The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-05

VI
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The rapidly waning season grows gayer
toward its close. The past week has had
considerable of incident and interest dur
ing its seven days, and the one that opens
this morning promises still more of enter
tainment to the members of the gay world.
The falling OF the curtain OF the winter $
gayeties is now announced for February
10. The last act of the drama, or rather
the comedy, now holds the stage and there
Is that unmistakable rustic in the audience
which gives evidence that the play is near
ly over.
The week opened, as did both It's prede-
Cessors, with a number OF theater par
ties followed by g mum Der of dinners and
dances or balls. 1t is difficult to always
draw distinction between the entertain
ments known as dance and a bail. The
latter term, applied Unfortunately to all
events where dancing is a feature, has to
some extent become meaningless, like the
good old names lady and gentleman in
these days, when those terms are applied
TO every one no matter what their reputa-
ton or profession may be. a ball is really
large dance, and properly speaking mean
an assemblage OF at least 300 people.
The Terpsichoreans' guests numbered
about this figure, and as it was given in a
large hall it may be called ball. 1t was
a somewhat juvenile gathering, most of
the girls not yet beng out in society and
many of them only this seasons buds. A
prettier set of girls has never been seen in
this City before or a prettier ball given.
The supper was served III the usual dining
room. The cotillon was danced in the
large canvased ballroom, whose walls,
from base to ceiling, were lined with palms,
ferns and ganands and draperies. The
music was particularly good, al the selec-
tions having been we'll chosen.
The following night came the third
meeting of the Friday Night Club, full
account OF which appeared IN yesterday
CALL.
Last evening came the annual dinner
and dance given by the guests of the Hotel
Richeieu to their many friends. The din
ner was followed by very spirited dance,
which Kept up until midnight, when the
guests partook of a delicious supper.
Among those at the several dinners and
dances were: Mr.. and Mrs Peter MEG.
Mclean, Miss Mclean, Miss Kip, Miss
Mary Kip Mr.. and Mrs. w. H. Elliott,
Morton Gibbons, Miss Ida Gibbons. Mr..
and Mrs. and Miss Emma Butler, Mr.. and
Mrs. Tom Magee, Mrs. Morley, W. II.
Magee, Mrs. Samuel Hort, Miss Julia
Tompkins, Miss Ethel Tompkins, Miss
Williams, Miss Hannah Williams, Miss
Hobart, Walter s. Hobart, Phil Tompkins,
Mr. and Mrs. Preston, Miss Preston, Baron
Won Balveron, and a number of others.
Miss Hyde of New York has been spend
ing the week here with her friend, Miss
Genevieve Goad, whose charming house is
most delightful place to stay. 1t goes
without saying that Miss Hyde has en-
ioyed herself and has been the recipient of
much attention, for she is such a favorite
that she is sure to make friends and have
good time either at home or abroad. At
the Cotillon Club on Friday she looked re-
markably well and wore becoming and
stunning gown.
Oakland has not often had a more
charming addition to its society than Mrs.
Seward B. McNear (nee Baroll) OF Balti-
more, who has lately come with her hus-
band to live there. She made her first ap-
pearance in San francisco society at the
cotillon on Friday last and was very much
admired. Already many luncheons. teas
and dinners have been given in their
honor.
We have now come to the part of the
year when we can no longer put off any,
thing, except, perhaps, visit to our poor
relations, which may be safely left for the
duties after the Lenten season; but it will
not do to defer many other things. Our
visiting list is before us, and the old re-
frain of "After Christmas will do so and
so, "and go here and there" can no more
be said. No, we must face the situation.
and if we do not intend to give t'tea'' or
an sat home" we must start out and call
on the smart set' or else we are mot in
it,
A tea, however, cancels our visiting OBJ
legation, except our party calls for dinners
or luncheons. or when we wish to specially
honor the stranger within our gates.
Some witty woman said lately that "a
tea was great clearinghouse for cards, -
and it is an unwritten law OF society that
even if we only send our small pasteboard
representative the most exacting has no
right to say that we "owe" them a visit.
SO this in these busy days is decidedly an
advantage. Visiting oil old-time methods
has entirely gone out. Then one called
season after season, with painstaking reg