The Portland daily press., 1895-02-04
ABOUT WARD M'ALLlsTER.
The Late Autoorat of New York Society
New York Sun.

A sketch of the career of Ward Nc
Allister means history of modern New
York society. While at Newport he
would invite the cream of New York
society to his farm and his fishing par
ties, and his picnics on the rocks made
him the most sougbt-after OF all the
married men at the seaside resort. 1t is
SAID that his position as master of society
was clinched by Mrs. Maturin Living
ston, who then was one Of the flrst
ladies in New York's exclusive contin-
gent. Mr. McAlIister was fond of re-
lating how he met Mrs. Livingston on
Bellevue avenue.
MY dear Mr.. McAllister," Mrs. Liv-
ingston said,@ we are dying for picnic.
Can't you get one up for us?"
"Why, my dear lady, you have dinners
every day, and charming dinners, too;
what more do you wants" Mr.. McAlllster
answered.
"Oh, they're not picnics. Everyone
can give dinners, but what we want is
one of your picnics. Now, do get up
one"
81 will do your bidding" was Mr.. Nc
Allister's reply. Fix on the day al
once, and tell me what is the best dish
your cook makes"
phe sanction of Mrs. Maturin Living
ston gave endorsement to whatever MI.
MICA lIister chose to inaugurate in the
way of Entertainments. When he came
to this city he became the recognized
head of society, and held autocratle
SWAY over the dancing and dinner lists
of the prominent movers in Gotham's
beau monde.
The move which made Mr.. McAliiste1
a public character was his formation lof
New York fashionable society into a
coterie of 400 persons. In speaking OF
New York's 400, Mr.. McAIlister said:
"The term 400 has no actual meaning.
1t is a general phrase which stands for
an exclusive association of people, who
represent the very best society in this
city-the aristocracy of New York as it
were. [ have no doubt there are more
than 400 people whose wealth, refine
ment, aud Introduction would admit
them to ball of the Patriarchs. And
then if you have more than 400 persons
at dance the affair will either be too
crowded, or so large that one is lost and
goes away feeling that ne has not profit
ell by lDG TGuuluS VI q IJSllCSt-
" congenial social gathering. 1t is rath-
er a strange coincidence that Byron. in
one of his works speaks of the 400; and
recently the Queen of Spain announced
that her court circle numbered 400. That
is little more than the Vienna court
circle, which mum bers but 300 ! pre-
sumo any one who has receiv' d an in
vitation to a Patriarchs' or Newly ar's
ball may be considered memh her of the
best society, or one OF the 400, ii you
wish 20 term it So"
lin 1872 Mr.. McAllister organized the
New York gailants of the day into a
bard which be called the Patriarchs.
He patterned the association after the
London Almack's, which have the
grandest social events of London society,
taking men into the organization in
stead of women. The gentlemen who
were asked to become Patriarchs with
John Jacob Astor, William Aston,
Delaney Kane. George Henry Warren,
Eugene A. Livingston, William Butler
Duncan, e. Templeton Smelling, Lewis
Colford Jones, John W. Hamersley,
Benjamin S. Welles. Frederick Sheldon,
ROYAL Phelps, Edwin A. Post, A. Oracle
King, Lewis NJ. Rutherford, Robert g.
Hemsen, William G. Schermerhorn, Fran
els R. Riyes, Maturin Livingston, Alex
F. G. D'Hauteviile, C. G. Goodhue, and
William r. Travers.
The first Patriacrhs' ball was giver
during the winter of 1872 and '73, and
since then the balls have been the lead
ing social features of each social season
in town. They have become broader
than mere local affairs. until foreign an(
domestic governmental officials at Wash
ington and leading citizens of neigh
boring cities have sought introduction
to the dances. Mothers looked upor
them as the only fitting occasions for in
Producing their daughters into society
and in the course of a few years thu
balls became really young people,
dances. Then to save the reputation O
the Patriarchs and to satisfy the socia
public, Mr.. McA lister organized new
association wholly for Young People
which be named the Family Circle
Dancing Glass, hut which was in fact {
second edition of The Patrlarchs. Their
came "The Ancient and Honorables
1.-The Mysterious, and "The Fortnight
lies," which he set on foot for the young.
er mem bers of society.
81 little knew what l was undertaking