The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-20

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oh, this Lent. What a farce 1t often
isl How much religion does the girl dis
play who observes 1t by denying herself
candy and spending the money thus
saved for sailed almonds? Few of the
many Jersey City girls who strictly
keep Lent could tell why they do II,
except that they always have" or If
able to answer tina question, could tell
what personal good that species of fast
ing or abstinence had done them. In-
deed, many of them think the best ans
wer was given by the man who said there
are forty days in Lent, because the girls
need that time to prepare their Easter
bonnets. 1t is not to be denied thai
there are many in this city OF ours who
observe Len because of a deep .realiza-
ton of the religious significance, but II
is, alas. equally true that the vast ma
jority do 1t because it is fashionable.
This majority. while not as outspoken
as a young lady, a member Of the Lenten
Sewing Circle, unconsciousiy heartily en-
dorsed her words by the signs of relief
with which they greeted them. 1t was
at a meeting of the Sewing Circle ana
it had just been announced that the
lnal silver tea of the circle woul be
H6iu tile lu6Sudy dllel EdstSi- NAt
thank Heaven said this young lady.
Lent will be over then and we can do
something"
Yes, they can do something If people
in Jersey City can ever be said to do
anything. The usual apathy ha not been
as apparent in social life this season as
last, but even this season withNits four
formal receptions given by jersey City
ladies, its three subscription dances its
oneinformal Christmas dance. its Matinee
Euchre Club, it's innumerable card par
ties, and its luncheons clubs has not
been widely exciting. Still it is en-
c~ounaging. When one recalls the fact
that last season there was not one private
reception and remembers that this sea-
son there have already been four, ore
hopes, and without that sense of utter
.~mprobability which would two years aga
have attended it,, that in three or four
years our society people will not be
entirely dependent upon subscription af-
fairs for social engagements.
Perhaps that hope is too improbable;
it may be that it is too much to expect.
This sudden increase in activity, this
eu~adrupling of gaieties, may all be due
to that force which is now held account |
able for SO much-leap year. 1t may
be that the aides feel themselves author
lzed 10 act as hltherto they AVE been
unpr1viieged 10 90 and the result mas
been this increase in social life, for the
foibles Of Jersey City men as regards
their outy TO the iaaies are wen known.
Inc lanes nave long oeen energetlc IN
their EFFORTS 10 enlven society. Iney
nave FORMED eucnre CLUBS. wnlch they
I----A -
have changed to matinee eucnres when
they round that they mad not the CO.
operation OF the gentlemen; they have
organized subscription dances; and they
nave formed numerous duncneon CLUBS
al OF winch, IKE the euchres, rejoice IN
the title OF The luncheon club.
The number OF these clubs Is not so
RIDICULOUS as ~ wouid at nrst seem. u
should know how to cook, and should
thus belong to a luncheon club. As each
member contributes a course and as ten
courses is about sufficient for ordinary
mortais, 1t IS naturally a sequence that
ten member is the usual allowance. It
then as naturally follows that innumer-
bile must be the luncheon Clubs in order
that all embryo cooks shall have an
opportunity of making people seat the
results OF their efforts In culinary art.
The Oldest OF these clubs is probably