The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-10-07
MOST EXCLUSIVE CITY IN AMERICA


most exclusive city in America. 1t
gives nothing out to the stranger be-
yond its physical beauty and temper
| ed climate. One keen observer said
of it 1T has only one equal-a Ger
man principality, where almost every
one IS noble and all intermarried.
Other places and social codes exist,
of coures-New York, Chicago, Den
ver-but not for Charleston, S. c."
A small child of that city was ask
ed where Charleston was placed.
Proudly she said +: "It is between the
Copper and the Ashley Rivers, which
Join and form the ocean" :"
When the Bostonian speaks grand
" of the Mayeower, the Huguenot
of Charleston smiles. He is remem-
bering that Jean Ribaut landed HUI
guenot emigrant in Port Royal fifty
eight years before the Puritans land
ed in Massachusett's Bay.
Charleston was settled by aristo-
Gratis from France, and later from
Eugland-men who came from the
court and wore garments and spoke
the language of the worlds highest
circle. Like New Orleans, it sprang
in life as a cultured community.
When the Philadelphia speaks Sc
renely OF the Liberty Bell, the Charles
tonian smiles and remembers that in
176s South Carolina took the first step
for a Continental Union, and that in
Charleston was formulated the first
indepenent constitution in any of the
Colonies !; also that she furnished
three signers of the Declaration OF
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Middleton,
Thomas Hayward and Thoms Lynch,
Jr.
The Charleston negro who belongs
to "that quality" shares and echoes
his masters pride of birth and social
tradition. A certain Northern wo-
man who was kindly received in
Charleston gave a large ball. She
asked a colored man to carry the
| invitations for her. In looking over
the list he made several suggestions
concerning people who should be
crossed out and those who should be
put on.
The Northern woman asked if he
was quite sure he knew where all
these people lived. His answer was
delightful.
MADAM" he said, "if there is
any person in Charleston who lives
where / don't know, that person
shouldn't be invited to your balls.'
The first evidence of social quaint
ness in the town is the way the first
families live. Here comes the
strain of French blood. The vener-
able houses are placed among dense
foliage, the side, never the front, OF
the house facing the street. In this
side are the parlor and upper bedroom
windows, which are never open to the
public streets, but covered with wood
en- shutters.
Instead of front doorbeli to ring
there is small gate with bell. This
you tinkle, and servant lets you in.
There is long piazza running the
full side length of the house, which
is often used as sitting-room. The
piazza is usually protected by jalousie
blinds. If the formal caller finds 1t
deserted he is shown into the recep-
tion-ro wirh closed shutters, but
in the warm days all informal en-
tertaining is done on the piazza.
Charleston's manners, society and
behavior in drawingroom, ballroom
and street are those of an older and
more elegant world. Why should
she change? The girls in all other
parts of the South may go unchaper-
oned to balls, but she does not allow
her girls to do it. Neither does
the exclusive Philadelphian or the
Knickerbocker of New York.
Other clubs use their windows as
lounging places for the curious, where
idle men may sit and stare at the pa
rade of women who pass OH the street.
Charleston considers this vulgar.
Promoters can talk all they wish,
but charm they never SO wisely they
can't persuade the Charlestonian tc
/ welcome with delight horde OF un-
identified tourists. Cottages are rent
ed here and there for writers anc
artists and quiet people, but Charles
ton shakes her head when approach.
ed on the subject of huge hotels which
will accommodate the man with mil
lions from the swarming centres o.
American. .-Amne RittenhOnSe ~
AinSlee'S for September.