The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-05
THE BRICES SOCIAL PILOT.
L. SANFORD BEATTY DRAWS sIO,oOO
A YEAR.


Last season Cost s5O,OOO-How the
Ohio Millionaire Made Vanderbilt
Buy the Nickel PInte-Jay GOuId's
Joke.
From the New York Herald.
While sitting in the Arlington lobby had
more than once noted a gentleman Of COM
handing appearance and superlative mien.
on the particular occasion have in mind
it was evening The gentleman entered
the lobby with a brisk air Of Importance
and tossed a light silver gray overcoat to
one Of the bellboys. He then squared him
self to have it placed upon his back. The
bellboy busted the garment in the most
obsequious fashion and helped the gentle
man into the coat in a manner so profound
ly seryile that lat once came to the conclu-
sion that the party in the coat must be a
prince of the purple sure He was clothed
in dress coat, the tails whereof hung a
proud six inches below the short overcoat
he had donned. and. being apparently
aware that he was perfect in all his ap-
pointments. the gentleman stepped jaunt-
lily away. In appearance he was about six
feet tall, broad and square on the Shout
ders, showed about thirty-hve years as to
age, and, aided by a beard cut in the fash
ion affected by that potentate. looked not
unlike the Prince OF Wales in the face.
WHO is that gentleman" 1 asked
friend who was with me. and who has
made his abode at the Arlington for years.
THAT is l.. Sanford Beatty" replied the
| gentleman. II supposed that you knew
him" tr
What is his mission on earth?' I ask
ed. legation"
mo" replied my friend. mot legation
either, although he is one of the great
est diplomats in the city. NO" he went
on, Beatty in the first place believe.
is a dim relation of Mrs. Brice-cousin,
think His profession is entirely social
His title is social secretary to Mrs
Brce. He pilots the Brice family UP and
down the crowded channel of Washington
social life, and l pay his diplomacy
distinguished compliment when l say that
from first to last he has not bumped them
into other craft, nor rubbed off any of
the paint, nor has he had them aground
once. There has never been a moment
when Beatty couldn't show plenty Of So
cial water under the Bricean keel.
What is the detail of his duties? I
cannot exactly tell. Beatty has absolute
charge of all social functions of the Brices
He arranges their dinners. makes out their
menus, absolutely dominates the dinner
list; invites the right ones and avoids the
wrong ones, as If they were a pestilence
In fact, he is fashion of Malvolio to the
Brice household. He directs the energies
of the butler, tells him what wine to
uncork, and how much. He directs IN
deed, the whole establishment, socially,
gastronomically, from turret to founda-
ton stone He acts as sort of escort
to Mrs. Brice and her daughters. When
ever their beauty adorns box at the opera
a good strong glass Will shoW you Beatty
in the background. Do they ride, Beatty
rides; and should they care to walk, he
turns pedestrian. Occasionally the Brice
daughters perform on bicycles Beatty
attends these unsteady events, also on a
bike. If any social outburts, such as
a dinner, or a musicale, is threateniR
at the Brices. the society editress search
ing out the costumes in advance are let
into the secret by Beatty.
Really Beatty is a remarkable man.
He is cultured, refined, discreet, knows
what to say and what not to say, what
to do and what not to do, and since he
has been Brices master of the black rod
he has carried that wealthy household into
a social position and to social nights
which they never could have attained un-
aided. The Brice receptions and the Brice
dinners and the Brice dancing parties and
the Brice musicales are the best in Wash
rgton, thanks to Beatty, backed by the
limitlesS purse of Brice.
AND speaking of purse, do you know
what the last social season in Washing
ton cost Brice? 1t lasted two months and
a half, and something happened at the
Brices every week, usually 1t was din
ner on Saturday night. Those twelve
weeks of giddy whirl cost Brice over $780,
10 lie fOh-
there is no doubt about that, is Senator
Brice. The Brice musicales were the talk
of the town, and, for the matter, of New
York and several other towns. Beatty
produced the best singers in the world at
these musicales. There was nothing too
rich for the musical blood of Brfce He
demanded Melba. She came high but ne
must have her Beatty sought the great
singer, who softly suggested in her ma
tive tongue, which Beatty as a broad lin
guist understood, that she wouM need
81, 500 and all expenses to come and sing
twice for the Brices. She was produced,
and left with Brice's $3.50 check, and
everybody was happy. AT the same must
Gale one of the De Reszkes sang. Ten
minutes work with his vocal valves called
for 81 900; but De Reszke was there
Il learned from sources which spring at
the very foot of the social throne that
the over all expenses of running the Brice
household a year is $4,000. The Corcoran
house on Lafayette square, where he lives.
calls for $4,000 a year, and the Newport
house he rents at 5000. The two Brice
daughters have an allowance of IS, 900 each
year; the two Brice sons are allowed $40
900 each. The extra 5000 is allowed to the
boys because of the superior expense inn
posed upon them as males of the species.
The male is eternally paying out money
for the female in the way of bouquets,