Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-13
The Social Side Of Philadelphia.

In Philadelphia, the actual DONNA tor
OF wealth as me determining influence a.
10 social fitness Is not yet In evidence anC
the oule OF intimate acquaintance and
near relatives that makes up a set tina
Is 50 large that nve llmes four hundred Is
only poor estimate OF it, shows no out
ward sign OF wane. Invitation lists are
necessarily huge, and prevent many from
giving large functions, even ii means are
large since they know" too many; and
as result, some OF the large functions
that are given include the rich and poor,
young ana old, as ii by scrptural inJunc-
ton, because the Lord is the maker OF
them all, SO decidedly that some have
dubbed them resurrection AFFAIRS since
the very family graveyards seem to have
been robbed of their relics, and all be-
cause those hidden are socially OF one
flesh, and the conscientious cannot deem
any common or unclean.
Inevitably, however, as we are exactly
fools. most affairs in society follow the
line OF closer inumacies. the one of least
resistance, which means having your
nearest friends and suiting your own
pocketbook in the matter OF social outlay
But TINS may not OF necessity mean much
as Is shown in family after family, for,
with central section SO moderate in ali
its physical relations, even the cost and
number OF servants Is relatively low.
Ihey cannot run up into a dozen or more
by reason of the lack of accommodations
In the relatively small homes; and while
It Is true there are some princely estab-
lishments, expenditures in general in So
ciety is not along these lines, and the
modest menage is in good form and no
one is ashamed of it. / should not like
to confess how few of US possess Wallets
and, while the women have a knack of
making ladies maids" out of upstairs
girls, the out-and-out personal attend
ant is certainly not universally INDUCED
in.
And. then, as it follows that young R.
does not lose position by living on Ritten-
house Street-a twenty-foot alley-across
from his fathers stable. in the news, as
they would say in London-physica1 and
personal conditions have thus made this
social city city of one restaurant, one
shopping street. one promenade, no after
noon driveway save a rear street entrance
to the distant Paramount Park-which
disadvantage, at least, has kept the
carriage folk from getting ostentatious
and subdued their pride,,and with an
adjacent Tenderloin SO abject that the
gilded youth are hardly drawn to 1t by at
traction, even If not warned OF because
of prudence, since 1t lies at their fathers
back gates.
One restaurant did I say? Exactly
the Bellevue. which, for the present gen
Grafton, has been the only correct rem
devious. and which, seen by outsiders for
the first time. amazes them by its an
significance. But, even as small as 1t is.
we refine on its size in using it, and the
most correct thing to do is to crowd into
the tiny palm room where. literally
jammed together. we have all taken our
late supper and felt thoroughly at home
since the room was hardly larger than
Mr.. Ms dining room, the table in
which. tradition has 1t, had to be shifted
in order to let his guests get seated in
comfort in the boxlike alcove But, then
one could rub shoulders without fear,
since one knew that the Bellevue folk
protected" its guests. Too much so. as
one climber remarked recently when he
said she was going aboad to escape the
tyranny of Edward and his assistants"
who literally decided how much "a Phila-
lees Magazine for September
delphian should eat and drink. I'm Aims