The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1903-09-25
Being in Society.

she cannot enter that corporation
known as the smart set that she cuts
up rusty and got her family name
into the papers like the disappointed
heir in 1.-The Black Sheep" This
might be preliminary TO getting
job on the stage, in some quarters
or classes, but to her it is very seri-
Gus. What is there about the little
company of Four Hundred people,
more or less, that stirs the jealousy
of so many women? One can un-
derstand why people like money,
but it doesn't needfully make the
people interesting who own it. On
the contrary, when people are cele-
brated only for having money it is
found that they do not know how to
be celebrated for anything else.
One can understand why the fine
houses of the Four Hundred should
be admired, but you will see decora-
tions and bric-a-brac every bit as
fine in the hotels and shops, you
will see better pictures in the Met
ropolitian Museum, you will hear
better music at the opera and the
symphony concert, you can inspect
clothes quite as interesting in the
stores, and jewelrY as expensive at
the jewelers., the dinners served over
the rich mans tables are less varied
and no better than you can buy for
yourself in the restaurants; the
parks, bou1evards, libraries and gall
1eries are as free for you as for the
Astors. What is it, then, that en-
ve1ops the leisure class in this CLAM
or of mystery and charm and so
piques the envy and interest of
womankind? Nothing but this; The
Four Hundred want to be exclusive.
The right of an individual and of
any club or coterie of individuals to
be exclusive ought to be respected.
1t is a free country and II man
wants to sit on hill top and be
club or an aristocracy, let him
alone. He isn't harming anybody.
If you push yourself into the society
of the avenue, when you live on the
Bowery, the avenue may act so I'M
pleasantly that you will be sorry
you crowded in. If you pay no at
tention to the avenue you will dis
cover your reward in many things
that are better worth while. You
can see the same plays, read the
same books, eat the same foods as
are seen, read and eaten by the
idols, and have just as good a time.
For, between ourselves, nobody
has a good time in this world unless
he does something. People who do
nothing are dull company for folks
who do, and for themselves.
No it is not the advantages of the
show class that excite the supposed
admiration of outsiders and rouse
stormy purpose to belong to it: it is
the fact that membership is prohib-
tied except to the wives and daugh-
tiers of the rich. We will not in
c1ude the sons, because they either
do something in sheer desperation
or 90 to the devil and forfeit the
right to be included. Forbid us,
and we refuse to be forbidden. Erect
fence, and we mist on climbing
over it to see what is on the other
side. Leave our names out of the
blue book or the red book or what
ever it is and we hate ever body
whose name is in it.
1t does not matter that in the list
recently printed in the daily papers,
not one of the elected is distinguish
ed in any way. The fact that it
has been elected is enough to EN-
bitter the waking hours of those
who were not. 1t makes no differ
erance that nobody elected it, except
itself. 1t makes no difference that
idiots can inherit money, and knaves
can make it; that distinguished
names can be born by grandsons
who couldn't earn their living in
tending bar. 1t make on difference
that the society of many aristocrats
would be stupid for people who have
a purpose and place in the world;
that society's goose race and Sun
day night barn dances appear trivial.
1t makes no difference that the i'm
teresting people are those whom
you find in the professions and
trades, the artists scientists, actors,
musicians, thinkers, speakers,
preachers, soldiers, politicians;
these people are not elected, hence
life must be a disappointment to
them. Yet, have you noticed that
these commoners are never lonesome
and usually cheerful They have
discovered the cure for not being
elected. 1t is this; they choose the
society of their kind. 1t is the best