The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-14
WHAT IS GOING ON IN soC1srI


tantes this winter. was held at Delmonico's on
Monday evening. and started tho gnyeties Of
tho week. The rosebuds had apparently lost
nothing by their two months Of racketing.
and, II possible. looked frosher aud brighter
than at the first Cotillon. Undoubtedly they
had moro enjoyment. rs they had learned
from experience how to amuse themselves
and how to make the most OF their opportuni-
ties. A clever society woman has said that
the secret OF matrlr.onial success IL to Know
what you wnnt and to take It when 1t presents
ITSELF The engagement dance" which was
freely talked about at the beginning Of the
senson, and which was 10 consist only OF girls
and men who had become engaged during the
winter-the announcements to be made at the
last Cotilon-did not matoriall1e. Miss Alice
Greenough being the only dsbuante who thus
far has fulfilled the conditions. Balls and
dinners are not conducive to sentiment, how
ever. and the Lentsn season. with Its house
parties. ocean voyages. trips to Florida and
Bermuda. and general slnckeninR OF social re.
straints. will probably bear better fruit
Mrs. Astor's farewell dinner. which was fol.
lowed by concert, was the event OF Tuesday
evening. Tho banquet was not large. but II
gratifled every sense and the musicale. which
was entirely vocal was m ost charming. and
left nothing for reasonable beings to wish for.
Mrs. Story sang like nightingale. and was
heard to far better advantage than In the
opera house. while signor valero and Madame
scalchi were at their very best And vet there
were not few audible murmurs because the
brothers de Reszks. PaderewskL Pschmann.
and indeed all tho artists OF the day. combined
with Seidls orchestra and the whole chorus
and mise en- scene OF italian opera. were not
collected In Mrs. Astor's drawing room for the
qualification Of her friendsl
The audience at the Berkeley Lyoeum on the
Same evening who gathered 10 witness the
performances OF the Columbia Dramatic Club
were vastly more appreciative. for they
screamed with laughter over the absurd an
ties and ludicrous situations In tho plays
which tho boys presented. and showered Mr..
Cutting Miss Fuller. Mr.. Lamb. and number
less other stars with bouquets. But then the
spectators we're all young. while those in Mrs.
Astor's picture gallery were mature enough to
enjoy criticism. not to soy fault finding. moro
than the music Of the spheres. A very largo
detachment Of bellies and beauties. including
Miss Bentrix Bend. Miss Marie Winthrop. Miss
Rita Rogers, Mics Otis Mrs. Harry Cannon.
Miss Edith Wetmore. and O score OF others. all
with their attendant cavaliers. were at the
Berkeley. and until they went to Mrs. Astor's
there was a lack OF youth there.
The solid responsibility Of Washington
square is lat home" on Friday afternoons in
February. and the concourse Of swell carriages.
rrancinG horses. and liveried footmen. who
congregato about the marble arch and on the
broad pavements which curve around into
Fifth avenue. would astonish q stranger in
town. who would be unlikely to know that such
locality exists. The spacious old brick man.
sions. which have held their own for over flfty
years In spite Of all the chances and changes
OF q rapidly increasing metropolis. are illu-
minated about nightfall with bright fires and
softly burning lamps. and the drawing rooms
OF the Post. schuyler. Cooper. Bronson. Red
mond. Mlnturn Rhinelander. and many other
mansions are filed with visitors chatting and
tea drinking until the stars peep out over the
tree tops. Thus the great illuminated cross
on the south side Of the square sheds Its radI-
ance upon afiiuence and luxury on one hsne.
and upon vice and s1ualor on the other.
Only two weeks more remain of the dancing
and feasting season. and they give every
promise Of carrying the long chain OF eaye-
ties unbroken to the end. The ball at Sherry's
tomorrow night. the dinner dance to be given
by Mrs. Lloyd Bryce on Wednesday. with Mrs.
Mills. Mrs. Bronson. Mrs. Martin. and several
other ladies to assist In the details OF the fes.
tivity: the last Assembly at the Madison square
rooms on Thursday. with dinners too numerous
to mention. and receptions for every day. will
fill UP all available moments during this week.
Mrs. James p Kernochau has issued cards for
O large evening reception on the Goth. In
honor Of her daughter-in-law. Mrs. James
L. kernochan. and on the same evening will
come the last Patriarchs' and more dinners
The season that Is just drawing to close
has been a remarkable one by reason Of its
length and tho un6aggng interest that has
been maintained in every species Of gayety.
The balls. properly SO called. have hardly
reached q dozen. and with the exception OF
Mrs. Astor's on Feb. l. have been all subscrip-
ton affairs. But under the modest name Of
dances there have been more than dozen
grand and sumptuous functions. which for
elaborntenesss OF detail and costliness OF
decoration are seldom seen outside OF a court
or this kind was the dance in three houses. Of
which Mrs. William II. vanderbilt's was the
centre. the stately grandeur Of Mrs. Ogden
Mllss ball at the beginning OF the winter, the
two Saturday evenings at Mrs. Bradley
Martins. the leap-year frolic at Mrs. Sew
ard Webb's. tho fancy dress dinner dance
at Mrs. Arson Phelps Stokes's. and the balls at
Mira Havemeyers. Mrs. Minturn's. Mrs. Cor
nelius Vanderbit's. besides the one In the fu.
ture. which will be- behind none Of the Others,
to be given by Mrs. Lloyd Bryce.
And then the dinners. Not ono here and
there. over which the same hostess presides,
but series OF them-sometimes four in one
week, sometimes one every week for month
or more. 1t would be difficult to enumerats
the most conspicuous dinner givers in the
smart set for their name IL legion. but tho
men who have been in request for very nearly
all can call up the prominent points OF each
and distinguish 1t By Its greatest attraction.
Mrs Astor. OF course. heads the list. as her
gold and silver plate is unapproachable even
by the Nanderblts. but. say tho knowing ones.
no chef rules over her cuisine, and a favor Of
Pnard and Delmonico pervades her choicest
banquets. Not so with the Cornelius Wander
bilts' where wines are poured and dainties ara
presented which would tempt the appetite of
the most carping epicure, and not very much
is left to be desired In the matter Of surround.
ings- The Bradley Martins. IS Is well known,
have been the pioneers OF large-hearted,
sumptuous hospitality. and among the many