The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-03
THE DEAD SOCIETY LEADER.
Facts About Mr.. MeAIIIster Clipped
From the New York Papers.


In appearance Mr.. NcAllister was OF
medium size. thick set. weighing about
Ia pounds. and of a rudy complexion.
He wore moustaches and an imperial.
which. In his latter years. were gray.
He walked with a peculiar swinging gait.
Though not a wealthy man. he enjoyed
a comfortable income Of 500. 900 a year.
Mr.. AIeAllister's chief delight from 1872
until 1Ss5 centered around the Patriarchs'
balls. He was the recognized chief Of
these affairs. He looked after the invi-
tations. managed the dinner and planned
the decorations.
The first Patriarchs' ban was given dur
ing the winter of Is72 and 20, and since
then the balls have been the leading so
cial features Of each social season in
town. They have become broader than
mere local affairs. until foreign and do
nestle governmental officials at Wash
ington and leading citizsns of neighbor-
ing cities have sought Introduction to
the dances. Mothers looked upon them
as the only fitting occasions for intro
ducing their daughters into society, and
in the course OF a few years the balls
became really young peoples dances.
Alt4A ~ Saw the lERAAdAAOn f0L lllb d
triarchs and to satisfy the social public,
Mr.. McAllister organized a new assOcia-
ton wholly for young people, which he
named the Family Circle Dancing Class,
but which was in fact a second edition
of the Patriarchs.
Il little knew what I was undertaking
when / started these Family Circle Dan
cling Circle balls" Mr.. Meal
lister said. From the giving
Of the FIRST of these dances
at a private house to the time of my Civ
ing them up l. had no peace at home or
abroad was assailed on all sides, be-
came in a sense a diplomat, committed
myself to nothing, promised mucha and
performed as little as possible. l saw at
once the rock on which we must split;
that the pressure would be so great to
get in no one could resist it; that our
parties must become too general, and
that in the end the smart set would give
W going to them. ] knew that when
this occurred they were doomed. My
mornings were given up to being inter-
viewed about them; mothers would call
at my house entirely unknown 10 me,
the sole words of introduction being,
Kind sir. / have g. daughter These
words were cabalistic. ! would spring Up,
bow to the ground and say: My dear
madam, say no more; you have my SYM
pathy; we are IN accord; no introduce
ton is necessary; you have a daughter,
and want her TO go to the T. c. D. c. s.
I viii do all in my power to accomplish
this for you but my dear lady, please
understand that in all matters concern
ing these little dances ] must consult
the powers that be. / am their humble
servant; / must take orders from them,
all of which was a figure OF speech on
my part"
At last the "Cotillion" and the "As-
D I.o1T in
ton, in a way, to the Patriarchs'. The
social war was somewhat heated for
a time. When il was at its hight Trib-
une reporter had an interview with Mr..
McAllister on the subject 1t was in this
interview that ne made the remark which
made him more or less renowned, If not
actually famous. There are only about
100 people in New York society he said,
and the reporter printed the interview.
The remark attracted no attention for
some time. Finally an afternoon news
paper printed an editorial with this re
mark as the subject In a week it was
taken up all over the country, and within
two weeks it had been repeated in Paris
and London. No topical song was COM
plete without some reference to IT. Mr.
McAllster became public character
and he soon was mentioned as the leader
of the -Four Hundred"
a year or more after he had won fame
| through the -Four Hundred interview, Mr..
/ McAlister attempted to improve on II by
/ saying there We're but $50 in the inner so
/ cial set and the rest of the -Four Hundred
were in various "fringes.'' This created
/ comparatively little comment as it was
/ a mere Improvement on the original idea.
Here is a definition he gave Of gentle
man:
"a gentleman is a person free from ar
| rogance and anything like self-asserton,
raFr Ia. HaN =
\ so satisfied and secure in his own position
/ that he is always unpretentious, feeling
/ he could not do an ungeutlemaniy act; as
! courteous and kind in his manners 10 his
/ interiors as to his equals
! a sketch of the career Of Ward Meal
/ lister means a history Of modern New
! York society. While at Newport he would
! invite the cream OF New York society to
his farm and his fishing parties, and his
! picnics on the rocks made him the most
/ sought after of all the married men at the
/ seaside resort 1t is said that his position
/ as master of society was clinchel by Mrs.
/ Maturin Livingston, who then was one Of
/ the first ladies' in New Yorls's exclusive
/ contingent. Mr.. AIcAllister was fond Of
relating how he met Mrs. Livingston on
| Bellevue avenue.
My dear AIR. McAllister," Mrs. living
| ston said, I'VE are all dying fOr picnic.
Can't you get one up for us?''
| why, my dear lady, you nave diIuers
every day. and charming dinners. too;
what more do you want?'' Mr.. McAllister
| answered.
"Oh, they're not picnics. Every ono can
! give dinners, but what we want is one Of
| your picnics. Now, DO get one up
Il will do your bidding' was Mr.. Me
/ Allister's reply. Fix on the day. At once,
and tell me what is the best dish your
| cook makes"
The sanction of Mrs. AIaturin. Living
ston gave endorsement to whatever Mr..
| McAllister chose to inaugurate in the way
! of entertainments.
One of Mr. McAllister's maxims is said
to have been; IF you see man with a
! shabby coat, cross the street to avoid
/ him" But he was not considered to be a
well-dressed man himself. His silk hat
was often rubbed the wrong way and his
/ trousers. frequently bagged at the knees.
In his own country and in Europe, which
he visited several times, he made hosts
/ of friends. His home life was happy The
only domestic grief he ever had was the
secret marriage Of his son, II. H. Meal
lister, to Miss Germany of Savannah
/ There was, however, no quarrel between
the father and son on account Of the mar
rage, which had been kept secret from
| him for FIVE years.
I F,N