The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-12
THE WEEK IN SOCIETY
COSBY COMMENTS ON SOME INDI-
ANAPoLIs CUSTOMS.
Early Hours for Calling In the Even
fng-some OF the Events
This Week.

A number OF weeks ago it was remarked
that the young men of this city do not
make calls and that the young ladies are
pining away at their homes during the
evenings, while no young men come to
cheer their existence and make life brighter
and them happier. 1t is said the true rea-
son for the state Of affairs is that the young
ladies go TO bed too early. A young man
who is a friend to any number Of young
ladies and who enjoys their society decided
that he would go out one evening and call.
He arrived home soon after o'clock, had
his dinner, changed his dress and started
out He went to eight places. At some
houses there was no light, at others the
door was opened to him, but he was in
formed that the one for whom he asked
had retired. At one place the lights were
turned out just as he reached the front
gate. At SIS, which cannot be said to be
late hour. he went TO another house with
the same result. At 8 o'clock he was tired
OF walking and not getting in anywhere
and he went home quite Disguised with
himself that he had made the effort TO call,
spent the whole evening and had not been
into a single house. This young man had
exceptionally bad luck. There are lots of
room so early as o. clock and IL this young
man took evening following that of a
large dance, 1t is possible that they retired
early 70 make up for the lost time the even
ing before. The young man must not lose
courage; perhaps he will be able to get in
somewhere the next time he tries it. Now,
IL it had been some young lady out making
calls in the afternoon and she should go
to 50 many places and find no one at home
she would leave her visiting card and travel
on TO some more places and be glad that
she had that many calls off her list.
In the last few years it has been almost
impossible to keep a company at a dance
till midnight. An evening reception has
been over soon after 10, and, as for a we'd
ding. the bride and groom have had ample
time to get ready to go away after the
guests had left the house. This season
there has been somewhat of revival of
the late hours. Fashions in hours seems
TO have been observed quite as much as
fashions in dress. This season the dances,
receptions and parties have been continued
much later, and it was nearly in the morn
ing when the last dancer left the recent
Assembly bail. Some young people think
that they are not beginning TO have any
enjoyment at dance till midnight, and If
the ball room is deserted soon after there
Is not much time remaining. The young
ladies who have nothing to call them out
early in the morning may like the late
hours, but for the young men, who have to
be at business at o'clock, it may not meet
A novelty which has the merit of useful
instruction was introduced at a thmble
party last week by Mrs. Joseph Marott, jr
A number OF ladies were invited to attend
a thimble party. and, of course. took along
the sewing outfit and prepared to make a
little fancy work between the times Of the
more interesting work of discussing people
and things. After a while the thimbles
were laid aside, and Mrs. Marott brought
in a number OF small square poplar blocks
mer for each person, which was taken away
as a souvenir. This was followed by dis
tributing to each paper Of common carpet
tacks. Mrs. Marott then announced that
prizes would be awarded to the person who
drove the most tackS straight into her
board, and also to the one who drove the
fewest in ten minutes. At the signal the
work began. 1t is impossible to learn just
what emphatic expressions were used when
the hammer inadvertently drove the finger
into the board instead of the tack. 1t is
sufficient to say that many of he ladies
cannot now wear gloves with comfort, and
the drug stores in the neighborhood had an
unusual demand for liniment that evening.
As a novelty the new idea is perfect sue
cess, and also as means OF identifying
There is a great deal in the way a thing
IL said. Descriptions of society doings from
small towns are often amusing and fire.
quently those from large towns as well. At
a large reception given not very long ago
the following day had this: Miss =
charmingly served ices and her vis-a-vis
dished coffee, while Miss helped the
thirsty 70 invigorating punch
There is a fad on hand just now for for
eign languages. French has the lead.
There are French classes and clubs. Par
ties meet and read in French, and others
correspond in the same language, and have
the letters corrected by some one compe-
tent to do il. There are ever so many
who take German. and in the German Lit
erary Club no other speech is allowed
There are papers, songs and conversations
There is large class in Spanish studying
It's intricacies, with view to a possible club
or perhaps a trip to some of the countries
Wnere spanish Is spoken. There are many
families in the city where German, French
or spanish Is spoken In one family the
children have been taught German. They
frequently use an English word. In order
that they shall speak the language all the
time al the table, where il is required, each
elild IS fined for every English word used
This giving up of their spending money
makes them more careful and the result is
mat they are doing better than ever The
as soon as practicable the children viii be
required 10 speak French The children
go to the public schools and learn English.
rope to spend several years and perfect
themselves in the languages.
There are a number of entertainments
and social events for the coming week.
Monday Miss Ritzinger's luncheon, Mrs.
Deans tea for the Misses Rorison and Mrs
Leathers's thimble party for her sister,
Mrs NJ. Steele Bright; Wednesday the
Haerle-Hollweg wedding. Mrs. A B. Gro
yers reunion Of the Cooking Club. for Mrs.
Bright. Major and Mrs. Varney's dinner
and Mr.. and Mrs. News dance for Mr. De-
Moss; Thursday the party by Colonel and
Mrs Eli Lilly, at their home. on North Me-
ridian street.
Personal and Society.
Miss Bessie Hord is visiting friends in
Chicago.
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick V. Chislett have
gone 20 New York.
Miss Una Berry, of Elwood. is the guest
or Miss Florence Neate-
Mr.. and Mrs. w y. Harding gave dance
last evening. for their son.
Mrs. Erwin and daughters will be at home
Thursday afternoon to callers.
Mrs. Kate Perry Morris will go to New
York this week 10 make a visit.
Mrs Raymond Whinnerah will leave next
Tuesday for her home in Colorado.