The record-union., 1895-02-23

the Third at the Tuileres: "Why do not
these subjects of yours hire others to go
through all these motions?'
The average New York private dinner
party is a triumph for cook, chef or but
ler-not for host, who seldom selects his
guests en- rapport, and allows them to
tall into half inaudible conversation of
nelghbor with neighbor, upon the most
common place topics. Few dinner par
ties IN New York society turn into feasts
OF reason or flows of soul, unless Depew,
Choate, or a Coudert be guest paying
Tor certainly unapproachable dinner
with the rote OF wit or the coin of re-
partee.
Desire to outshine somebody else in
luxury, display, dress. bric-a-brac, equi-
page and gorgeous surroundings is the
pesettlng sin OF New ork Society-eyen
sometimes in the second division of it to
which L nave referred. The sin is COM
mon to other cities, but l am confident
that New York City is fuller fsuch social
dinners than even London. They fairly
adore the freedom of display even to the
verge Of vulgarity. Miss Catherine Sedg-
wick, IN an early New England novel,
used the phrase ''cut DASH" and it is in
use IN common language now. Descript-
lively it fits the fashionable society of
New ork to dot. Strangely, however,
the very millionarish class is not as
amendable to the operation of the phrase
as are the lmita.ors among the nouVeau
richie. The Nanderbilts, the Mills, the
Rockefellers and the Oelrichs really I'M
| derdo the social splurge. But the Astors
and their connection and set-vide Wall
dOrf AstOr in London-continuousl
dance the ''splurge" cotillion, and the
large family OF the Neneers closely follow
suit.
The ''small and earlies," which the sec
ond and tless pretentlous social division
give, are, however, exceedingly attract
I've. refinement, not display, consti-
! tutes their CHARM and remind veterans OF
their social youth in the ''forties'' before
CurZon street, London, ways and those
OF the Boulevard Haussmann usurped
the kDickerbocker methods, when Mrs.
DICK Haight reigned as New \ ork's So
cial queen.
What New Y ork society needs most is
increase of the salon idea. Mrs. Burton
Harrison, Mrs Algernon Sullivan, Mrs.
Dr. Arthur Hills, Mrs. A. NJ. Palmer and
Mrs. Frank Leslie are almost the only
hostesses who maintain the salon in its
true idea of The days of Holland House,
Dolly Madison in the White House, or OF
Mesdames DeStael and Recamier. At
these New York salons vulgar wealth is
never beld, but only crowned heads OF
| both sexes in the realms Of literature,
art, music and the drama. These scin-
tiIlate In sparkling talk or epigram and
repartee, or cross pllished swords amid
truly esIhetic surroundings. The sOirees
aud salons of MesdameS Harrison and
Hills are especially sought, notably when
1t IS known that the former is to read
one OF her sprightly sketches or novel
cites, or that the latter at her musicale
intends TO enrich the vocal and inStru-
mental contributions of expected maestro
with her own flexible Jenny Lindish
voice and execution.
Members of Sorosis are beginning to
vie with each other in promoting the
salon. During the lifetime of her hus-
band, and while he was editor of the Mat
and Express, Mrs. Elliott f. Shepard, nee
Vanderbilt, made point OF exploiting the
salon idea. In perfecting It's manifesto
| ton, she could look around upon as noted
a gathering of local celebrities and wits
as graced the Pitt Fox Sheridan era. Mrs.
Shepard's sister, Mrs. William Sloane,
meditates the same idea.
New York society needs q Mrs. Leo
Hunter-a gloriication of her whom
! Dickens undertook TO eXtol Tor Pickwick-
ian benefit. Social lion-hunting is an
art Mrs. Paran Stevens has once or
twice tried the Leo Hunter idea, but mis-
apprehension and her own devotion to
splurge manifestations brought grief TO
her evenings. The true salou-giYer must
be able herself TO incense with mental
Z
/ by painter, sculptor, poet, statesman.
wit or piquant Kate Field among salon
guests. And the social surroundings OF
Paran Stevens had not educated her up
| to such an atmosphere.
/ fancy that II they so choose, MIR. and
Mrs. George Gould could institute salon
! in New York society which would soon
( become famous. There would in such q
case be a union of weaIth-without
| spIurge-and Of refinement. Mrs. Gould
has already shown in New York society
/ great aptitude as a hostess. To beauty
and family rehnement-for she was a
lady before she became actress, and while
| actress never ceased to be a lady-she
adds natural ease OF manner and ca
pacity to adapt smiles, address, prudent
/ reserve and compliments that are not full
some to the idiosyncrasies of guests.
/ She VINO can accomplish all that Is ever
an ideal actress. Mrs. Hermann Oelrichs
/ can be similarly described, and, as
/ for her husband, long before he ceased to
| be bachelor, ne had acquired popu-
! larIty as companionable and JOY intective
host that was the constant topic Of his
/ Union CLUB allies.
I New ork society labors, however, I'M
! der the disadvantages of the iucessant ex-
/ posture Of It's doings to newspaper lime
! light. There is beneath that positively
no privacy OF society. While one section
/ OF New ork society rushes to bask in
that light, the great majority of those
VINO engage in social functions deprecate
the interference with their plans of the
newspaper detectives, and prefer to find
/ their social enjoyment under the shadow
! Of their own vines and fig trees. Most OF
! the social reporters for the press, per-
( haps insensibly, lmpart a dash of vul-
! garity to their variations and descrip-
/ tons.
Slowly but surely New York society is
emancipating itself in all of its sections
from traditional slavery to foreign tastes
and customs, and it giving to itself an
original American touch. And it is driv-
ing into obscurity certain self-appointed
arDiters OF elegance.
4. OAKLEY HALL.