The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-13
PERSONAL AND SOCIETY
THE ssIALI--BoY PAGE SUCCEEDING
THE BUTLER AT THE DOOR.
philadelphia Leading In This Fad
Language spoken by Rings
Movements of People.

Philadelphia Is beginning TO experience
something new in the way OF household
attachment, in the increasing employment
of boy pages in private families. Now, in
England, every household of moderate
means and some social standing employs a
page. This is done where the dignity of
masculine presence at the front door on
occasions of entertainment, Is requisite and
where necessary economy will not permit of
a butler in full canonicals to attend on and
announce visitors. Hitherto in America we
have as a rule been quite content to have a
maid servant answer the bell, but in our
big cities every woman yearns after some
thing more ceremonious, and the philan-
thropic person, getting a frantic note from
q friend. suddenly deserted by her waitress,
hustled one of her small poverty-stricken
proteges into suit OF livery, gave him an
hours lesson in tending a door and sent him
10 her affllcted friend. The boy was prom
so ably did he perform his duties that at
the end Of the little reception he was not
only given his dollar, but a hearty dinner
and told TO come back in a week and open
the door for the lady's second Friday at
home in November. That started the ball
rolling and a hundred or more of them are
serving in Philadelphia. 1t is needless to
say that the boys take happily to their
profession, are proud to learn, anxious to
regular training to become expert buffers
as soon as they grow big enough. Many
have higher aims, but find ii more profitable
to go TO school IN the morning, earn their
support in the afternoon, and thus avoid
the necessity of taking positions as district
messengers, office boys, or cash runners in
shops.
a Market Club has been started by a.
number of ladies in one of tho neighbor-
hoods some distance from the market 1t
used to be that each woman in the neigh
borhood would spend two and often three
mornings of a week going to market. The
matter has been settled in this way. Each
woman makes OFT list of what she wants
from. the market, and gives it to one mem
Der the evening before the market day.
The one who receives the list makes out
her own list, adding the quantities of the
same articles which the several members
want, The one with the list goes to market,
does the purchasing, and has the amount
sent 10 her house. 1t is delivered by 10
O'Clock and each woman goes and gets her
share. The members take turns in going to
market and this leaves at least ten hours
a week extra time for the members. AS it
is difficult for the members to keep serv-
ants so far out, and they do their own work
these hours count considerably in their IA
vOr The scheme has been tried for several
weeks and so far has worked like the pro-
verbal charm" The one going to market,
often does small shopping for the other
members.
A very old fancy which is one of the
prettiest modern fancies concerning stones
has been to let them spell out some signifi-
cant word or message. Thus the Prince
of Wales, on his marriage to Princess Alex
andria, gave her as a keeper or guard for
the wedding ring circle of precious gems,
whose capitals spelled his home name:
B--eryl
Emerald
Ruby
Turquoise
I-acintn
Emerald.
A friendship ring has 4 circle OF stones
whose initials form the word amitie:
Amethyst
M-alachite
Iris
Topaz
1-acinth
Emerald.
The lovers ring may contain:
L-apis Lazuli
Opal +nre
Verde Antique
Emerald.