Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-29
SOCIETY.

Well, it has been opened at last, and
we all feel relieved. 1 mean the South
ern club house, on Twentieth street and
Fifth avenue don't that sound swelD,
and Birmingham can now look Atlanta
squarely in the face without even q trem-
or, or base ball mask and say I'VE have a
club house and troubles of our own"
Yes, the deed was done last Wednesday,
the 25th, and Cleveland appointed the
day following for Thanksgiving" The
same carriages from Flies and Gafford
jostled and crowded each other before
the club house that used to stand before
the old club rooms filling the soft night
air with the click of harness and the i'm
patient stamp of horses hoofs The same
fair girls and many others imported for
the occasion alighted from their car
riages and tripped, fairy-like, as of old,
from the soft night air into the brilliant
ly lighted halls while Birmingham's
tailed coats and standing collars, to
"break socety's ice and form them
selves into the upper crust"
Yes, Town Topics was there, he of
the choice rare-bits and X-ray eye, also
his good man, Friday" who, for the
sake of contrast, assumes silent, deep
and melancholy mood, with opinions of
cast iron and thoughts of STEEL "The
Carlisle of the push" was also lin 1t"
backed against the wall a-la-James Fitz
James, defying the onslaught of crushing
humanity, and surrendering only to the
attractions of the bar" There also was
the Ward McAllister of the Magic CITY,
he of theater party fame, flushed with
well, let us "victory"-(or perhaps,
some other brand), but still extending
the glad hand with the conscious air or
making or unmaking the reign of bellies.
There was the ATLAS of the club, he or
the worried expression and absent-mind-
ed greetings. Right well did he round up
the unruly crowd with the grace OF an
expert cowboy on a bucking broncno.
The apollo Belvedere" was there, the
idol of the debutantes' aesthetic taste
and the despair of ambitious mamas.
OH what q dead-in-earnest face he was,
but presto Meath the soft shadow OF
the palms, in the secluson OF some Sc.
questered nook, where only the mum Oh
voices and the siren notes or some seduc-
tive waltz sets music-loving hearts 10
throbbing; say in this sequestered nook,
where it is quite the thing among young
ladies to throw off, as it were, their pre-
tended frivolity and become soulful-the
"Apollo" will not be bad-he has been
there before and the great mistake OF
getting stuck sends terror to his SOUL
No, he prefers to float his chaste
thoughts always in the middle of the
swim, the very middle. And, oh! sorrow
to relate! not all of the "invincible Old
Guard" were there. Their ranks were
sadly thinned by the absence of the ro-
tund figure of the irresponsible party
--"Peach Depew," "Adonis" and THE
Philosopher" formed the conquering
phaIanx, and their famous sallies of wit
were as much in request as ever. Like
butterflies, they lowered around bud and
blossom in the same hopeless quest of
a new sensation. THE Yellow Kid was
there, looking as though he bore no re-
sentiment to any living being on earth,
and only lived to paint each dark moment
bright vermilion.
In the cloak rooms the crush was just
as much of a crush as ever. No pig
skim chasers they, but when the soft
coverings were thrown from well shaped
heads and cleaning shoulders-"right
half backs" left half backs" quarter
backs and full backs" became visible
TO the naked eye. The warm perfumed
air was filled with well modulated en-
thusiastic voices, the floating converse
ton ran about in this wise:
Now, isn't this just too lovely!
"Oh, dear, I'm so glad to see you. I'll
have just lots to tell you! Did you come
with him? knew you would. he was
lust lovely to me last winter" and "oh,
DEAR have you got pin? l do wonder
why men never think of pinsf'
please powder my shoulder a. little
moreno not there, that place Is too
white already, there, that's the spot.
"Oh, say, did you hear -? Now
isn't that a pity? Such a nice girl too
thought, but it's true every word or II.
No, wouldn't for worlds say who told
me!
"Oh. there is my escort calling me.
dare not keep him waiting, the horrid
thing is so beastly cross whenever he is
kept waiting minute, but do come to
see me real soon, l have such lots OF
things to tell you!
Out haunts the be-ruffled maiden to
. make room for another. All! Who
would not live in Vanity Fair?
In the brilliantly lighted parlors the
well-bred society EXPLANATIONS OF delight
ed surprise filled the club mans heart
with athletic glee, and the new ball room
floor reverberated with the soft patter of
bright paten leather, and white slippered
feet. To and fro the good natured crowd
on pleasure bent" jostled and surged,
while equity old figure drew himself up
in corner like turkey in the rain, and
gobbled, ''Well, I'll swear there Is not
enough room in this house for even an;
old chestnut to swell"
The strangers were much in evidence
and added interest and variety to the
stereotyped scenery. Old Mississippi, as
usual did herself proud In lending to Ala
bama the charming presence of Miss
Sykes. of Aberdeen, while Georgia was
well represented by Miss Madden, of
Brunswick, both the attractive guests of
Miss May Glare Miner. Then there was
pretty Miss Smith, of Nashville, the guest