The San Francisco call., 1904-08-14

"Occultism? Pshaw, You wouldn't
accuse me Of absorption in occultism.
simply because I visit a pallnist just
lor lark, or trot over to an Egyptian
seeress?' What an absurdityi It's all
superstition, and superstition is naught
but a synonym for ignorance. I'm not
nsttered by your allusion. I assure
you"
So spake fair one, with a wither-
ing glance-called forth, Of course, be-
cause the truth was told. All! the
truth, That is the thing that stings
To such an extent has the desire
grown 70 peer into the misty future
that women of wealth and social posi-
tiOn are maintaining an army of syco-
plants, scoundrels and parasites in our
midst. who fatten upon credulity. The
palmists and seeresses are not the
v-crst Of the tribe to whom the women
Of the smart set appeal for light. It
Is the yellow-robed, bewhiskered wan
derers from the Far East, with ideas
wholly at variance with the moral
conceptions Of Christion nations, that
are lowering standards.
They preach purity of life, ascribe
purity TO these motives. their teach
ings, and their lives. but their inhu-
ence is not for purity Of life but for
q rainbow-hued. refractory sort Of liv-
ing. shattering ideals CLEANED from
clean Christian teachings.
A prominent divine recently said to
me, What is coming over the society
women OF San Francisco? They are
whereof he spoke.
Apropos Of autos, the great meet OF
the year viii be held at Del Monte
between the 25th and the 2Sth. inclu-
sive, when some exciting stunts will
be on the boards. There's the L. P
Lowe challenge cup and the Del Monte
cup, both intrinsically beautiful, TO be
battled for. and, Oh. such plaudits, be-
sides.
This sort of meet is called in Paris
2 gymkhana-don't try TO vocalize 1t,
but in writing it's perfectly safe-if
YOU have the original handy for ref
erence.
There's one thing above all others for
which we must give our volatile friends
- Ia belle France full credit, and that
is. they are never commonplace. They
could have called their festival a
meet" just as we in our vulgar haste
for short word. lest we waste time
pronOuncing it, but they cal it gym
khana"-and therein lies its distinc-
ton.
But meet" or "gymkhanas" it's going
70 gather hosts Of wheely people at
Del Monte-that's assured.
In our litanies we shall soon have to
insert a prayer for the poor automo-
biiists. for It was bad enough when the
ruralites banded against them, but
now behold the latest stunt-the fiat
has gone forth that no auto, except q
steam or an electric machine, may go
aboard boat alive" In other words,
those owning gasoline vehicles will
have to put out their flames and trun-
die their machines aboard and ashore
by hand-unless somebody invents a
machine that can tread water, and
thereby pass up the boat altogether.
Won't some OF our Billy Bounce
friends cut fascinating figures pushing
their machines aboard?
This action was taken in imitation of
the performance OF the New York In
spectors Of HuIls and Boilers. who is
sued a like decree a month ago.
Well. the 'mobilist can at least have
hope. There viii some day be a tunnel
below the waters Of the bay, and then
the ugly boatmen viii be sorry.
Rumor hath it that the scepter in the
Fortnightlies Of Mrs. Monroe Salisbury
viii pass on TO her two daughters, Mrs
Alexander Keyes and Mrs. Danforth
Boardnlan- If such an ARRANGEMENT
were made it would probably insure a
perpetuation Of an attractive dancing
club-which really is a desirable end
II is, Of course, not known what policy
the young women would follow should
they assume control-whether they
would adhere to the same clientele and
for the same reasons as did their moth.
CT or enlarge the list of membership.
The officers Of the Sequoia Club led
by Miss Ednah Robinson and Charles
Sedgwick Aiken, are earnestly seeking
rooms downtown, where cIubrooms
may be established on such lines as
obtain in New York and in London
They are ambitious enough for the fu.
ture OF the club-which has by now
grown to be a very substantial looking
entity-tO have ladies' rooms, caro-
rooms. rest rooms and rooms wher,
light beverages may be obtained
"Highballs2" Q horrors, No-at least
not nowl
As for the mems rooms. well, that. o
course. is for them to decide. If the,
really must have little jug of brand!