The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-15


real gossip, like the babbling
~ brook. runs on forever and a day.
It's a greatness that cannot be
thrust upon you. SO I'm going to stop
tying the gossips cap under your dimpled
chin
Society ;1as taken off It's blase mask of
Indifference and is greeting 80 with gay
and smiling cOuntenance Each new leaf
of the calendar that '99 unfolds is more
promising than the last. Red letter days
are scattered through the season. But
the to-morrows cannot possibly snatch
the laurel wreath from last Monday S
brow We crowned her ueen-night of
the year at the Spreckels ball.
Mr. and Mrs. John d. Spreckels gave
the ball to introduce their two daughters
into society's charmed circle. The hall
was decked as it has never been before.
The music foated through the green lat
tice work of palms that hid the stage.
And everybody was there-from the dear
old gentlemen who used to let me see
the wheels go wound in their watches to
boys who let me spin their tops.
There were four dinners that 1 know
of given before the dance. We ate, drank
and made merry around the dalntlest OF
tables, presided over by Daisy Van Ness.
Her sister, Mrs. de Ruyter, was her right
hand bower and the hours chased each
other so quickly that ii was almost II
when we arrived at the ball.
The guests whom Mrs. Knight and Mrs.
Gerstle had entertained at dinner came
lust as we did. Helen Wagner and Mr..
Greenway. who had been at Mrs Gers
tie 5, tOld ME that they thought II was
but II. Helen confessed that the sixty
minutes had slipped from her Wnlle she
was admlrlnS the table decorations but
Mr.. Greenway was not as frank. he
would not say where he had cropped has
lost hour.
Of rbnr
l did not even know by sight, but there
were enough 'familiars to feel at home.
And it's much more interesting 10 guess
who is who than TO always be sure of
just what's what. There were dozens of
people that | didn't get a chance to say
good evening to, but by or 4 o CLOCK
we had said good morning. 1t was long
after when we reached nome.
Let Y represent the belle of the ball.
Then solve the problem by any process
known If you can. | was determined to
our midst, so L put the question to every
one l knew. And from their answers
can say conclusively that the belle of the
ball is an unknown quantity.
Is it the prettlest girl or the most beau
girl? A combination of all three answer
the sages. But where, O wise men, will
you find this combination?
Every one, or almost every one, said
that 1herese Morgan had on the most
stunning gown in the room. Therese is
simply q genius when 1t comes to plan
ming a gown that is unlike that of any
body else. But then pas rich and ma
don't care.
Josie Loughborough and Ethel Patton
divided the honors among the younger
girls. Ethers black gown was extremely
becoming. However, all the girls looked
so pretty that modern Paris with a sin
gle apple would have made apple sauce of
it, to make it go round.
Two or three people whispered secrets
into my ear at the ball because they know
l never tell. Harry Holbrook told me the
he finished telling me il sounded more like
a funeral dirge. Harry Stetson is going
away forever and ever so long, to travel
around the world and all sorts of other
horrid things. It's dreadful to think of