Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-06
BEGIN CENTURY WITH CAIETY
Omaha People Gather Together for the One
Purpose Of Pleasure.
MANY ENTERTAINMENTS or LAST WEEK
= New Years Day Sees n start Made on
Functions of All sorts That Kept
the society Devotee
Busy.

II the initial day Of the year is TO be ac-
cepted as a criterion, those who have found
the social life OF the city lacking In inter-
esting affairs this winter will have no fur
tber occasion for complaint, unless 1t be OF
an excess of gaiety, for 1t has been many
years since New Years day has been so
generally celebrated in Omaha as it was this
year. Aside from the exceptional list OF
fashionable functions in the homes of the
city, the annual receptions OF the Woman $
club, the Young Mems and Young Women's
Christian associations and several other or
ganizations afforded opportunity Tor the ex-
change OF greetings among hundreds who
had entertained less pretentiously while
the Dostonians at Boyd's attracted numerous
box and theater parties Dozens OF homes
kept open house and their hosts or host
esses dispensed good cheer and hospital
ity according to the custom so popular
more than generation ago, while the bach
elor who for weeks past has been super
fluffy at all afternoon affairs enjoyed to the
utmost the fact that he was an absolute es-
sential to the success OF the occasion.
The New Years ball given by the Metro
politan club on Monday evening was one Of
the most successful affairs that has been
given by that organization this season.
Though no attempt at unusual decoration
was made, ferns holly and Christmas greens
added greatly to the cheer of the ballroom,
while holly and smiax were used in the
banquet room There were about forty
couple present. One of the features of the
evening was the formal introduction Of Miss
Jessie Goetz by her parents Mr.. and Mrs.
Simon Goetz.
The first OF the large affairs given New
Years afternoon was the buffet luncheon
given by Mrs. Harry wilkins at 1: 80 o'clock,
which was largely attended by men and
women. Mrs Hull and Mrs. Mccormick
poured tea and coffee in the dining room,
where the luncheon was served to the
guests seated A basket Of red carnations
was used as the centerpiece on the table,
which was further dressed with bows or
ribbon and holly embroidered doilies. Bull
lion was served by Mrs. Dietz, while Miss
Webster presided at the punch bowl The
other assisting women were: Mesdames
Joseph Barker, jr., Guiou, Burgess, Yates,
Towle, Morse, Lomax, Lindsay, Allen, Pres
ton, Taylor, Smith and Elizabeth Allen.
Between and 10 o'clock New Years
night Judge Woolworth, assisted by Mrs
Howard. received about 300 guests at Court
landt in honor of Mr.. and Mrs. Edward
Minor Fairfield. The large rooms had
been partially cleared of their furniture
and dressed with a quantity Of southern
smilax which banked the mantles or trailed
above the door and windows opening upon
the varanda, which had been inclosed and
the sides festooned with Christmas
wreaths caught empire style with hand
some bows of scarlet Here the Turkish
rugs and furniture of the house had been
arranged in cozy corners or grouped about
the brightly-g glowing gas radiators which
made the veranda comfortable in spite OF
the cold night. In the dining room the
chandelier was wound to the ceiling with
southern smilax, which was otherwise
effectively arranged about the room. A
graceful shower bunch OF carnations oc-
cupied the center of the table, from which
a buffet supper was served during the even
ing.
On New Years day Miss Lydia Moore, as
sisted by a bevy Of young women, the
debutantes and young matrons OF the last
two seasons, kept open house between
and o'clock.
Miss Moore. Miss Fredricka VESSELS OF
Hannibal, Mo-, and Miss Burke of Salt
Lake Nlty TeCelNeu tOselHtI III the uia"
ing room, which was festooned with Christ
mas green, red holly berries and mistletoe
lighted by numerous ed-shaded candles.
Messrs. Jack Cudahy, Joseph Barker, jr.,
and Floyd Smith presided in the punch
room. Here the same red shade prevailed
smiax and two tall red candles deco
rated the punch table, while Christmas
green's trailed from the bookcase or were
caught up with clusters Of holly and mistle-
toe. The dining room was all in red, the
table being dressed in centerpiece of red
carnations, smart red bows and tall red
shaded candles.
Miss Moore was further assisted by
Misses Allen. Morse, Towle, Brown, Mer-
GER Swensburg, Fitzpatrick. Peck. Anne Lee
Orcutt. Lomax, Curtis, Nolan and Latey OF
St. Louis in dispensing good cheer through
out the afternoon.
In honor of Colonel and Mrs. ]. f. Sum
mers, Mrs. j. f. Summers, jr,, received from
until o'clock on New Years day. Cut
flowers, rather than the customary Yule'
tide decoration, prevailed the reception
room being handsomely decorated with pinl
roses. Mrs. Louis Reed and Miss Summers
served the punch. The ceiling and walls
Clifford Smith and Miss Lee presided in thu
SERIOUS CHANCES.