The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-23
Mr.. WARD MALLISTER.
How His Reputation as a Society
Leader Was Built Up.

His start in Life-Lessons Learned in
Doing Family Marketing-A Gilt
edged Farm That Was Made to Pay
Entrance Into Society.
Foster Coates in the Chicago Inter Ocean.
Ward McAllister studied the French
co5k-books and is chiefly remarkable asa
man who, early in life, learned the differ
epce between ragout and a pattie. We
hear of him first as a very young man
doing the family marketing at his home
in savannah, Georgia, rising with the
lark and going to the poulterer's stalls
that he might get the iuiciest capon and
the choicest vegetables. Early in life no
learned the art of cooking and good living,
andwith this knowledge he began to build
his reputation He never knew as much
as the lamented Sam Ward about the
making of sauces and the cooking
of backs, but he knew
what constituted an elaborate
course dinner, and how it should be serv-
ed graduate of Yale college, he de-
voted his leisure to the study of history
and learned that men and women like to
have their palates tickled quite as much
as their vanities. He found wealthy peo-
ple in New York who did not know how
10 spend their money, and he magnani-
mously proceeded to show them how it
should be done. The unexampled pros
poritv of the country had driven scores of
nilli0nairCs to the gates of Gotham, all
hearing their bags of gold, eager to be
taught how to spend their incomes, how
10 eat. how to dress, and how to enter
tain. Men and women made rich by the
war, without previous training, found it
difficult to make progress in polite society.
McAllister was the man who knew this
and proceeded to take advantage
of il. An this was a decade ago and
when he was in the vigor of young man
hood. He was in good health, had moth
ING to do, and a small income to live on.
He was fond of dwaddling at the apron
strings of pretty women who had money
Galore and were anxious to shine in the
reflected glOries of alleged KnickerDOcker
society. MCAlliSter made one trip abroad
and was so i'll on the voyage that he de
termined never to visit foreign shores
again; but he had seen enough of enter
tainment and high life in Europe to show
that our civilization was crude, and being
an attentive reader of the foreign news
papers, he learned how the nobility of
the effete mOnarChies conducted itself
He became a profound student of etiquette
He memorized various ready letter
writer's and Almack's lotteries were
TO him more inspiring than the
heroes and heroines of history, or the
leaders in war, literature, art, science,
and the drama. He knew something
about art and decoration, and could tell
how to arrange, in tasteful way, the din
lng-rOOm and the drawing He
knew how to set a dinner table. The
newly made people We're entirely ignorant
of these things, so in the patois of the
BOwcrE they were "a sOftmark.h
McAllister may be said to have discOv-
cred New York society, not that there
was no society in New York before he APP
peared upon the scene, for of course there
was, Just as there was "A Dark Cont
ncnt" before Stanley plunged into its
fasteucss. There has always been society in
New York, and a good society too, even in
the days of lang Syne, when Peter Stuy-
yesaut hObbled about on his wooden leg,
and ladyes faire prOmenaded the bat
terry front, where now in the cool of the
summer evenings the tramp regales
himself by shifting the salty
brcezcs that blow in from the Narrows
But when McAllister made up his mind
To write his name on history's page, the
rich people of New York had a great deal
10 learn. There was money in abundance
but tact, refinement, and diplomacy were
lacking. and the art of gossiping over the
Tea cup was to be taught anew. McAllis-
TOR set about his life's task with the ar
dor of a crusader How he has succeeded
is known 10 all men. His name is familiar
To every citizen of this big city, and his
fame has spread in all directions, not
only i'll our own land bnt in the old world
as well. In New York he is to-day the
best liked and despised man. He is liked
by those whom he has smiled upon and
hated by those whom he has not helped
INTO prominence.
Let me in u few sentences draw a pen
picture for you of McAllister as he is
today, as | saw him on Fifth avenue re
Gently. Picture a man about 5 feet in
height, stockily built, with broad Shout
ders and head well poised. No one would
suspect him of being the leader of society.
uUlOOkS more like well-to-dO merchant
or prosperous broker. There is nothing
In his dress to distinguish him from other
men. He wears a fashionable long cut
1ock coat that is a trifie rusty from over
wear His trousers are dark-colOred,
olt have a pronounced stripe, and fit
heatlYOver u pair of brown spats. He
wears brOad-soled patent leather shoes, u
Stdnd-up collar, dark blue hectic, a silk
nat that needs ironing, and in his hands
carries a pair of wcll-worn brown gloves
and a serviceable umbrella. His mustache
and goatce are iron gray and carefully
brushed. Otherwise his face is clearly
shaved. He goes through the crowds on
Broadway without attracting much at
tention, but when he reaches Fifth
avenue, and passes Delmoico's, he i'm
medlatcly becomes the exposure of many
eyes. He bows to the right and to the
leIt, with the ease of a Chesterfield, and ,
Tor those he likes he has pleasant smile
lie may be seen walking or driving every
afternoon, for he is fond of exercise, and
When driving he is no more conspicuous
imam when seen on the promenade His
ofougham is u serviceable affair, and not
at all stylish. His coachman would not
attract attention.
When McAllister goes to his Newport
Hlm he varies his daily routine by riding
on horseback, and those who have seen
inc leader of the four hundred on his
sleed say that it is a sight fit for gods
ana men. McAllister being very short
ana tat and his horse long and lean, make
tc9mbination that invariably attracts at
tention.
Mhois Ward McAllister, you aGkl
Wen, as a matter of cold fact, his an
elsJors were in good society as far back
as Jhe revolutionary days. In Hunting
ION picture OF THE Court Of Lady
washington" there is a portrait of Mr.
S.oaALllster's maternal grandmother,
* INT Il oil