Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-03-05
SOCIAL BALTIMORE.
STORY OF A LITTLE DE5uTANIE
WHO WAS NOT VERY LEARNED.
Literary Abilities of tho Average Society
Youth or Giri-rhs Lenten Lectures
Mrs Pratt's Reception.

lCOrretpOultuCt VI tuo tttctihfphe Rs'b-'~~.i
BALTIMORE. March Al beard the othor
day q story which suggested to me tact
that cannot help mentioning.
The story is this: There was deb'tdnte
as beautiful. as attractive, and as perfect q
dancer as every debmdnte ID, or is supposed
10 be. Bot this de5tadnte, like her sister
"debs.n was not overpowered with lite
rary knowledge. Before one OF her hrst
dinner parties she was told that she would
be taken into dinner by Mr.. T.
Now said Miss Deb's mother. Mr..
r. is much interested in. historical sub
jects therefore, TO make MN think you
you understand
Yes, mamma"
At dinner that evening Mr.. F., bending
over, told Miss Deb "he heard that she
had been quite the belle of the last ger
man-such dancing, such gown, such
flowers" DC.
"Yes. yes" said the trembling Deb, and
then, with a burst of confidence; But. oh!
Mr.. F.. wasn't 1t sad about Mary. Queen
of Scots?"
Poor little maiden. She triedIhsrd to
yond her depth.
NOI WILL hbAbs
The average society youth or GIRL OF to-
day is certainly not we'll Tead-I might
almost say we'll educated. They may. OF
course. be able to carry on running con-
versation as to the merits or dement's OF a
writer on the sayings, doings, and Gus
toms of their own life. They dis,
cuss critically the works OF Richard
Harding Davis, Mrs. Burton Harrison,
or Mrs. Van Rensselaer, Crueer, IN the
same manner that country sportsman
might criticise Izaak Walton, or barn.
storming actor might appreciate the anec-
dotes of Jefferson's autobiography. But,
beyond stories Of life with which they are
partially familiar. they arc bewldered.
SCATTERING.
They have probably q smattering OF
Shakespeare from frequently having seen
his PLAYS staged, but have no more lntl-
mate knowledge of his works than the rus
tic gentlemen who. seeing Hamlet Tor the
first time, said it was q very GOOD play
but too full of quotations.
VANITY Fair" and "Gulliver's Travels"
in their school days long before they could
appreciate the exquisite satire OF Ihacke-
raw and Swift.
But do they know anything (bevond the
fact that they existed) of these writers
themselves, or OF Pope, or of Steele, or,
indeed, of any other writer before or since
the Augustan age2 | will venture to say
that they do not. and furthermore that
they know less of American writers tnan
of the English ones. And vet society has
always posed as patron OF literature, ART,
and may include the stage!
| am glad to see, however, that reform
alton is at hand. The Woman's Literary
Club ha. done much towards this.
Several Shakespeare clubs have been
formed and one or two literary Glasses,
many of the members of which are, am
happy to note, OF the younger set.
THE LATEST FAD.
Society's latest fad is tho "Lonten lee
ture" by some well-known author or
reader-from his own works II the former,
or on contempcraneous subjects OF interest
# the latter. OF the latter class Mrs Sa-
rah Cowell LeMayne has been giving
series of readings, the last one at Mrs.
John Gill's on Thursday afternoon.
Tuesday evening Mr. Marion Crawford
had an immense audience at the reading
which he gave for charity. He read q
selection from SAINT DarIo," witch OF
Prague" and his last work. Children of
the King" The novelist was introduced
by Mr. Richard McSherry. Among those
on the stage were Cardinal Gibbons aud
President Daniel G. Gilman OF Johns
Hopkins University.
A RECEPTION.
Tuesday afternoon the Woman's Lite
rary Club gave reception IL their new
rooms in the building of the Maryland
Academy of Sciences. Thelmembers of
the club are associate members of the
academy, hence have the use OF several
rooms IN the building. 1t was through
the generosity of MIR. Enoch Pratt that
the Academy of Sciences was enabled TO
ha hoDd hH1ldInU into
which it has recently moved. The recep-
ton on Tuesday afternoon was, therefore,
given in honor of Mr.. and Mrs. Enoch
Pratt Among the guests were MIR. Ma
rion Crawford and Mrs. Sarah Orne jew
EFT, TIE latter being the guest OF Miss Mary
Garrett.
TIE STAGE.
asked above if the stage should not be
included in that trio which basked III the
sunshine Of socIety's smile. | say de-
oidedly YES know that the more promi-
nent members OF the profession" have
ever been social fayorites III conservative
Baltimore.
Mr. John Drew, who was here last week,
had much attention and Mrs. MinDa Gale
HAYNES has this week been extensively
entertained. And looking further. only
last week in London at a dinner-party OF
twelve, three of the guests were his Royal
L
wing, and John Hare.
Thursday afternoon Misses Rebecca and
Charlotte Williams gave a large tea IN
honor of Mrs Mnna Haynes. they
were assisted in Receiving by Mrs. w. >. Il.
Williams, Miss Brandt Miss Morris, Miss
Price, and Mrs. Dr.. Morrison.
SOCIETY WEDDING.
Next to the weather, Easter bonnets. and
Ml-Careme festivities the principal subject
for discussion Is the approaching wedding
of Miss Sadie Price and Mr.. Archibald
Pell. or New York. 1t Will take place at
Grace church, Baltimore, April 25th, at
high noon.
The maid of honor is 70 be Miss Louise
Morris. The bridesmaids are Miss Handy
and Miss IanghOrne, of Richmond; Misses
Marie and Helen Stirling. The gro0m's
best man Will be his brother, Mr.. A. Mer-
Ger Pell, aud the ushers John Noble Girls
void. Nelson Howard, James Hartman,
of New York, and John ID. Howard, OF
Baltimore.
Miss Irene Langhorne, OF Richmond, is
the guest of Mrs. j. Hough Cottman, OF
Cathedral street.
HIS GROUNDS IN JAVA.
Quite O witty tale is tod apropos of a
recent young married pa,r who set up
bJou Housekeeping establishment. 1t was
one evening after dinner, and he was sit
ting penslvely gazing into his half-empty
coGee-pot, his eyes. Oh SO far away.
She stole up behind him and ever so
sweetly, putting her arm around his neck.
whispered Building castles in Spaln?"
mo. nc" ne answered sadly; :" ON sur
veying nv grounds In Java"
Her coffee was evidently not Of the kind
that be used TO have at mothers"