The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-29

q
more fruit? If we do so, be sure the
loss is ours. Life is not so fun of happi-
ness that we can afford to shut out any
OF the kindly joys that come our way,
ana no person ever makes a greater mis-
take than when, through some dsappoint
ment or wrong. they build about them a
spite fence thar shuts out the love and
good will of their fellow creatures.
What Is society, or what constitutes So
ciety? asks a writer in the New York
Journal
The great writer's Of almost all lands as
well as painters and poets, have given
their best to depict society. and men and
women have won renown because they
had comprehended the life of their times
as mirrored in society. The Impressions
they have left us are as eagerly read to-
day by students of sociology as by TO-
mance-loving youth. AS for the real men
and women who were social leaders in
those dear old days, we have a personal
feeling of interest in each and every one.
AS these beaux and bellies of society of
the court and the salon walk over the
stage of life in the white light which the
past sheds over them, how we watch
them!
The women of to-day are not as lovely
as were those dear. dead women.
Men now seem commonplace and duh
when compared with the dashing mobiles
and soldiers of the old regime.
Lives there a woman who in her heart
of hearts does not sympathize with them
and in her life of romance would not have
adored a lover like them?
Society in those days was easy 20 de-
fine; it was a simple thing. Created by
the King, the court, the Church and the
army. tempered in France by some intel
lect and much with word, society was
synonymous with social functions.
But society to-day--society in a repub-
Iic-is very difficult to translate into cor
rect terms. and the difficulty increases
with the thing itself, and therefore the
meaning of the word is undergoing a rapid
reconstruction, as it is, in our industrial
democracy. The King, the court and
the Church are no longer factors in our
society. The ermy plays minor role,
and, outside of Washington, the national.
state and civic officials do not count in
society Plutocracy is one factor, not only
insAmerica, but in Europe-and a power
full one. A certain oneness of aim in
social life Is another. and opportunity and
personal prediction are the two most
important.
We see from this short classification
how radically society has been disinte-
grated and reconstructed within a CEN
fury.
What we call society is composed of
women, girls and boys. The few men
present at social functions. unless 1t be a
dinner are usually the least interesting
of my acquaintance. The really powerful
men, the fine American type, are conspic-
uous by their absence.
Your society, as you wish me to call IL,
Is over-feminiue When a man braves
custom and goes TO one of our teas' he
is unconsciously treated as an outsider.
Even the footman at the door gives a
e4a NJ III Qf and
the hostess assumes sudden and over
gracious smile, as If he were a being from
another world to be placated.
It is dificuN. says a writer in the New
York Tribune, for the members OF the
old families of New York to accept the
new order of things and to realize that
unless they lay aside their-prejudices OF
caste and sense of their own importance,
and not only adapt themselves to, but
actually do homage to, the present pow
ers that be, they will lose their own posi-
ton.
1t gives them feeling of bewilderment
that such a condition of affairs should be
possible. and a puzzled dismay as II how
II came about. They are like the little
old woman in Mother Goose" whose
petticoats were cut off while she slept
and who could not believe In her own
identity.
This surely isn't IT, cries the distress
ed old lady and "This surely isn't II
exclaims the old-time aristocrat, shorn In
some mysterious incomprehensible way OF
prestige and deprived of superiority.
'Ny great grandfather was So-and-So,'
asserted a child at one of the fashion
able classes.
"Who cares who-your great-grandfather
VAST answered one of her associates
''That won't give you an invitation u
Maud Midas partyP'
ct do not understand it at all" said q
maiden lady of Knickerbocker blue blood
who introduced her niece to society moi
long ago. at always thought that my
position admitted of no question. / have
been accustomed all my life to being II
the best society, and now l hear that un
less Molly is seen at Mrs. rs, or thai
she gets an invitation to Mrs. KS ball
she Will be considered quite out of it.
WHY I do not know these people! never
considered that II was necessary. have
always lived in New York, in the same
house on Fifth avenue. How could
drop out of itv' And she could not real
i've that the wave of fashion had sweep
by her. leaving her stranded on the shores
of the past.
even children desert their ancestors
and belittle their positions" complained
another one of these sorely tried indi
| viduale. "Instead of asserting them
| cord to them the position which Is thei
| due. they are perfectly delighted If thes'
new people take notice of Them and 1
was only yesterday that my oldest daugh
| fer said 10 me: IT is all very well. mann
| ma. 10 talk of family, but nowadays \
! does not count at all. If you are II
! The swim there is certain advantage II
| having family, but if you are not it doe
not help you bit'
"As YOU know" said Wimbledon to hi:
wife. who. says Harpers Bazaar sat calm
| " engaged in the intricacies Of n halr
| completed sofa pillow. Il am not of &
! Jealous disposition. I noticed at the dane
! ing club last night that young Dribbtor
| maid YOU marked attention. I have beer
| thinking over the matter since then, au6
l am glad to say that I have no petty
feelings upon the subject l have seer
some men who would have been furious
over even such a small matter as this
hut am glad to say that the whole even
| ing / wasn't even ruffled. II IS a pleas
ure-I may say a source of great salts
faction-for me to know that am broad
minded enough TO ignore a thing like
this. Indeed. Il was really delight FOL
| tJaF mol