The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-12

IOSSS.
Even the Flowers Cost More.
The old belief that flowers are
plentiful in summer and that a gar
ueh Iete decorates itself or is decor
ated by Dame Nature is far from
the real facts. Floral decorations for
summer fetes rise far ahead of the
same feature in winter entertainments.
because summer houses and grounds
literally eat UP flowers. What would
make a magnificent showing in town
mouse is lost on the porches, in the
temporary theaters and ball rooms,
the marquise and numerous tents
; WHlch mark the summer entertain
ment. The summer fete with the
very rich is no longer served au
natural, but with all the aids that
modern art can give it.
ne out-of-town hostess paws
heavily for her catering. She is not
served by Newport help, but draws
all this from New York. The railway
Iares for assistants at such a function
as was given by the Pembroke
Joneses or the Cornelius Vanderbilts
would easily amount to a thousand
dollars. AS rule, the caterer, the the
artrical manager and the florist all
work under a contract, and you may
be sure that the contract covers all
extra expenses with a comfortable
margin--for the contracting party.
In addition to this. it is customary
for the hostess to serve a banquet OF
no mean order to the actors who en-
tertain her guests, and Mrs. Wander
bilt distributed souvenirs of sterling
silver and gold.
From this it will be seen that a big
showing cannot be made at Newport
under five figures, while in New York
brilliant dinner with a musicale in
which Metropolitan Opera stars APP
pear, can be given for $1,000.
Costly Weekend Parties.
THE weekend parties which have
taken such a tremendous hold not
only on the smart set but among all
people who make any pretence to be-
ing in society, are not the inexpensive
methods of entertaining popularity
supposed. They are usually the ex-
cuse for three days of dinners and
dances which are marked by all the
eXtraVagances of a city affair Cater
ers, musicians and Tourists cannot sup
ply the demand for Friday, Saturday
and Sunday nights, and any vaudeville
performer of standing whose Offering
fits well into parlor or porch enter
tanning is kept busy during the sum
mer season with these out-of- town
dates.
Speaking of weekend parties, it
must be confessed that Sunday is be-
coming more and more popular as a
day Of entertainment. The smartest
breakfasts, the most convivial dinners
and some of the most successful musi-
Gales are given at out-of-town houses
on Sunday
Another class of hosts who spend
large sums of money in summer en-
pertaining are the yachting class.
There are men, notably confirmed
bachelors, who entertain little in Win
ter, but spread themselves aboard
their yachts in summer.
The modern yacht is exquisitely
appointed and its salon and dining
room ave always adorned with fresh
cut RS. The catering or cuisine
on boz. a yacht differs according to
the taste and habits of its owner.
Some have French chefs aboard
others use japanese cooks, and one
well-known bachelor is famous for a
service that recalls the grillroom. His
steaks and chops are the envy of
every guest.
1.-The wine supply on a yacht is a
heavy item. A yacht owned jointly
by four men steams out of New York
every Friday during the summer sea-
son, carrying from eight to ten guests.
One of it's owners has admitted that
their weekly catering bill averages
$780, and they consider it light.
Yes, we frequently have orders to
supply talent for these weekend
yachting trips. Mere sailing does not
satisfy this somewhat satiated genera
ton. Musical members are in de-
mand, especially trios or quarterts of
stringed instruments with a singer
among them.
An Odd and Costly Fad.
Every woman in smart society
seems to think 1t her privilege to
adopt some fad, and one of the oldest
is Mrs. Clarence Mackay's. This wo-
man of millions has a mania for white
in her house and in her frocks. She
luxuriates in snowy linen, anything
that looks fresh and f1eecy, and it is
said that when her summer place is
open to guests, her laundry bills run
as high as $500 a week.
This may seem incredible, but to
one who has seen how extFavagantly
the multi-millionaires of this country
live, the sum named is quite within
reason.
1.-THE host does not spend money
alone. Guests pay tribute to the sum-
rner god of pleasure. The tipping
habit in hotels is as nothing when
compared 70 that adopted in private
families since this country has fol-
lowed England in the matter of a
staff of servants. Guests at country
houses tip everybody, from the house
keeper, who looks indirectly after
their comfort to the buttons who
carries their umbrellas to the waiting
automobile when time for departure
comes.
I'm England and on the continent
the entertainments of house parties is
more or less conventional. People |
do the same thing year after year, and !
resent novelty in the method OF en-
tertainment. In fact, except in what
is known as the fast set of good old |
England. entertainment is perfunctory, |
placid and-it might be said-thrifty
But in America once a woman de-
cides to become famous as a hostess
she throws discretion to the winds |
and sows money as the proverbial |
youth sows his wild oats-with prodi-
gal hand"
President Loubet will resume MS
study of astronomy as soon as he lays