New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15
HOME AND SOCIETY.
.>,rrsTRAL SILVER THAT RINGS FALSE.

,>-rsA NEW DANGER IN RECKLESS
GOssIP-THE SECRET OF ATTRAC-
T1vENEss IN CHILDREN.
.,,,or among thieves" IS precept that is seldom
,a ont in practice. but that gentlemany
Cellars exist is sometimes proven Some people
p"s,rv old Knickerbocker families. regard their
esf,ral silver with superstitious reverence. and
aaossesson of an Anticipated tea set which has
u" :, the family for successive generations Is
-iaered almos; in the same light as patent OF
s,,v No wonder. therefore. that the Misses
w., Van Amsterdam, who prided themselves
~ their exceptionally respectable heir.ooms
ut,a cling TO this remnant OF their former
Nv with exaggerated pride, and should sor1e-
&c h,-e .heir friends a; their frequent afternoon
teas. ., o ,,o. 4" Gotta Misc tJet
. .b Youngest OF the three sisters, costing almost
W, and men always have the family tea
>" !, This way they descanted upon It's antiquity
ga ,,s dear and gone possessors. Fearing the wear
az o,r of The kitchen. tie eldest Miss Schuyler
o.. Amsterdam always washed these precious
It's herself rubbing them gently with the hhes'
- oncA so as not to injure the silver. ana pack
.c every piece carefully in big basket. whlch was
,a5 upstairs at night by the old darby pu'ier.
Is, no robber would dare tackle Miss Virginny'
"a ,be old man. with a chuckle and this peiie1
as en- generally shared by the household anu 10Y
.ho, matter by the lady herself that TINS was 'he
Iv nrecaution taken. and the silver was lett III tne
basket at the foot of her bed
ONO morning however. Miss Van Amsterdam
.oka with a queer. siclSly sensation. and dizzi-
- 4, ber head the like of which she had never
"r hofore and as she tried to rise, her eyes lei
mon the basket. Horror OF horrors II was empty
nd tho silver was gone. Miss Virginia gave one
III shrek and then, for the hrst anu Only ''''''
IN her life. tainted ,.o ,,or ba
g., case Of chloroform" said the doctor ai'er nc
- brouqht Miss Van Amsterdam TO her senses
- had heard the particulars. The thel was e'i-
aen,lv an expert. and gave you only sun'cen' "
intensity your natural slumber whie Tic ne'pe0 mana
self 10 his booty. .r. .r.d
..,su, the tea set ancestral tea SET. ""Ae0
~. sisters How can we live without IL
Io,,ne their Indignation the next morning wheh
Aa,. ,ece;ved. carefully packed in large ooA' "e'
oun precious tea service with the ioiio"h w
.S5ressed 10 Mss Schuyler Van Amsterdam"
Dear Madam Knowing now you and finding tina:
g. is only pewter. and therefore Va!ueesS ner,enced
beg esys sc 10 from Tena the little sedave administered to
y xlshe sr'' LIGHTFlN "s Il en-. l Of the
p edmeps Of the Veneer OF the
century much more sond process ' ~
plating of the present DAY
"Cui bono?" might well be askeu y! -.
>atber Of family ne contemplate III. 80
=, the extensive educations bestowed upo ~
,bprS q
,,.,lo encouraging TO reflect upon the thousa" T.,
- h,ch have been uselessly spent 10 al '''-
.,,s ord nurroses in accomplishments aio"e
.Ts va ~ 70 do over again. explained an eHas
.ro.ea narent Il would not spend one cent 0 ,
r,,aces or music l have just returned iio'"
ehroad with my girls who had peen .ui ~,
.s,.hod. from the most expensive schooi III we"
-, 81, rroud at first at having two such !oVe'y'
aooornnl,shed daughters. but soon was unoecen.u
7 am fond Of music. and when ioui. ."a 49,,
~ the Italian opera, was on DoaiN o ' :,
1,a ,o+ rest until had persuaded her 10 sing -
oiu no' ct, for vou' she said gracously. II
W. 80 will nlay my accomplishments oh' III.
s,.ors will accompany YOU they are w
er,sbed musicians said rashly' anu BIC ''0
brought out several songs to try' ,-. .o .r,ed
.cvtu the work they made OF II! First one 'leu
80, the other. and the brow Of the DIVA gre"
anu 'iie - .,o,L.r Mon pauvre. Monsieur
r".t 4. che exclaimed at length. with the lfanh
-" -, ber kind you have been much oeceiNeu.
,rbesa Young ladies. they KNOW ho'"'',s ..
when 7 reflected the lessons from ~
lesson. I must admit felt ready 10 So" ,s.. .,r,
s.,,,ht us only pieces papa said my oiues. gu.
'aue .o- gave my opinion OF their apiliues
-. fr.nklv and when l thought OF those io"s
dawn out tiresome performances 10 "i,0 1s
va" hasn treated over and over again groaheo.
Not even a simple accompaniment oouA 10
correctly. and with proper fee.ng at s'e"'
.r p,ro,ca the girls thanks TO the French nurses
%, ,be,r childhood however. and NOT 10 the" eN
,ensive masters got on fairly "eh' pu. IA ~,
= rad another shock. Despite years OF "ei"" TO
ors which was one Of the large extras on Mime.
KS bill neither of them couio u'ioe's "
-. ,arsa.f understood by the natives Ana mere
-, on, afraid / lost my temper. we were
4raveIIine without a courier, Tor thoue"'
course that girls who had recei'cu pi'
a,nlomas and all sorts OF things TOT theii "" a.
would at least have sufficient coih'naiu "a ~
y, L
found this expectation without any warrant '.
a. so MANY OF tho Germans speak English we got
on well enough until one day at a way -'''
where we were 70 change cars we sd" ~
starvation all our luggage being trafsieIieu "
,ra,r abou. 10 20 West while we ourselves were
Going directly East. Tel that man 10 lake theih
o,, yelled 10 the girls and they gabbied some
,h,rg IN the man. 70 which he responded stohoiy'
.Hicht yersteht' and went on piling our belongings
into the wrong train. Cant you make MIN u"uei
e,andY shouted and again they trled 10 ie"io.
,ro,e with the phlegrnatic Teuton Nicht versteht
be said again. and pushed In the last Va.ise' 20
this all your German is worth, ana all those eA-
,a,svs lessons" / exclaimed in despair as 'he
train began to move slowly or.
"As usual. my wonankind took refuge In tears
q am sure papa sobbed Molly. they always SAID
=, scboo that T!lIey's accent was perfect but they
sneak such queer stuff here 1t does not SCUM IKE
German at all, and don't believe 1t Is
"rakirg peoples characters away over teacups' IS
m longer the pleasant pdstime and safe entertain
roent which II used be. In these last-of-thecen
,urv davs scandal mongers and gossips have to be
careful In their statements. for modern Games 90
-. hesitate r. call In the service Of lawyer. and
,raa, any malicious and unfounded statement as
oc,,o,able matter Even those who repeat in good
faith what they have heard on excellent authority
have 70 be careful in this case the partaker Is
as had as the thief and the repetition OF sander
IS almost as bad the SANDER ITSELF ana does even
more damage. ..
a,h.,ro which was before her when she repeated
with great gusto at fashionable luncheon the re-
mort that a couple who were well known IN her
circle had had serious marital disagreemehts ana