The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-11-28
/ SEASON IN L0ND0N
MAI II cosTs 70 PLAY 4osTEssIN
SOCIETY CYCLES.

meaning OF the term extends from the
opening Of parliament in the middle Of
February to the Elton and Harrow
match in July. For these I'VE months
London is the fashionable center Of
the world, and houses in the west
end are almost unobtainabIe. The
cost of a season In town to those who
aspire to take their place In society
rms to huge sum, and even the
country NJ. p whose wife desires
small house on Pont street or Sloane
square finds that E1,OO0 goes a com
para lively little way. even though he
limits his entertaining to few small
dinner parties for his Intimate friends
and perhaps one reception.
II may he said at once that there is
no limit 10 what may be spent by IN
ambitious hostess for one evenings
entertainments and it is by no means an
uncommon thing for ball or i large
dinner part to run well into four fig
ures \ few years ago the Duchess
Of Devonshire gave fancy dress ball
Mt her paatial town house in Picca'
ally at which practically the whole Of
london society was present, headed
Inv the king and queen. This was one
Of the most magnificent events of its
Kind ever organized, and it was esti-
n,o+ed at the time by those who were
yraU qualified to judge that it must
have cost nearer 100000 than $4,000.
Iris however. was quite exceptional
,Dd indeed. is outside the powers Of
all but a very few to initiate. Without
aspiring to these heights u lady desir-
ing to live in the west end Of London
and to maintain reasonably smart
reputation needs a very long pocket
book.
House rent Of course. is one of the
bIrpest items While many either own
their town houses or lease them Tor
form of years. most of those who do
NOT propose TO live permanently in Lon
don hire house unfurnished for the
season. This may cost anywhere from
f4OO TO $1,000 for a period of six
months. According to one of the lead
ing house and estate agents in the west
end. $500 is about the average paid for
a good house for season.
This does not. of course include rates
and taxes Rates. however. in the
fashionable resi- Dental quarters OF Lon
don are very light, owing to the fact
that there are practically no poor to be
provided for in these parishes.
The next expense to be considered
is in connection with carriages and
motors. Very few of those who only
spend the season in town bring their
own carriages with them, preferring to
hire from job masters. smart vic
toria and pair of horses, with
coachman and footman, cost about
cuineas a week. though much more has
to be paid for special horses, silver
plated harness. etc. A brougham Is al
most a necessity for evening work, and
this costs at least another 2 guineas
a week. or one of the fashionable cleo
tric Iandaulets can be hired for
Guineas a week. Thus for a three
months visit at least E1OO must be as
signed for carriages.
It is the entertaining that n society
lady is compelled to do. however, that
runs away with the money. 1t Is neces-
sary for her to give at least two even
Ing receptions during her stay In town.
and for each of these ESQ is not too
much to set aside. A string band will
cost anything up to ESQ or $40, accord
ing to the number and quality of mu-
sicians. while II one of the Guards
bands be aspIred to the sum just nam
ed will need to be doubled. Then there
are singers and other entertainers to
engage. and these may cost anything
from FL to E1OO each.
Supper or light refreshment, togeth-
er with the necessary wine, walters,
helpers, etc, does not leave much
change out of ElOO, even with the ut
most economy, and, of course, the sum
that could be spent en- this item has no
limit. At stand up supper given by
a we'll known American resident in
London last season SO per head for
each OF the 300 guests present was
paid to a lending contractor. and the
writer is informed that this is nothing
out of the way and, indeed, is often
exceeded in the course Of London
season.
Flowers are very important feature
with every hostess and weekly florist
bills of EGO are by no means uncom-
mon. At reception n short time ago
it was estimated that the cut flowers
and plants used for the decoration OF
the rooms must have cost at the very
least $1,000 These. however, iucluGea
banks Of rare orchids and other costly
flowers Ten pounds week may be
assigned for flowers and E1O0 for ten
weeks season.
Dinner parties are also very expen-
slve. and here again 1t IS almost iInpos-
slble to assign any definite sum, but
goo over and above the ordinary ex-
penseS OF the nOuSSuOlu uuy surrey DS
put down under this head.
We now approach very delicate
question, but one OF paramount inter
est to the fair sex-that of gowns for
the aspiring society hostess, A lead
Ing Judge the other day stated in court
that Il 900 might not be too much to
give by lady OF position, and In such
case might even be n necessity, so
that It Is very hard, to say what |