The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-25
BY plEpRIcH kNlckERsockER.

New York, October 24.-It is only a small set in this great city which has abandoned much to follow the gay wing ed butterfly of pleasure It is snort chase, but a hot one. It is spectacular hence attractive to those who look for sights. Brilliant, too. 1t appears so bril- liant that it dazzles and dazes the eyes of those that look to the quieter lives of other fashionable women. These, the gay and brilliant have drawn down upon that small set which arrogates to itself the distinction of being the best society the denunciation of the pulpit orator and the merciless satire of the chronicler' And, yet, great and good is the work or others who, amid the demand of social engagements and home duties, lind time to help the weak, minister to the sick give facilities of religion to the poor and generally cater to the material and spir- itual comforts of mankind. l could name many. Indeed, 1t may be said that there are in good society five women engaged in good works to one who is abandoned to pleasure 1 will merely mention one.
 
 I am told that Mrs. Thomas F. Ryan, who has brought up a large family, who has met the exacting demands of social obligations, who has in her care the man. agement of two country seats and her great house on Fifth avenue, daily de- votes two hours to the guidance of her charities. Mrs Ryan is a very devout Roman Catholic and during many years has built churches and chapeis, estao- lished schools and hospitals at cost of over two millions of dollars. Although she has deeded the realty In several places to the respective diocesan author ities, she has, nevertheless, preserved in her own able and skillful hands the management of several institutions. Be- ing a woman of great executive ability, she has, by careful system of reports, kept a personal supervision on all; and thereby gave to each the benefit of her kind and generous intents. By this, mean that she has kept flowing into each and every institution that she founded that spirit which caused her to touno II and has saved each from becoming coio and cheerless institution, which IS 1re- uuently the case of endowed institutions One of Mrs. Ryan's latest and most ln' teresting ideas is to secure for chapels and churches proper altar clothes aho draperies and robes and vestments TOT the priests and alcolytes. To accomplish this, she is bringing from Belgium cer' tain nuns-I have forgotten of what order who are famous for needle work anc these are established in Washington, D C., in a house provided by Mrs. Ryan.
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 Matrimony is so easy to get into anc so easy to get out of that it has actually become "a fad" It is certainly epidemic It has no age limit. More and more fashionable it is becoming for girls o1 very tender years and boys not yet ol age to not only announce their engage ment, but to enter into the holy bonds of matrimony, while widows and widow CTS are also busy receiving congratula tions on their approaching matrimona ventures. In fact, no one young or old rich or poor, can with safety or trutt be considered immune, and, unlike yellow fever or smallpox, there is just as mucf danger, if not more, of second attacl or even a third, as there is of first provided one is within the radius of the fever Who is to blame or to be praised for this epidemic is not definitely known It may be that the race suicide question