The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-17


been an unusual number of small af
fairs which have annually prefaced tn
volume of society gaieties holiday week
The Book Clubs. Euchre Club Care
Club and a number Of others took res
last week. the gatherings for the comm:
seven days will be held early in this week
as they are reserving their forces to MAKE
ready for the number of affairs that ARK
to be given during Christmas week.
The feature of the past weeks enter
tanning was the almost new adventure
in Raleigh of floral decorations on q
large scale Chrysanthemum and Am
erican beauty roses have been the pie
dominating decorations. During neAl
week one or TWO society buds will bios
som out at the debut receptions or par
ties TO be given; one will have ylolets a
souvenirs. Already society is discussing
the subject of New Year receptions ano
several young women are already inter
eSting themselves in the subject and hope
to revive the custom in Raleigh.
There is a very womanly woman, who,
when she speaks or writes, claims q
present the view of only one woman
She is a leader. There is another WI
man, who. when she speaks or writes,
says everybody knows, ''everybods
thinks or they say" She is $500 no.
a leader. The first mentioned is ons
Of the brightest women know, an6
while she may have forgotten me.
shall always remember her. She gave
me little bit Of advice once. It was
that when ] held in my hand jackel
made by a swell tailor; to be sure the
band in the collar was showing, II II
bore the name of the tailor.
This advice has been of unceasine
benefit to me- Only yesterday | had III
my hand the jacket of a girl friend, and
a paSser-by remarked, THAT girl has
her clothes made by , of Baltimore.
We continued our walk and during the
course of Il discussion regarding the
short comings of men in general, she re
marked, You know exactly how TO hole
coat. So few men dc" And again
silently thanked my adviser.
There is iii Raleigh a remarkably
popular young woman who rightly be-
longs to the smart set. She is noted for
her brightness. but she feels that she :
lacking in those qualities which amuSe
eertain of the male sex who are often
seen in other homes, but until recently
seldom called on this particular one, alfd
when they did she was at a loss how
TO entertain Them During the past
week several Of the lightweights called
and when they made their adieus each,
for the first time, expressed himself as
having had most delightful evening.
She telephoned friend, to whom the
secret of her embarrassment she had
formerly confided.
Eureka was her first word, aRb
she continued. Il am half afraid to tell
you this way. But if Central hears it
she viii keep mum and my experience
may prove benefit TO her also. They
called tonight and what do you suppose
/ did,"
4 can't imagine WHAT queried her
friend. wondering how They" could
have been entertained by her intellect
ual friend
Why said the smart one. Il got ont
the chatting dish. made enough Welsh
rarehit for ten and served it to the few.
When they had finished the dish-Eny
dear. it was dry-each said in the pleas
ATTEST manner. Miss , | certainly
have enjoyed osir talk this evening.
And then she described how she had
silently watched them partake of the
rarebit, and listened to their gossip.
The various Book Clubs have been do
ing good work this fall and hope for even
greater success in the winter and spring
However, these clubs are not without
trouble. One club is complaining OF
Iong-winded members: another regrets
that its members write such short and
unsatisfactory criticisms; third thinks
the books reviewed by its members
are not up to the standard Of those re-
viewed by another club, and the only
club of this character that has not
been disappointed by the work of the
fab is the one whose members are bound
10y no iron-clad regulations or bylaws
and who, whau they meet, move that
the criticisms be dispensed with, the
dainties seryed a jolly round Of gossip
INDUCED III, and then 80 home il the
dark
Speaking of Book Clubs, | am told
that there is not one in Raleigh such as
the Original Short Story Clubs" 50
popular i'm other cities. There IS no rea-
son for this, for the women of Raleigh
who compose the Book Clubs are Of 4
smart set, fully capable Of presenting
scme very good original matter in the
shape of Sforiettes. This is probably
one of the most interesting phases oil
Pook Club Society and it is to be hoped
that club will be organized which will
appoint certain members to write short
stories, of say five hundred words, for
the first meeting. Let the subjects he
agreed upon, and, maybe, the outline.
Then when the stories have been read
let the club by popular vote decide which
is best, and in this way deliver first, sec
ond and third prizes in the shape OF
books or other appropriate articles. OF
course there should he no stuffing ballor
boxes, and no authoress should be per-
mitted to read her own story.
The subject of original short stories
calls to mind one written recently by
very bright young woman of this
city. She granted me the precious priyi-
lege Of perusing the story and, / un-
derstand, has trusted it to the tendcr
gaze of other friends less charitably in
clined. The subject Of the story is ''And
After that the Dark" Her story is pos
eihle, but, in the instance related, i'm.
probable. However, her Characterization