Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-02-02

stockinged Democracy. This latter
club boasts the presidency Of Fred COu-I
dert, now Of Venezuelan notoriety.
The Union League, however, exercises
in its party ten times the power and
influence that the Manhattan Club pos
sesses with Democracy. It has cOquet-
ted too much with Mugwumpery since
the days when Tilden, Belmont and
MantOn Marble ruled its councils.
LEGAL CLUB PRESIDENTS.
Harking back to Coudert, it is re-
markable how many of the clubs have
lawyers for president. For instance,
Jce Checte is president of the Alpha
Delta Club; Evarts and DepeW were
long at the head OF the Union League;
Clarence Seward leads the Union and
Frank Lawrence the Lotos. Perhaps
it is because a club president must be
a good speaker. and your merchant or
banker-like Gov. Morton or Mayor
Strong-is often a pit.ab,e object on
his legs essaying oratOry.
TWO OLDEST CLUBS.
The Union Club is the oldest, and
next o-me thu Century, which was
Phoenix arising from the ashes OF the
Sketch Cub, with which Washington
Irving and Magnetic Morse were ident-
flied They called ii Century because
In 1S47 il set out TO be very exclusive,
and have only CeCturiOns-a member
snip Of Just a hundusd. devoted to liter
ature and art. but it now has a thou
sand members, being, let us say, ten
L
facade Of all the houses, and in accom-
modsticns equals preosntious Union
League and Millionaire clubs and eX-
ceeds those Of any other.
THE DAINTY CENTURY.
Il disdains creature comforts, and for
astronomical performances does not
aim above an oyster stew or a sandwich;
and, in potations, frowns upon COCK
tails. egg-nog, milk punch, cobblers
and juleps, but delights in Scotch
whisky. hot, served in small forums.
It's atmosphere is rich with traditions
of that Knickbocker scholar, Cuban {.
Verplanck and our Kuickerbocker Than
atopsis. the Poet Bryant-founders and
old presidents of the club 1t may be
regarded as the creme de la creme Of
ali the clubs; and to visit London club
one has only 10 be able to put Century
Club" on his card to find in the Athe-
neum or the Carleton the best chair and
the snowiest napkin. To discuss stocks
or investments in the Century is as
much treason as 10 discuss anything
literary or artistic in the Union or Mil
lionaire clubs, wherein commerce for
business and opera for amusement are
the darling themes of the hour; and
where cocktails, cold bottles and the
exploits of a chef are the delights of
club communion.
CLUBS OF DUKEDOM.
Would YOU listen to rhetoric. social
scandal or study the evolution Of creases
in the trousers, or the latest hang OF an
English coat, then HE into the knick-
erbocker or the Calumet, or the New
York. where the Harry Fokers immor-
tailed i'm the novel Pendennis cOngre-
gate. These clubs are the temples of
dudedOm.
THE YACHT AND JOCKEY.
At the Yacht Club you must luff into
the cafe,and port your helm when you
descend the Madison avenue steps,
while a Tom Dibdin hitch of the waist
band of your trousers will not be mop
perfume. At the Jockey Club decry the
bicycle and the hcrselesS carriage, and
declare that the seventh heaven is on
the top Of a coach with red or yellow
wheels. and with spanking bays in
front. Apr0pos, can any one tell where
the word spanking" in this connection
came from? l once threw away time
and money on the Jockey Club in times
sacred to the memory Of Jerome, Bel
mont and Bennett; and while there put
spanking" as a club cOnundrum, only
to find every one "Give il mp"
THE PRESS CLUB.
The Press Club now has cosy quarters
at "a West Twonty-siXth street, whereat
its president. Joe Howard, makes merry
for all the first class journalists and
clubbable reporters Of the city. Il
has a unique reference library Of old
time newspapers. and volumes service
able for suggestion and facts; and by
its own patronage of itself cOntradicts
the popular idea that press men tester
with jealousies. and amuse themselves
by purpOsely treading upon some other
fellows corns. The club had another
annual dinner at De,monico's last week.
which exceeded in menu and jollity
any rival one OF the season. When one
is told that the dinner ticket cost S.
he knows that New York newspaper
m7n-albeit it is now the dead season
OF advertising. between New Year and
Easter. and a time for 'redOOshin' sell
cries" (the slang Of the World Office
and of "shake-ups of s,hffs," are by no
means paupers.
A LUCUS A NON LUCENDO CLUB.
The Press Club quarters were recent
ly used by the Lambs Club-instiu-
ted quarter century ago by Lester
Wallack, Montagu and Billy Floyd. as
d rendezvous for actors. II exists still
very still.tOO-in some out of the
way place; but | find only one actor, De
Wolf Hopper, slated in its management
because wolves have captured the
Playwright Greene Clay being
shepherd" Tor PRESIDENT; Playwright
Thomas the Boy Cor steward; and
Playwright Sidney Resented the sec
rotary.
THE BOOTH CLUB.
The rival blow came from the Players
Club. fouded and subsidized by Edwin
Booth. with a clubhouse on Gramercy
Park, where is shown the chamber IN
which ne died. togeihe- with relics OF
that most celebrated melodramatic ac-
tor. which the English or American
stage ever knew; and who was seldom,
If ever. seen 20 smile after the Lincoln
tragedy. Actors. however, claim that
this club IS ow run, not in the intere5.
NJ nlqvera so much as in the interet