Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-01-21
MRS. EDMUND BAYL1Es.

MRS. EDMUND BA1LlESs ''''F ~
haughtily settles herself in the place,
swinging the scoptsr just as If she had
welded it for years.
Mrs. Astor's abdication was not wholly
voluntary. For some time she attempted to
hold the throne by appearing on rare official
occasions in her capacity as social leader.
The Bradley Martin ball was one Of these.
Fat Knickerbocker society cannot be
managed by passive ruler. Something
more than flgurehead is needed. The
pressure of the outside thousands who are
forever hammering ut the gates is some
thing tremendous and the social ruler who
succeeds is tho one who keeps up the bar
riers with the frmcst hand. McAllistcr
realized this. When some of the people
whom no had been kind enough to in
clude in his 400 showed a disposition to
revolt against his leadership, he saw that
display Of authority was necessary. 10
did this by revising his lists and leaving
out mcst of the rcvolutionists. Those who
remained had new respect for his au.
thority.
Mrs. Baylies evidently thought some &C.
ton of this sort was necessary to empha-
size her accession. So she took the re-
vised MoAllister list and went at it with
a blue pencil.
My, but what havoc she has madel
OF the 70 and more women whom Nc
Allister designated as eligible to exclusive
Manhattan society she has left only 50.
Sho evidently thought 1t unnecessary to
name the masculine elements, knowing
that the women would attend to that.
Either from motives of magnanimity or
discretion Mrs. Baylies included both Mrs.
Astors. This pleases everybody, for all Of
US Americans have been brought up with
tremendous amount Of respect for the
name of Aston, and we should look with
suspicion upon social list that did not
begin with an Aston. But the Bond sis
tiers, Amy and Beatrice, the Lloyd Bryces,
the Bronsons and the Bishops have been
eliminated.
Poor things! / wonder how it feels to
be blue poncilcd. Do you suppose it's any
thing like having a tooth pulled? Is it as
painful as viviscction9
suppose Mrs. Baylics could give Inc Il
good reason for each and overy erasure
from thu social list. do not suppose,
however, that she will If she does, I'll
let you know.
As for Mrs. Baylies herself do not
wonder that no one ever thought Of ex-
Guiding her, not even McAllistcr. She
has that naughty, regal mir about her
which seems to defy criticism. As y Van
Rensselaer, she was noted beauty, and
how Mr.. Baylies ever had tie courage to
ask her to marry him l cannot imagine
She Is really Of only medium height, but
her shapely head is poised so imperioualy
ON her beautiful neck and shoulders that
sven though man is fully u foot taller
be cannot help but imagine that She il
looking down on him.
Beauty and birth, however, arc not the
only qualities necessary for social suprem
ICY. Mrs- Baylies knew what the other.
were, and she cultivated them. Away
exclusive, Of late years she has hedged her
self about with more barriers than ever
It Is said that for every invitation she nc
cepts she declines 30. Her drawing room
b the one fashionable place In New YorI
TO which access Is most difficult. Her so
cial circle is 80 small that all its member
can meet In a drawing room Of ordinar,
aixa.
These facts have been known for some
time to society folk, but it has never until
now been definitely decided who were the
persons who constitute the social cream Of
the cream. We know now that Mrs. Bay
lies has given out her list, and when you
visit New York paste it In Jour hat so that
you may visit only the right people.
HOWARD SPENCE SINCLAIR