The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-29

The Matthias, James, and Merediths,
whose souls yearn within them: the
devOurers Of Ouida and Mrs. South
worth; the Claudes and Percys of the
dry goods stores who lead the fashion
in their sets-all these feel they must
be au courant on Newport. The cut
of Mrs. VandeTbilt's gown, the latest
fad of Harry Lehr, are worthy of emu
lation in their smart set. The astute
editor of the daily paper sends forth
his young man and says unto him:
Young man behold, that which
We have awaited has come to pass. HE
swiftly to Newport and exploit its So
ciety. Let your nose be the ferret's
and your eye the eagles; and your re-
enumeration shall Be large" And the
very smartest action of the smart set
Is seen in the glare Of searehlight-
especially if the action be in the least
questionable.
How does Newport take all this pub
licity, this censorious criticism? New
port is sufficient for itself. The wo-
men change their gowns three, four or
five times a day, the men smoke their
allotted number of cigars and dress
for dinner, and the world may wag
along. This absolute Indifference is
due to a cause of which the outside
world is in ignorance. 1t is the great
number of foreigners who pervade
Newport in the season. They bring to
us their old world training and ideas;
their indifference for the bourgeoise,
their positive conviction that they are
of a different clay, and that their mis-
sion and the mission of all who are
chosen is that of the lilies. We are an
assimilatiYe race. These men of title
have taught us several things: First,
that we must not mix our business
with our pleasure; second, that the
pursuit of pleasure is as strenuous as
the hunt for wealth. And they are
teaching us to show disregard for
women in our speech and actions. and
to treat her as a good fellow, which
means number of things and is spe-
cious cloak for license. 1t is to the in
fluence Of the foreign element that
Viewpoints snubbing of the officers of
the American navy is to be attributed.
Naval officers are gentlemen and good
entertainers and they are received
with welcoming arms everywhere else.
But in Newport they encounter abso-
lutte Indifference. No naval officer COW
cts billet at the torpedo station. The
place is notorious in the navy.
But if a man of title go there with a
pocketbook plethoric or empty, an I'M
savory past. or a head whose charac-
teristic Is it's paucity Of brains, he is
popular in the largest sense of the
word. A title Is the open sesame. Its
possessor learns it's worth early, and
hastens to abuse it. He may do so,
usually, with impunity. 1t was not so
long ago that duke Of France, while
resting on the beach after bathing, de-
liberately wiped his feet on the back of
an American woman Of the very high
est social standing who was sitting in
front of him. She laughed. But a
young Philadelphia standing nearby
resented the action very forcibly. He
was of an athletic build. II have a
mind to smash you," he said.
The Frenchman, who, by the way,
was pronouncedly an effeminate prod
uct, Jumped to his feet and In a. fine
frenzy squeaked out: II challenge you
to re duel, Canaille! What! 1 not
know re proprieties-I, who am re due
de-?" His challenge was laughed
at; but he still holds his place in the
affections Of Newport.
Largely because of the license grant
ed the titled element there has formed
in Newport set which while the word
fast" might fit it would not be out of
place under some classification like
THE Indecorous Set It is this set
particularly to which journalists pay
their highest respects. They do many
things which they should not and leave
undone not a few of the things which
they should have done. No amount of
publicity seems to affect them. That
indifference, that impenetrability, is
the whole tone of the Newport set.
At other places lavish entertaining
is the exception: 1t is deemed sometimes
in bad taste. In Newport it Is the rule.
Dinners at Berger's at $50 per cove are
not considered elaborate. There is not
much after talk over tarden party for
which $4,000 has been spent. while
workmen have ben brought from New
York to transform the grounds into a
fit setting for an Arabian Night, with
all the latest wonders Of electricity for
Aladdins lamp, and beautiful women
the hours. And, amid it all, ennui
fastens its grip 80 them.
A New York yachting party with ten
or twelve guests will start for a four
days cruise. Before the return $4,000
will have been spent in addition to the
boats fixed charges. Some woman of
the party may have donned overalls
and passed few shovels of coal; and
good swimmer may have carefully
fallen overheard while the boat was
going at full speed in order that he
might laugh at his rescuers. On the
return the affair is voted bore. Mrs.
De Puyster talks the trip over with her
husband at breakfast the next morning
and informs him that young Standish,
who fell overheard, and Mrs. Giddngs,
who shoveled coal, must be positively
numbered among their guests at the
next function. De Puyster acquiesces,
for no person is impossible at Newport
who can do something outre.
There is another fact which will not
be readily believed: A man and his
wife spend much more time in each
others company at Newport than else
where Take for instance a daily