothing helps SO much in
throwing off the cares Of business as
evening approaches as the changing of
ones clothes, the laying off of ones
workday uniform as it were. No Eng
ishman who pretends to be at all fash
ionable will think of sitting down to
dinner unless he is atttired in his swal-
low tail, even when he dimes in his own
house surrounded only by his family.
"Of course this is not to be looked for
here for some time to come yet, especial
ly in small communities, but it will be
found pleasant as well as polite to
change ones coat for dinner at home and
put on a fresh shirt. This will lead
naturally to the dress coat as an ha-
bitual easy evening attire, and the man
who wants to step out Of the social ranks
to the front will do well to set a good
example to the persons whom he wishes
to lead by wearing dress coat on all
suitable occasions. The others will fol-
low in much less time than seems pos
sible, and the change in bearing and de-
pertinent that will come over the COM
pany is certain to be most marked.
''But as matter of course the wear
ing of a dress coat and the habit OF
dressing for dinner will not in itself
make a society leader. They are only
incidents, though very essential. The
main thing is to create the best elements
of place into a distinct and, as far as
permissible, an exclusive circle. This
can be done without the possession or
expenditure Of wealth by the proper per-
son, by the organization of subscription
entertainments-that is, entertainments
where everybody pays his or her share
of the expenses. These entertainments
may take a wide range and are to be
adapted to the season. In summer they
can take tho shape of picnics, excur.
sions, outdoor luncheons and dances.
"When fall and winter arrive, balls,
dinners and other suitable affairs may
be substituted. 1t is the duty of the per-
son who desires to be looked up to as a
leader to start these entertainments and
see that they are made permanent.
Once the beginning is made they will
run along of their own accord, almost
without an effort, and become recog-
nized social institutions of the place.
To ina1lourHte them a LIST of the most