The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-31

society. IN q chrysaiis state. continues
enshrouded In the sackcfoth and ash par-
io1 OF the Ienten season, and Is patiently
waiting for the ringing Of the joyful
Easter bells that shall proclaim q renewal
OF the usual round OF pleasures and per-
NIT Il TO burst forth in all the bright
colors OF spring and summer fashions.
The week Just closed was barren Of re-
suits from social standpoint. a few pri-
Vats parties alone making up a scanty
round OF diversions Nothing need be
looked for until after Easter. After that,
however. many pleasant events will fol-
low In rapid succession. As a pointer 10
the more wealthy society people in this
city the following item il given herewith
In the hopes that some one will emulate
the Fanderoilts, of course. on more
moderate scale:
Cutting up a s. 100 cake at a birthday
party attended by several score Of young
men and fair girls just entering society
has hardly created more than a ripple In
New York society, so common are the
extravagaut whims OF miilionaires- Yet
such a cake was one Of the features of
the recent birthday party given by Mrs.
Alva Vanderbilt on the occasion of the
social debut Of her daughter. consuela.
Strictly speaking. the cake did not cost
s2.ioo. the New York World says. TX cost
500, and that is a pretty good price for
a cake. even II IL was three feet in diam
eter and was carried by two men with
difficulty. The value OF s.. 100 was due 10
the presence beneath Its frosted and
beautifully ornamented crust OF two dia-
mond rings. one for the fortunate young
lady whose pearly teeth found IL nesting
In the depths Of the wedge which was
cut off with a silver knife for her delec-
tation, the other for some equally FORUM
ate young man.
The rings cost 81 900 each. Both were
clusters and were especially designed. An
inscription was engraved upon the inner
surface of the golden bands. The cake
was not in Itself an especially ornate at
fair. The baking company which furn-
tshed II has made many others more elab-
crate and more costly.
This cake was thirty-s.x inches in diam
eter and fourteen inches In height. II was
made of layers of poundcake and MARINA
lade. the whole saturated with French
cordiais. The surface decorations were of
roses in sugar and the sides OF the cake
were further decorated by delicate sugar
tracery. A dividing line in red was drawn
across the snowy surface OF the cake.
In one of the halves thus made a tiny
blue silk flag bore the letter &c" In the
other field an orange banner displayed the
letter Il" Within these sections were
hidden the rings destined for the lucky
lady and gentleman. AT the close of the
elaborate collation., over which the proud
mother OF the young debutante presided.
Miss Conseula in person undertook the
task Of cutting UP the cake.
There was as near an approach TO
scramble as good breeding would permit
The cake had been less than half distrib-
uted before the prizes were discovered,
and the rest Of the guests accepted the
pieces "a polite duty. In the meanwhile
a cake containing two rings valued at
500 each was being cut In the servants
hall. There was nothing remarkable
about this prize cake" said Manager
Jansen % the company which furnished
g. except that the value OF the rings
given was greater than usual The Gus
tom Of secreting valuable Jewels In cakes
made for birthday parties and cotilions
IL common among society people Of
wealth. and an order for something Of
this nature Is received every day or two.
I do not recall an instance Of rings being
used as valuable as these but a list OF
the names o. parties who have expended
from 500 10 $50 in this line would be quite
long and embrace most OF the names
made familiar In the society news col
unnnR
AT a wedding celebrated last October a
brides cake contained handsome soli-
taire diamond for each OF the brides
maids III asked 90 say of-hanl how
many orders Of this Kind we have filed
in a single year. I would say more than
a hundred ON last -. Valentines day
We pat on the market a fancy heart
shaped cake. deliberately crnamented and
satin incasei. which cost s. each. In no
less than fifty instances the parties who
ordered thcm-men. OF course-brought
valuable rings to be placed IN them