The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-08-02

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| "You see, we could blend each set with
its succeeding numbers and make con-
genial entertainment For instance, No
| and sets would work together, and so
on, 2 and 3, and 4, etc. But it would
not do at all to invite / and or and 10,
because the upper number would get to-
gether and criticise the lower, and finally
go home early, leaving the field to the
latter. We had a regular system of pro-
motion and graduation, SO that each enter
tainment given or attended by us was a
sort of civil service examination, of which
the participants we're unconscious When
we got home we fixed up our lists accord
ingly. Sometimes No. 4 set family
would behave so we'll and entertain SO dis
creetly and often that we could jump them
into the No. l set But it was seldom
that No. 10 set family could make the
jump to No. 1. In this way we made
entertaining fine art, and were regarded
as diplomats in our way But very
much feared that this cellar party would
make people think we were wrong to our
upper stories.
Then we began planning the details of
| preparation and lighting, arranging the
coal to look bright in the bins, and have
roses sticking up through it. The heating
apparatus was to be festooned with abestos
drapery, and the various pipes frescoed to
look like striped candy sticks. We would
clean the ash pit and put the band there.
Wines would be served direct from the
wine closet. Supper would be served un-
der the pavement, and dancing would be
omitted, the novelty of the thing would
take the place of that. The entrance
would be through the basement, and the
dressingrooms would have to be on that
floor too, thus cutting off any association
with the elegant, sumptuous rooms up
stairs, of which people were supposed to
be tired
The makeup of the invitations required
deep thought, as they would have to be
emblematic of the occasion | suggested
this -
"M. and Mrs. Montmorency Gaylord.
ssAt Home
In the Cellar No. of House Date"
But Mrs. Gaylord shifted at this, and said
it made the occasion too universal, so that
we finally decided on the conventional
form, requesting the pleasure, etc., at a
cellar party. Then the question of color
of paper came up. suggested black
cards, with letter-press in white. Mrs.
G again shifted, and said at would be
an imitation of Mrs. What s. her Name
coal mine party. Her invitations were on
black cards with brown envelopes. . |
remembered that party wildly. The re-
freshments were served at neighboring
hotel, and the last load up the shaft got
stuck for nigh an hour and half. The
hostess, myself and several others were in
the last load
"I'll tell you what: let's have robin s.
egg-blue cards and envelopes, the letter
press in brown ink, )" she said.
That settled it. The every day black
and white invitations to cellar party
was an inconsistency the force of which
never struck me before. In fact, | was
beginning to gather in the enormity of the
affair. and even look beyond it, SO I re-
marked, sMac, dear, don't you think
some one of the No. set will get even
with you and give 'sub-cellar party?' .
ssNo," she replied, 'swhat 1 dread most
is that someone will find out way to give
lawn tennis party on the roof want
to give one next May, as it will help show
our new elevator and serve as foil to the
cellar party"
| complimented her on her anti@stheti-
cal ideas
So we rose from the table, leaving the
butler, who had followed our conversation
carefully, with dazed expression on his
face, which years of training could not dis
guise. This was the first hit the sscellar
party had made. So far, SO good.
The preparations began the next day.
Mrs. Gaylord never allowed ideas of this
sort to season She always acted while
the impulse was on, to which fact fire.
quently credited the success of her novel
ties. Besides, the chances of being fore
stalled were lessened, even with a cellar
party.
I had always thought our cellar was
particularly clean one, and never realized
otherwise until an inquisitive neighbor
asked me if intended enlarging the house,
as the number of carloads of debris which
had been taken from my cellar were sug-
gestive of material alterations He being
a No. 5 set man of good standing on the
list, retort courteous was necessary, so |
told him was rearranging my wine-closet,
an answer well calculated to allay any
curiosity liable to be aroused by seeing ma
terials 90 in also. However, | reported
the conversation to Mrs. g., who i'm
mediately moved him down to No. Z set,
on the ground that his question was put
too directly for good breeding, and that it
contained insinuations as to our cellar too
unfavorable ;also thatsthe unfeigned interest
exhibited indicated that he was too much
of busybody to be thorough gentleman;
SO, after all these indictments, l thought
him fortunate in being put down only two
| sets.
We calcimined, electric lighted, deco
rated, and did everything to make the
cellar attractive and keep it still cellar.
To make parlor of the cellar meant fail
ure, and spoiled the opportunities of the
press to make unique description of it as
cellar party. Happy Home Topics was
the journal | most dreaded; it would criti-
else our cellar party for three successive
numbers sure Mrs G. handled the best
daily papers with tact The proprietors
and society editors of these were kept sep
arate from the social list of ten sets and
formed into a reserve corps, or, more
properly speaking, a volunteer corps, upon
which she would call as emergencies requir-
ed For dinners, theatre parties and the
| like she would select social stars for the
corps; but we both agreed that for cellar
party universal call was required, as we
were doubtful how cellar parties performed,
and we might need all the fair play we
could demand. I asked Mrs G. if she
didn't think we were lowering the status
of the press in encouraging them to write
up a cellar party, it peing a depressing
theme, somewhat beneath them, and |
suggested several mining journals as being
more appropriate. But, turning her head