The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-27

~ ARTS, Sept 2.=On these lovely
September days smart peo-
pie are making tours en- auto
II from one attractive cha
teau to another for week end visits
or possibly for a short stay for the
shooting. Indeed. since it has become
an accepted condition of social life to
own a motor car distance seems to have
been abridged and a matter of going
fifty miles or so for mere call is con-
sidered in the light of pleasure and not
a dull penance done for duty's sake.
This exchange of calls differs little
from the ordinary town funetion-just
the usual gossip of a racy order, a cup,
of tea and a gay goodby. Popular
hostesses fix upon a day of the week on
which to receive their friends, and,
delightful though madame may be as
chatelaine. she does not regard the fiat
tering response of her guests to her
bidding as a tribute to her charms half
as much as she does to the actual fact
of the craze for movement and speed
ing which. since the advent of the auto,
has become a part of mondaine life.
One of the charming hostesses near by
Paris is Nine. Edmond Adams. Every
Sunday the II o'clock train from the
gay capital brings party of ten or
twelve to the luncheon table of the
good lady of Gift" quaint omni-
bus painted yellow and red takes the
guests to the Abbey, where madame, in
a lovely light silk dress, with a big
picture hat on her charming white
hair, awaits their arrival on the ter
race. The dejeuner served in the. pref
ty al fresco dining hall is feast fit
for the gods. Nine. Adams is an &C
complshed mistress of the cuisine, at
tending to every detail. She looks over
the menu critically. She pays as much
attention to the dishes that are to be
served as she does to the exquisite
costumes. whose beauty is enhanced by
her grande dame manner. She is an
ardent patriot. web informed on for
eign affairs-better. in fact, than many
diplomats and even members of the
government. After luncheon is served
the company adjourns to the fine old
hall of the mansion, where the hostess
tells of the precious things she has
seen-memories with which her heart
and head are filed
In strong contrast to this feast OF
reason and flow of soul are most of the
swagger and up to date functions
where noise and smart vulgarity reigr
supreme. 1t is the social dictum thai
where there is no noise and no vul-
garity there is no life. and nothing
seems niOAS uiACOISGfl1di 10 the mOOST1
temperament than the. moRotony of re-
5nement. We are all morbidly afraic
of being dull. We hate dullness il
others far more than We hate vice. anC
we are so terrified of boring anybody
ourselves that most of us are prepared
to sacrifice dignity and refinement il
order to obtain a reputation for beins
amusing. Lots of hard up people get
quite a good time owing to their pow
~
with a thick skinned Indifference t.
snubs and pin prfcks, but a poor per.
son who. is also dull might as well gs
and bury herself in Pere la Chaise foi
all the social pleasure she is likely t.
find in life. No one will ask her t.
make one of a gay party to a Boi,
restaurant, to the races or to play. Sh,
VIII probably spend her autumn try.
ing to be happy while on visit t.