New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-02
A SOCIAL LAMENT.
LONGING FOR THE UNPRETENTIoUS EVEN
ING PARTY.

Ing PARI1.
The woman who IS a firm believer m society" ana
who solemnly declares that 1t Is the duty OF those OF
her sex to meet friends at certain Intervals 10 De
"nice" to them and to try to surround them WIN
halo OF enjoyment and happiness whatever the cost
to their convenience and feelings Is strugghns
with various perplexiDg problems in these "hnde-
seclev days Recently she has been trying to find
way TO put into operation 4" society block SYSTEM"
suggested by her younger and rot overserious
cousin. n successful means OF making calls ana ~
tending receptions.
Another broadsde was fired by her the other day.
and It startling enough to her cousin ana 10 neF
sympathetic friend.
"where," she asked abruptly Just when her cousin
"Jack' telling about new brand OF cigars winch
he had discovered care those lovely, uDpretehuous
evening parties that used to have?"
"What lovely evening parties' ~ asked her COUSIN
cynically, drawing over the "lovey"
"Why, those charming evenings that we useo !"
haver she declared as II some one had stopped her
carriage in Fifth-ave and committed social highway
robbery.
"Guess It before was BORN" said her cousin
satlrcally.
al guess II wasn,t.n declared the social reformef
putting her hands behind her back and nodding him
n "You-don know what ou-are-talking abouter. !"
wasn't very long ago, Jack; you KNOW IL WASH y
I didn't have to beg you to go anywhere tnen.
didn't have listen your sarcastic remarks ABOUT
onr cilt.edged society then. You used to Ike them
well enough sir. Wen where are those evening
parties now, say? Where are they?
"You certainly have a fine memory, Bess," saia
the soothing cousin, "if you recall anything IKE
that In society. Ever since / can rememper-an"
he laid a fine stress on the "P-"yes, my DEAR ever
since can remember It's been all plate und gold and
flowers and stiffness and formaiy and stupidity anu
pose and vanity and rivalry and jealousy and bore
kn cd
we we're all Indians playing with wampum or scaip'
ing .tbe other set 1t would be ten thousand times
more Interesting"
"And not half dangerous" suggested the SYM
pathetic friend.
And more civilized rumbled Jack "a da-ex'
cuse me- Bess, but this Is case that calls ios
sulphurous language"
"Jack,v said his cousin, "don't you remember
them p, and she injected enough pathos into the
"dont" to supply fve-act melodrama.
"No 7 don't" he declared stubbornly. "It has
been a bore ever since can remember; ana I'm not
so very young either" he added testify
"Jackv said his cousin, standing up very straight
and looking him squarely In the eye "do-you-mean
to--toll-me-me-your-O that has hvea
IN the same house with you since you were ten years
old-do you mean TO tell me-" she said, her WORDS
coming ont like a fash now, " that you don't remem-
ber when We used TO go ont and spend a really de-
lichtfuI evcning-when used to play CARDS maybe'
hear little music maybe. dance little MAYBE tsA1
with everybody really talk, laugh, sing MAYBE anu
come away feeling happy % She stopped ana ore"
q long breath and then got back into her solemniy
slow speech, saying: "Do-you-nleah-to-'
that?"
"Bv George Bess" said her cousin enthusiastically.
vour cheeks are flaming up beautifully just as they
used to put out their redrose signals IN those go0e
DAYS"
"oh. then yon do remember Il" she said with
fine scOrn.
aRemember It: Of course remember IT," he said.
getting up and pushing away chair impauenuy.
"but don't get excited Mrs. Society; 1t isn't gooo
form to get excited or interested nowadays whats
the use OF talking about It What's the use OF THINK
ing about It? Don't you know what has done Nf
You've done It; it's your society that mas zone IT,
You all had do what somebody else DID, some
body got so much money that when he wanted you 10
come TO his house he had to have field Of the cloth OF
cold for Won. and everything to 60 with IT. Then
whom Won wanted to give dinner. didn't you go ana
do the same thing! Weren't you afraid that Mrs.
A. b. G. would think yOu didn't KNOW no" 10 give
grand dinner? Didn't you say that Mrs. d. h. r.
was going to give a tremendous alar next "eeA'
didn't Won believe that Mrs. q. II. /. would wonder
and marvel at your fertility OF resource ana your
savoir farc? Didn't you do all thatF Ana men
whore were the unpretentious evening parties that
vou talk about! They went out OF sight Ike nasn
And now nobody gives them. And thats why io
rather STAY home now and smoke pipe or pay oaiuS
with tho children or drink whiskey ana water, no
said with deepyoiced depraNity' ..,,
lack" said his cousin. you don't mean all 'na'
ooh YES I do he almost b. led Il mean
all Novhe don't remember when people used 10 ,
come here and have good time-actuahy nave .
good time" he declared with clearly cut WORDS Ai'u
after nearly all of 'em Tad gone hall dozen Vi ~
would stay TO have a rabbit with us ana some peer.
And YOU made the rabbits yourself. with your own
hand, in your own chatting dish. How long sihcN
YOU have made a rabbit Bet you've forgotten now
70 make one and tsey were the best ever ae'' ne
said sorrowfully.
Oh we'll. II will all come out Tight sau 'io
symrathetic friend cheerIlly. , ur...
=. No II WON'T declared The Other firmly "Bess
here will 60 on moaning about the good od HleS nu0
Gazing how She loved Them but the next ninI'r sne
gives will be called elegant or grand, TI anS
or superb. pnncely. or something IKE mat ana a
theren be big hole In Ter BANK account ai h
nobody will be any the better on ior AZ , ana s so.
will look bored 10 death Tor Week. ana 1ueIe yoe
are That's in-desiece business auu P'e"s 'u''
" vim Won be home tonight, Jack'' said MS
cousin smiling at him, handsome and sun Young
looking though there Is gray In her mar anu GeF
boy is in college . ID, ,uh f., ha
Oh have an engagement AZ the cluo,' ne
answered hastily Er-if you really want me-er-
who's going TO be here and what are you gong 10
Nobody IS going TO be here she said; Except
us and the rest OF the family aud we'll have
rabbit ,,,.- ...o ., ro,,
put me- down for three rabMtsLthree OF your
How about the engagement, old MANI! asked
the sympathetic fnend. .,.,,
Never had one answered JACK unDiusnAhsiS'
curyrSr poprT,P IJTER,TTRE AT THE FATE.