Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-24
WHAT THE SALON is.
Ilstrn Kate Garrett Wells Ably d.
anss It's frus Purpose.
A FIELD FOR CONVERSATION.
scorrc,pondoncc OF the dispatch,


Il which people dance ana cot. An 'ele-
CANT social supper would destroy the
invisible social texture of a salon. and
Expansive toilets are out Of place when
conversation Is the sole purpose. 1t In
as economical method OF entertaining
rs Il Is costly In its expenditure Of skin
and effort.
The fash of wit. the logic Of intellect.
and the unseen guiding OF political move
ments were the weapons by which the
French Salon became living social force
Localities and persons change, but poll
tics. intellectual vigor. and sprightlincss
md an fun exercise for their faculties in
America as In France. Nevertheless. our
salons do not subscrve various distinct
purposes as they did there. A. political
salon scarcely exists la the United States
MRS. CLAFLIN IN WASHINGTON.
The Official receptions at tho capital of
the country are far from being salons
Yet as an instance OF the wide and QUIET
Influence, almost power, that can still DE
welded by a salon, was that held a few
years ago IN simple and courteous manner
BY Mrs. Claim. the wife Of q Massachu-
sets representative. No one went 10
Washington. worthy Of Introduction 10
society, who did not md in her a cordial
hostess Men talked Of political msa-
sures over her cups OF tea. No one was
allowed 20 be always pre-eminent. each
shone In turn. In this weIl-timed bring
ing forward OF each ones specially lay
the secret Of the success Of the hostess.
IN NEW YORK.
In New York the salons are largely
within the control of the literary people
OF the town. The editors OF several OF
the leading magazines hold charming
salons. Though the extreme wealth or
New York has icssened its capacity Tor
salons. the Bohemian circles OF the CITY,
into whose houses people drop In Tor
friendly evening. arc most graceful. re-
fned. and entertaining. Artists, actors
and writers interminRle their dreams,
reaiizations, and epigrams.
THE FAMOUS TICKNoR SALON.
The most brilliant. learned. and easy
palon Boston has known was that In
which PRESCOTT Motley, Everett, Sumner,
Holmes. and hosts OF others met In the
large drawing-rooms looking over the
Common, ut the head OF Park street.
George Ticknor, the historian of Spanish
literature, the scholarly man OF letters
with his courtly and true-hearted wife
and accomplished daughter. were host ana
hostesscs. Perhaps IL was through the
intellectual training and home grace OF
these evenings that Miss Ticknor first
recognized the necessity for such quiet
persistent study for women as she or
ganized througfSthe Society for study al
Home" the wisest adaptation OF intel
lectual resources to the limitations OF
home life and tho craving for knowledge
that has ever been devised.
A salon Of n different kind was that
gathered In later years at the house OF
Mrs. John T. Sargent Its babitues were
the men. who had led In the transcen-
dental and anti-slavery movement the
former OF which has modified thought
everywhere and has made Concord more
famous as the home of Emerson than for
its revolutionary fame To Mrs. Sargent
came not only Emerson. but Weiss. john
son Garrison. Wendell Phillips. Lucretia
Mott, and men Of note who happened 10
be I'm town. AS a forerunner TO her salon
were her Monday Mornings. when papers
were read and discussed by the Radical
Club. though she meyer cramped the free
dom OF her evenings by compelling her
guests 70 listen TO a theme or discussion.
The house OF Mrs. James /. Fields is n
kind OF perpetual literary salon. Haw-
thorne. Whipple. and others We're at home
there in years gone BY. Mrs. WARD, MISS
Jewett. and the best OF modern nterau
are now It's freduenters.
Mrs Louise Chandler Moulton has long
held a gracious salon every Friday alter
noon In the winter. to which many "a
young writer or musician owes his first
Introduction into society.
These different salons gerve az types
20 indicate the variety which can be pro-
duced by intelligent hostesses.
THE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
Control OF a salon is absolutely neces-
sary. IL cannot be left 10 take care of
itself IL must have regular days. Each
- LIT q
realize his Importance which is a subtle
f,at,ery OF himself. Each must have his
group OF satellites. who must serve as
etlmuants 10 the chiefs. They must lead
him on TO further displays of mental
prowess-snd they must know how to
listen.
'PARLOTTES."
IL Is far easier for average people TO
hold "A ''parlotte"--a term which i once
heard woman apply 10 her gathering
of company 4 "parlotte" does not de-
mand brilliancy. but II abounds In intro
ductions. Every one has done something
by which appendage he Is Introduced
slight fame acquires huge proportions.
personal vanity IL gratlfed, until the re-
action acts in, when the rscollecuons OF
a "pariotte' become melo-dramatic ana
its visitor ashamed that he was 80 pleased
TO be noticed.
Ihe country abounds In "parlottes' pe>
cause IL likes the solid fact OF an intro
auction. Society puts itself on COM
mercial basis. II we are told how much
A man has contributed to the intellectual
worth OF his city, we expect that what
we have done viii also be stated In the
Introduction, and then II Is sguafe
thing.
YET It Is aggravating to nnd one has
not spontaneously recognized srea'
n
was Mark Twain" said a stranger VINO
met him as Mr.. Clemens. "or that those
sha.,sy eyebrows belonged to the writer
of a Man Without a Country and that
the woman who invented the peterkins
ana fhe Lady from philadelphia was
Miss Lucretia Haler' he continued, III
mournfui tones, after he had been to
literary dinner. where introdueuons arc
not "a rage.
Tne absurd value placed upon tho
passing introduction is conspicuous every
where almost. Ralph Waldo Emerson
was guest at friends house. lie came
with his sweet. impersonal greeting. anc
toon rambled into u solioduy which de-
lighted all those who could hear him.
But benevolent busybody, who knew
how the asprants TO fame would enjoy
shaking hands with him. broke through
the charmed circle. with n retinue OF
people TO be introduced. Emerson bore
II for a few minutes. and then by moro
skilfui "tour-te-force" than could be sus~
pected In such u simple nature left the
room. But the kndhearted woman was
not TO be yanquished. "Oh. there Is DR.
Holmes, hen do as well,' she said, ana
she hurried her group 60 him. DIR. Holmes
taw the humorous side of her kindness.
ana asked repeatedly. Scan i be Of fur
0er ferylce?'
Inc ART OF conversation Is lost In the
onthNorOus tociabllity OF receptions ana
AFTERNOON teas-scattered kinds OF social
t~ulc'ings which give no distinction 10
mouse hostess. or guest.
IN me salon the guests, the habitues,
,'e come together. have been gathered
some Invisible process OF selection.
Suns girls are seldom OF the company.
$3.50" eIe women who wish to sit together |
,heu me evening. as II they owed |
49, lives 10 each other instead Of to |
~ 1 esheia conversation. Impossible are |
"a susso Who talk In intimate couples.
IA e'u0' VI VIII not talk 70 strangers. |
saeh , a.ess are the hostess's aids. for |
"'n,I comfort. OF whiof, she must |
a. yu0se. They must either consent |
On. Introduced. talk. listen, or develop |
g." ~, a. she wishes, following her lead. |
ana -, = reason for everything she does. |
d. inpns't faith must be put in her for /