The Anaconda standard., 1899-03-28
Hostess at sunday Tea.

Hostess at sunday Tea.
Mrs. Robert Osborn of New York has
been the victim of annoying attacks
from the members of the Sabbath alli-
ance because of the Sunday tea and mu-
steal she recently gave. at which most
of the smart set drank the tea and
many of the opera singers furnished the
music.
The question has therefore arisen,
Are Sunday teas wicked?"
The Sabbath alliance, of which Mrs.
William E. Dodge and Mrs. Darwin R.
James are leaders, believe that they
are, and it seems that when Mrs Os-
born gave her tea at the Waldorf-As-
toria the members gathered in their
rooms at 1856 Fifth avenue to pray for
the non-success of Mrs. Osborn's scheme
undertaken by her as means of self
support.
Of course, everyone has right to his
or her own opinion, but in view of the
long accepted custom Of Sunday con-
certs at the Metropolitan opera house.
Carnegie hall and other places. Mrs Os-
borns modest little attempt to add to
the list of Sunday entertainments did
not occur to her as being anything SO
very dreadful. Nine. Saville sang for
the guests from such nom frivolous COM
posers as Brahms. Schumann, Gounod
and Schubert; Miss Torrilhon played
Ladies Orchestral society was artisti-
caly musical. And then tea, the cup
that Is supposed to cheer and certainly
never inebriates, was served.
Mrs. Osborn thought she had quite
harmless and pleasing inspiration when
she devised these musical tea" and in
vited society to leave off tattling gossip
to each other or indulging in Sunday
flirtations and come and drink in tea
and music. But the Sabbath alliance
has determined to stop this innovation.
That is all right in way. Everyone
has unlimited freedom of conscience.
But a lot of anonymous correspondents
have been loading Mrs. Osborn's mail
with letters warning her to stop her en-
tertainments. and promising all sorts of
| terrible things in the hereafter If she
doesn't listen to advice in the present.
Some of these protests took the form of
portraits of Mrs. Osborn, clipped from
the newspapers, and plentifully deco
rated with biblical texts.
One of the letters inclosed a printed
slip bearing the call for the meeting of
the National Sabbath alliance. 1t re-
quested the members to assemble at
half-past 3 o'clock on a Sunday after
noon, which was the hour set for the
tea, for the purpose of joining in prayer
for it's failure. The notice bore the
names of Mrs. William E. Dodge and
Mrs. Darwin r. James.
AS the anonymous letters began to
reach Mrs Osborn before the tea was
actually held they made her feel rather
| nervous as to its success. She decided
| to go on, however, without paying any
| serious attention to them.
| Il don't think it Is Christian to write
| anonymous letters which do not give
one chance to reply or to make any
Defense" said Mrs. Osborn at her home,
Rutherford place. after all, + don't
see why it isn't better for men to listen
to good music on Sunday than it is for
| them to spend the day at their clubs in
much less elevating occupations.
| why did they single me out as an
! object for attack? I am a woman and
| am doing this for the purpose Of earn
| ing my living. Mr.. Grau has been CIV
| ing music at the Metropolitan opera
house for years on Sunday evenings
Why haven't they rebuked him? can't
see why it is not better to offer society
some rational amusement to which men
can take their wives or their sweet
hearts rather than to leave them to go
alone elsewhere. I am sorry, Of course,
that there are persons who do not ap-
prove of my teas, but do not agree
with them.''
If it is uncertain where Mrs. Osborn
is going, how about that veteran Sum
| udy entertainer, SITdus Anu IA WHAT
directions are the ladies and gentlemen
bound, via the Waldorf Astoria and the
tea cups?-Chicago Chronicle.
|
South and the Sicsta.
From the Chicago Chronicle.
Southern women still indulge in a
lengthy afternoon siesta, a custom they
greatly miss while visiting in the north.
The nap still flourishes, winter and
summer, in most of the regions south
of Mason and Dixon's line It's special
home is the southern country house
and village, but the custom prevails,
even in considerable cities.A southern
village between o'clock and in the
summer and o'clock and in the win
ter is sunk in a general swoon. Even
the clerks in the village stores find a
snug corner where, tilted back in an
easy chair, they may doze away the in
tervals between customers. AS to the
houses of the well-to-do. they are ST.
lent, with closed shutters and drawn
curtains, and somewhere above stairs
fatigues of the morning. Late after
noon finds faint signs of returning con
sciousness in the village streets and Of
! stir in the silent houses. If the season
) be summer the young women appeal
: upon their porches in fresh gowns, widt
awake after the luxury of the siests
. and the better part of an hour given tt
: the toilet. If the season be winter fh'
: ladies appear in street costume and sal
ly forth To walk and to nav calls, Ii