The Caucasian., 1894-01-11
VIli-AHERlCAS HOUSES.
Furniture. Luxury. Clus- The Ubiaut
tou. spittooa-A Hull. Eve shot

Vlii-AmeRlcAN HOUSES.
Furniture. Luxury. Cluh- - The Ubiaui
'oos spittooa-A Bun'. Ey. shot
American houses are furnished YER
| lrxuriously. and for the most mart will
exquisite taste. Here YOU see the in
duence of woman in the smallest detail
| of life.
! DECORATIONS and furniture, in New
York especially, are dark, substantial
and artistic. On all sides there is pleas
ure for the eve. The floors are covere,
with rich carpets. and the ceilings ar,
decorated IN harmony with the rest @
the room.
lhe reception rooms are on the grounC
floor. The suite Is composed of three o
four rooms (sometimes morel. dividet
one from another 10y portieres. Eacl
| room is In a different style. One con
taIns dark furniture and hangings, OF
paintings, costly art treasures. majestic
| tropical plants; another, in Oriental stvle
| invites the visitor to cozy chats among it.
divans and screens; another, perhans
! has books, etchings and antiquities of al
| kinds: another, i'll the styIe of a boudoir
| viii be strewn with knicknacks, hght
| br;c-a-brac, water colors, statuettes. etc.
| In artistic disorder; yet another NAV
serve as music room-here, no carpets
| the parquet floor is waxed, the walls arr
| unadorned, all has been thought out will
intelligence. Flowers in every room shed
sweet fragrance. When all the suite i,
is lighted up, and the portieres looped
back, the effect is enchanting, and when
a score Of American women. elegant.
handsome and witty. add life TO the
scene, can assure you that you are not
In hurry to consult your watch.
The luxury displayed at receptions.
dinners and dances surpasses European
imagination. At ball given in New
York in the month of February, 1888.
the walls were covered with roses, which
did not cost less than $4,000. When one
considers that the supper, and every
thing else, was on the same scale, it be-
comes doubtful whether such luxury is
to be admired | was present one even
ing at dinner given in the large dining
hall at DelmOnlco's restaurant, in New
York. We were eighty-seven guests at
an immense round table. The center OF
the board was covered with gigantic
star of flowers: roses, arum lilies, and
heiiotrope. AT that season, lilies were
worth a dollar each, and all through the
winter the price of roses was from a
quarter to two dollars apiece, according
to kind. The Americans at this feast esti-
mated the star of flowers at six or seven
thousand dollars.
chain attached, consisting of pearls
and diamonds, and valued at $1,000.
The principal clubs, in the large Amer
ican cities, are princely habitations full
of everything that can minister to man s
well being. The American clubs are as
luxurious as those of London; but this is
the only resemblance which there is be-
tween them. The clubs in large English
towns are sad and solemn, those in the
American cities are bright and gay.
The doors of American clubs are now
and then open to ladies, except in Boston,
am told, where no opportunity for the
display OF Anglomania is neglected.
Americans amuse themselves gayly,
and ladies are of the party, as rule.
They have not the English tendency to
convert their pleasures into funeral SER
vices.
The hospitality Of American clubs is
thoughtfully and generously extended to
foreigners who visit the States.
A charming little club-but this one
has no pretension to iuxuriousness-is
the Authors club in New York. 1t has
only three rooms very modestly furn
| ished where one may meet some ot
| Americas S most charming writers. Once
fortnight there is a reunion.
a very interesting little ceremon,
| takes place at the Authors club on New
| Years eve. At two or three minutes t
| IL all the lights are put out and "Aul'
! Lang Syue" is sung in chorus to bid good
by to the year that is passing away. A
soon as the clock has struck the midnigh
hour the lights are relit, all the cOmpan.
strike up. Hes jolly Good Fellow,
and there is general hand shaking AM
wishing of good wishes for the new year
Then every one dives into his memOr
for an anecdote, a good joke or an anus
ing reminiscence, and the evening is pre-
longed till or o'clock.
1t is impossible in speaking of Amer
can interiors to pass over in silence a Gel
tain eyesore which meets your sight a
every turn.
The most indispensable. it appears. tn
most conspicuous, at any rate, piece G
furniture in America is the spittoon. A
rooms are provided with this object c
prime necessity; you find one beside you
seat in the trains, under your table in tn
restaurants: impossible to escape the sigh
of the ugly utensiL In the hotel col
ridors there is a spittoon standing sent
mel outside every door. In public builc
ings the floors are dotted with them, an
they form the line all up the stairs
The Americans, used to these target
from the tenderest age, are marvelousl
adroit at the use of them. they neve
miss their aim | saw some really striE
: ing feats of workmanship; but perhaK
the best of all at the Capitol in Wasf
ington.
The supreme court of judicature wa
: sitting. AS | entered an advocate VIZ
launching thunders of eloquence- All ;
: once he stopped. looked at a spittoo
which stood two yards off. aimed at !
and Kerrron-craaahk-p right in II
bulls eye: then on he went with h
harangue. | looked to see the seve
judges and the public applaud and CT
: bravo. Not a murmur, the incider
passed completely unnoticed- Probab
$ | there was not a man in the hall wi
could not say to himself: There's not
ing in that, | could do as much"
: N-SOCiETY JOTTINGS.