The morning call., 1893-09-17

eneed travellers say It is It Is because of the
lndinerrnce 10 and ignorance of all forms Of
art that characterize The men and women who
lead The society of the ctv ana are therefore
supposed o lend distinction 10 the places OF
amusement which they condeSceud 10 visit
whose names engroSs the society columns OF
the newspapers and VINO, in short, make so
much noise that strangers ar. always prised
TO learn that therr are less Than Three gross of
them All told. They comprise within their
narrow limits some OF the most charming
women in he world and few rather clever
men, but it would be libel on the city which
we love TO say that they fairly represent its best
elements.
INFLUENCE OF THE FOUR HUNDRED.
Unfortunately, however, these four hundred
people exercise a tremendous influence and
there Is scarcely manager in the town who Is
not anxious Tor their apprOb itiOn. hey are
worthy people IN great many respects. but
when they ATTEMPT 10 monkey with any form
OF art. the charitable minded wonder Willy il IS
That they do not avail themselves of tie benet-
ceDce of the late Peter Cooper. They patron
ized" Henry Irving. and tEey can talk about
him 10 this day-he was a high priced star
and his name was printed in big leiters-but
now many OF them ever so much as noticed
poor George Wenman, whose name appeared
on the programme IN common type2 They
were absolutely Indifferent to the claims of
Mr.. Willard, and as for Barnay. il is doubtful
II a score OF them ever saw him act. TO be
sure, Barnay played In German, aud our three
gross of social celebrities are not famous for
their knowl edge of foi eign tongues. Some Of
them spedh French, but IL is with an accent
which could be taken out and used as a door
scraper, and which they used so effectively In
Newport this summer that the Russian naval
officers were compelled 20 wear ear muffs when
they went out III society. Once in a while
society Is good enough 10 take up' and eX-
plolt some one WHO Is following an artistic
calling.
THERE ARE SEVERAL MEN
OF this sort who have won social distinction In
New York within the past Two or three years.
and there Is but one in the whole lOt-he is an
actor by the Wdy-WbOSe artistic pTefenslOus
would not awaken II the breast of sOft-shell
crab the same contempt and dersiOn OF which
the METROPOLIS of the Pacific slope has recently
t.ren guilty. For the enlightenment of the
upper classes IL may be SAID that II lakes
something more than nine Persian rugs and
4 studio tea-"sO delightfully."- bohemian, don't
you know, all our own set''-tO make an artist;
that there is Il prejudice in intelligent com
muniti"s against the strange biped known
society illustrator" who's stock In trade
consists OF copies of foreign periodicals, sheets
OF tracing paper. and placid efrontery, used
IN equal proportions: and that II er
ary man is a man who knows how to write.
But society is more lenient TO literature than TO
other forms of art, and a great many writer's
are welcome guests In the most exclusive cir
cleS in the metropolis. Paul Bourget was in
yited TO meet one OF them in Newport the other
day. the one who penned the deathleSs lines
beginning: "There was spirited and brilliant
c0illlOn at the Casino last night, led by Ollie
Winkeltree, VINO has been made a eat deal of
by the MIS-. Jack GuZZeton set this summer.
Mrs. Jack, who has been looking rather irlste
OF late, was very much en- evidence IN pearl
gray gown trimmed with blanc mauge, and
was, OF course, eXquisiely cOiffured." And
may the Lord have mercy on his soul! AS for
San Francisco, she may at least boast of hav-
ing given to the world one Of the very best Of
modern TOmances, as well as The best literary
OF these and OIher facts let Us be caTeful not TO
Ia TX too much about LAY towns"