The age-herald., 1902-02-16
New York Society dsr, .as Its sss. sss ~ss ss
BY DIEDRIcH KNlcKERBocKER.

Catholics and one of them married De- Lancey Astor Kane, a Protestant. Years after he became Catholic Willie Van derbilt Jr, an Episcopalian. married Virgie Fair, a Catholic, and her sister, Tessie, Catholic, married Hermann Oelrichs a Protestant, and recently Frank Gould, Protestant married Miss Kelly, Catholic These are but a few of the instances. Some years ago, with the exceptions of the Iselins, the Catholic families in our best society did not mar ry except among their own sect. So any one can readily understand who knows New York society at all, that one of its most conspicuous phases is that of di- vorce. Indeed friend of mine says that he thinks every young couple about to enter matrimony has been well trained as to the method of getting in, but their education has been shockingly neglected as to the best way of getting out. that they. through their ignorance of the laws of the several states make a great deal of unnecessary scandal when the time comes. He proposes hereafter to pre- sent to each bride as a wedding gift the divorce laws of the State, bound in vel lum and labeled in gold letters: State of matrimony and the best way out.
 But coming back to the Rita Stokes, nay, to Mrs. Lydig When she married w. E. D. Stokes she was a mere child. well developed, as Cuban girls are, at the age of II. He adored his child wife and lavashed a fortune upon her. his position and his wealth brought her into social prominence. but this did not suf- fee. In some way or other the golden cord snapped, and she sued and obtained divorce. Men say that Willie truly loved his child wife and fondly cherished the hope that some day they would again be man and wife. Young Captain Lydig Is nearer her age. He belongs to one of the old New Y ~rll families on both sides of the house. His mother was a Miss Hecksher, and his father died short ly after the civil war. He is not rich as the world goes, but has a comfortable competency.
 Card parties reign supreme over any other entertainments for some time to come. Cards are out for bridge up to the last week in Lent, while seven-handed euchre parties are growing larger and more expensive every day. Another bridge tournament, two in fact-one of invitation given by Mrs. Pulitzer for a hundred women and the other one of those charming tournaments for the ben eft of day nursery, where people who are not bidden to, so to speak, private bridge can pay s5 or BIO and play with people they want to know but have never met. The craze for the game is really extraordinary, and unfortunately it is be- coming more and more popular to play for high stakes. At first the stories of the sums won and lost were rather ab- surd, but now people think nothing of losing a goodly sum even after an in- formal family dinner.
 
 Theater clubs, the Knickerbocker Bow ling Club, the Amusement Club, have suddenly sprung into prominence, created for Lenten purposes. The Amusement Club is said to combine all the old fam files below Fourteenth street and to have absolutely nothing new about 1t. Judging from the numbers who were present at the last meeting, which was given by MT. and Mrs. Robert Hall Mccormick, there Is a very large and eminently re- spectacle population who do not live on upper Fifth avenue. The club furnishes many amusing species of entertainment and gives no end of pleasure to it's members. Ex-Mayor Hewitt's daughters are expected to do something startling this season as of old.
 The dinners now being given are more elaborate than ever, always followed by some entertainment music or cards-if music. only the best if cards, then for money or for prizes that makes the game worth playing for, so it is said.
 MT. and Mrs. Ogden Mills, MT. James Henry Smith, MT. and Mrs. E. Rollins Morse and Mrs. Astor are among those who have started out with series of weekly dinners.
 After all, this Is really the correct way to entertain. to choose one night a week. make out the lists weeks in advance. with a substitute list in case of disappoint- ment in the original guests, and then take no further trouble. First on the list come those who must be entertained for social or political reasons; second those to whom invitations are due; third, the people who we should like to have, and fourth, dinner to the left oyers."
 It is surprising what a number of peo pie can be gotten rid of in this way, so say the hospitable society leaders, and, after all, life is made much easier, par ticularly social life. if viewed from such a practical standpoint. The debutante's dinners are pretty we'll at an end. in fact, the debutantes are now well launched