The record-union., 1895-02-23

other on Culture, Refinement ana
Understanding Social Leaders in
One. Corporation in the Other.
fright purchased by the RECoRD-UNIoNf from
the Box Syndicate Press, New York.
New York society of the present day!
There are two divisions of it to be con-
sidered. One division is society as it
finds itself generally outlined, described
and referred to in the Sunday maya
zines that are mis-called newspapers,
and the other division is society which
does not get into the keeping Of the aver
age society reporter whose quiddam hon
orarium of dejeuner dinner and supper,
with sometimes coin of the republican
realm added, is paid only by the first
division. Wealth is the foundation of
this former, but refinement is sometimes
permitted to decorate that first division.
The second division has culture and re-
Enement for its foundation, but riches
may be allowed for decoration by its par
Elephants. The one has many leaders
struggling for supremacy and bent upon
eXclusiyeness, but the other claims no
leaders, lives and moves comparatively,
and deprecates any social eXclusiveness.
The one division only exists to be talk ed
about. The other division shuns mere
publicity. There is even a IN etropolitan
weekly journal, the columns of which
brlstle with personals and social events,
mainly and expressly contributed in
homemade manuscript by the families
or individuals to whom the personals
or events relate, and often after payment
eXacted in the style Of advertisement fee.
Under these divisions New York society
somewhat patterns after that of London,
where there exists what is known as the
Wales set, for admission to which the
possession Of wealth is an Indispensable
requisite. The Prince of Wales conde-
scends at times to patronize intellect
outside Of his set, but Intellect in order
10 belong to it must have a personal an
mex Of excellent income.
New York City has become TO the
nited States what Paris is to France
the city to which Tor occupation and resi-
dence repair pilgrims from what its lead
ers of fashion sneeringly call the prov
lnces-a word that Includes even Phila-
delphIa or Baltimore, where family con-
unues TO be a social passport: or even
Chicago that in metropolitan attri butes
and progressive ways has been-to en-
plOy a Western Word-hustling New
\ DIRK for some time past. II a bourgoise in
Lyons, Marseilles or Bordeaux Gmasses
wealth he flies to Paris to spend il, and
to grow happy IN its society If he can.
The millionaire, or semi-nilliOuaire, who
became such in another State than
New ork, is apt similarly to remove to its
metropolis and try to Join its 400. -
And foolish he, for the !, OO0 in the second
division would give him better welcome
and make him and his Lares and PEN
ates happier.
Referring, as 1 do, to the term, THE
-Four Hundred" l beg to tell an anus
ing anecdote Soon after the term orig
mated / CHANGED to be in London at a
dinner party. My adjacent guest was a
mademoisene who shared the interest
and ignorance of her countrymen and
women about the States, - for. mind you
the average John Bull knows all about
Asia and Africa. but his knowledge OF the
geography OF America and its customs is
weak and hazardous.
Upon this occasion my fair neighDor,
finding that was a Jonathan" asked:
Nv ere l TO visit your country would l
be able TO find any remains of Indian
tribes or Wigwams?p And she asked
this with unaffected naiyete. l assured
her that she could be shown in my city
a whole Indian tribe. with sachems,
council tires and war dances; one that
occupied an immense brick wigwam;
that il was the tribe of St. Tammany.
After innocently accepting the infor:na-
ton with charming thanks, she continued:
But / don't think | should like New
York City, Tor l have heard that its So
clety only numbered 400 respectable PEG
pie"
There is an element in the New York
society that is known 10 the average
newspaper reader, which would like TO
decImate the circles OF that city, and
make 1t nOlnInaIly consist Of only about
nifty FAMILIES. In fact, thereby insutuung
fashionable club of men and women.
with power to black bail applicants for
social advantages. with an AImack' 8 au-
thorlty to pass exclusively bylaws on
etiquette and all social usages. 1t is not,
however, dominant element, because
another element that possesses wealth as
we'll would admit for an enlargement OF
the circle families OF even limited means.
that were possessed OF intellectual charms
and birthrights. For instance, OF a rep
resentatlve IN the tIrst element l would
select from among reignlng leaders the
AstOr family, and Of the second element
the Vanderbilt family. Although John
Jacob Astor the third has written a clever
novel, he seems 10 think less of seeing
has name on the title page than on the
pretenuous brass plate OF the Astor
business house that CoufrOnts the portals
OF Trinity Chapel, near Madison SQUARE.
II has been common slang to refer Io.the
NanderbIlts as descendants OF the old
Commodore, who began life as Captain of
q clam sloop. But however that gene
aiogy may be. in his later life no more
arlstocratIc a-looking gentleman, nor
more courtly in bearing than this Com
modore was at club dinner table, could
be anywhere produced. The present gem
Grafton of tue NanderDilts have IN them
the blue blood OF the ume-houored
knIckerDOcker Nissan family, Nissan
being the maiden name OF Mrs. William
IL. NauderDiIu, and that name lies hid
den beneath the XXI in the autograph OF
her son. All OF the four gentlemen who
married Vanderbilt daughters OF Nissan
blood had the blue also In their veins.
And the head OF the family married a
lady Of the bluest blood. Therefore, the
great-grandchlldTen of the alleged clam
Shopper viii in time be well qualified to
become leaders OF society, in whom blue
blood, wealth and refinement can make
up rare com bination for continuing
family social prominence.
The evolution of New York society has
at present developed, for the first time
in its history, a large leisure class, such
a one as belonged to Great Britain and
Germany. "Ilme-killers, these" say the
fiippant But its mem bers compose the
1owery border beds OF society's gay par
terre and gardens. They certainly are
ornamental, and can be useful if they
choose. \ 81 ii is undeniable that this
social leisure class of New y ork City is
apt TO be diseased with ennui. Hence,
of late, Fifth Avenue has become a sort
OF PiccadIily, where tailoring models
strut, and Central Park a Bots de Bou-
logne, where feminine laSsitude take
carriage airings, after hours, in which a
Delmonico dejeuner, q Valid OFF luncheon,
sn afternoon tea at Sherry's, a dinner
per invitation, an evening at the opera,
followed by ball and supper, have de-
pressed vitality. My last sentence really
IT ,F ha Ia,