New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-16
HOME AND SOCIETY.
,,r,1rENcE OF CHANCE OCCURRENCES.
.uc OBLIGATIONS or wEALTH-THE DEBU-
rASrEs CORRESPONDING ONES TALK
To THE TIME AND PLACE-THE RETI-
CENCE OF CHILDREN.

r,STFs COURTESY-ADAPT1NG ONES TALK
TO THE TIME AND PLACE-THE RETI-
cENcE OF CHILDREN.
Thu occasional far-reaching consequences Of the
Is. trivial happenings are very curious. An in
,-oduction a chance conversation. change OF plan.
,ou-nev and even apparently less decisive acts
',,"n .nact our whole lives. "A car missed on the
'.,rer An unexpected meeting with old friend
I'D destiny altered--there Is a condensed novel
,or vou" said happy wife and mother TO her
ne,phbor at a dinner. THAT is my story" And
Nc seems u, have been just as much governed by
ah,,ce as yours" ne returned. ~ had been asked
On a picnic wh.cs promised to be rather bore.
and which had dsHlned before sending the note.
IIowever / happened ~ walk TO the window and
cur that the day W. - -Senly After all | said
:, mvself. L might as we'll go. A lunch al fresco
wui not be bad in such weather. and there l met
nv wife and knew before the day was over that
shs was the one girl in the world for me- " Il
was saved from great loss by happening to meet
AR s. accidentally in Wall-st. yesterday" said
nor other neighbor. who had been listening 10 the
conversation. And how was that?" queried the
,adv interested. He asked to fl place at din
rsr tonight. and IL l had not met him l should
have missed this terrapin. which is the best-cooked
d,.h have eaten this winter--and-your society,"
ha added hastily. "Oh. don't mind being after
thought to such terrApin-w:th you~--,' she MINI
licked nlalicicusiy.
few days later he met her or the street. May
I tel you the sequel 10 my story?" he asked as
NJ Joined her. Did the tcrrapin disagree with
you?" she asked. smar,ly. How unkind you are.
he answered. reproachfuy. Miss Smith pro-
that is. l proposed to her that night. and am
the happiest of men. There's queer chance for
YOU to add to your list" do you mean TO say
that 1t would never have happened If you had not
met Nj. So" she said. laughingy. "Well. L was
either that or the good dinner. or your example
together with Miss Smiths general nceness ne
returned unabashed. 1T was a touch-and-go' Dnt
now Us settled and I'm going 10 be Benedict IN
six weeks time.
II think rich people ought to spend rather than
economize in hard times as matter OF Pri"c'p'e'
remarked the woman manager OF one OF the best
known decorative establishments in town 80
many seem to think 1t incumbent upon them 10 save
for conscience sake when those around theEn are
actually obliged to, never considering that their
sconon,v means hardship the many. and TO those
who are the most worthy. II hard-worK'hs ser
respecting wage-earners Aady was IN here the
other day who spends large proportion OF her
ample income in charity. and who is well known ioT
her good works One OF our screens TOOK her fancy
but she demurred at the price. L really need
screen Miss - she said to me. and will take 1t.
II you will go for and so. but in these times
when so many need help. do not feel justihed IN
giving more. but If you viii let me nave IL at the
price l named will promise you that will give |
the difference in charity
Mrs. X could not help saying, you Will !
pardon me II I say that your philanthropy is very
short-sghted Do you know that the embroidery |
on this screen done by girl who supports her |
invalid mother entirely by her own labor? Why |
there Is hardly a piece of decoration in this place |
which has not its history of brave patient work. II
you and your to buy and pay good prices.
establishments such will have to curtail ex-
penses Do you realize what that means? 1t is !
antamount to throwing girls like these out OF work.
and increasing the poverty and misery of the very /
people whom you wish to help. You rich people /
ought to spend. and spend literally In times like |
these and not your money TO give to the very |
people whom, by your mistaken notions OF charity, /
you have helped to pauperize.' l could not help Civ
ing her piece OF my mind. for had been greatly |
tried that morning by one Of the firm telling me |
that should have to reduce force OF work
women account of scarcity OF orders. and knew
how much unhappiness that would cause
Il afraid Mrs. X would think me impertnent,
but she took 1t very nicely. Miss -. she said. L !
thought Of things In just that light From your
point of view you are right, although II may be
little one-sided; but l will take the at your
own price. only wish the whole amount could so |
to the girl you speak Of and with this little part
ing fling at our profits on the sale. she took her
departure"
Il wlsh that little Miss Pert would not bob per-
sistently whenever she meets me-" remarked a sea-
soned maiden plaintivey. Those deep courtesies /
that the girls make nowadays quite ridcu-
lous. and the exaggerated respect that they show
to women who only few years their seniors
Is positively insulting. Ii would TO be in bet
ter taste and more appropriate that girls when they
make their debut in society should leave Their very
youthful manners in the nursery. For instance.
nothing could be prettier more becoming than 20 /
see child courtesy 10 her elders. but when Miss /
puts up her pgta and dons long dresses she Should
At least discriminate when she makes her obeisances
and before showing decidedly that considers .
Z person midde-aged she should be quite that /
the recipient Of her respectful attentions be
80 honored. Mary" said frisky chaperon Of !
thirty, why are you always so formal? ! wish you /
would call me Bertha. would SO much rather have /
my girl friends call me by my Christian name" /
"Oh. don't think could" exclaimed Miss Tact
less; 1T would seem 50 mpertlnent'
As 'his point o. view" will doubtless prove in /
teresting to debutantes and mothers, give the /
following comments by society youth on modern /
-" To multiply words without know /
edge seems to have beer an art as far back as the
days Of Job. but it certainly had not reached that
perfection which IT has now attained among the girls
OF NewYork society," In talking TO nine debutanies
out Of you probably would only discover that /
the dance of the evening before was great that /
the present evening Is grand sport, ana that the /
dinner and opera tomorrow Will be awfuly jolly |
You may also learn that she thinks IT VII be "a SO
between Jimmy X and Kitty H.. that there is /
big row on between Miss a. and Lily b., because
the former was not hidden TO the latters theatre /
party. besides other items OF information equally /
The remaining tenth will probably be 1
young lady of erud. ton and OF a serious turn OF
mind. who will Immediately plunge you into a pro-
found conversation at dinner. or discuss Nordaus /
Degeneration while you endeavor 10 guide her
around a crowded ballroom. How did you find Miss
a. at dinner? inquired recently OF friend .
after the ladies had left the d.nlng-room BOOKS /
and the opera, was the weary reply, and that young
lady lost thereby possible partners for the lack
OF little discrimination. for II IS quite useless to
cast pearls before Chappie and Cholly.
'Of course 1t is difficult for a girl to discover in