The San Francisco call., 1904-07-03

The climber, Who is she of whom we
hear so much these azure days upon
the hotel veranda2
From the tone and air Of the execu-
tive board Of tabbies. in diurnal session
assembled. one might conclude her a
member OF the social highwaymen. -
The trial concluded. and the fair victim
found guilty-as she usually is-an in
vestigation Of the accused and the
accuser affords amusement to him who
is blessed with sense Of humor.
Having a certain knowledge of the an
tccedents Of many of our smart set
~ hica / hasten to acknowledge was
mostly espectable-there are among
them many former schoolteachers,
clearinghouse keepers. gownmakers
and workers for the Government. and a
feN-just d few-who earned their liv-
50g ia even less polite capacities than
these. Owing to the unadjusted con-
ditions OF Western society in the old
days. these women. eminently respect
..ble and desirable as helpmeets, were
Wooed and won by men Of fortune
hence their present leadership. Now,
10 creature Of intelligence is prepared
to saN-nor to believe-that because
these women were working women,
honestly and braVely maintaining
themselves before marriage, that they
are thereby united TO form the bull
nark CT the smart set of to-day-other
things being equal. But what of their
views Of a woman who aspires now TO
the association Of their sets, even
though she bear the evidences Of cul-
LIre and breeding in her manner and
J lnners? Here is the class Of women
they who themselves bent to the rule
q the taslkmaster-that have the word
climber" oftenest upon their tongues.
And this is no idle comment! It has
proven itself time out Of mind. 1t is
The former climbers" madame, who
raise such a cry about the new
climbers and by the way, who is
there in the length and breadth of the
land who has not climbed-or tried to
from the old environment, the old set
Qf friends, the old association, not, Of
course, breaking with them, but sup
plementing them with new surround
ings. new friends. new experiences?
That is z legitimate ambition and a
blessed feature Of a democracy such as
VIC believe our nation t. be. and wholly
consistent with the traditions upon
which it was founded. To be sure.
there are limitations-the candidate
must possess education, culture, tact
and sufficient wealth to maintain a
social position. And with these attri-
butes. with a clean character behind
them. the climber of to-day is as
eligible TO the inner circles as are the
climbers" of yesterday. AS to the
worthiness Of the ambition, that is an
other question. for the achievement
must be great to compensate for the
efforts-and the lorgnettes.
OF course. TO say that our smart set
IS composed entirely of climbers" of
Yesterday would not be a true state
ment of facts. as there are among
them those whose forbears have at
tained to honors in the affairs of the
nation, and whose claims to aristocracy
could there be such a class in a re-
public-could be readily established.
But il is not this class of women,
mark you. that carries the opprobrious
term of climber applying it to those
who fain woud see themselves enrolled
among the mighty. If the newcomer
possesses the attributes of a gentle
woman, that is enough-provided she is
agreeable and contributory to the
pleasures Of their set.
And il is to this class, whose for
bears did the climbing for them a few
centuries ago, that recruits for social
favors must look for encoura cement.
But beware of the dame who herself
has climbed-lest you are impervious
20 frappel
Goldfish? Why. of course. but none
the less the truth.
The week recorded some attractive
weddings. There were the Frank.
Hecht nuptials on Wednesday, the
EhTman- -Hell,1an affair on Thursday
both Of which were well appointed
home weddings. and that of Captain
Edgar II. Fry. the popular officer oi
The Thirteenth Infantry, and Miss Mary
Maus, whose nuptials were celebrated
a. Fort Riley. Kan:
The wedding at the Hecht home was
characterized by quiet elegance. The
bride. who by the way shares with her
sisters the Hecht type Of beauty and