New-York tribune., 1907-09-22
Typical Day of the Smart Woman
very with Social Duties During the
Town

a rest of ten minutes. fiat on the back before
the inevitable dinner
If It is opera night the guests are taken 10
the hostess box in time probably 10 see the
ending of the second act, and before the last
scene of the last act is half over an exit Is
made for a supper at DenonicoS or Sherry s.
unless some large ball is on the tapis. which
in the season is most frequent If a supper IS
the grand finale of the days gaddlng, II IS a
feast of a more or less informal nature. at which
all remain until the hostess sees fit to depart
Two o'clock is often struck and forgotten be-
fore home is reached, and thus the day laps
well over into the morning Of the next the
hours of sleep being on an average not more
than five and one-half even for a moderately
busy woman.
OF course If a married woman's day is to be
considered, there has TO he crowded into 1t the
minuti8e of housekeeping, unless she has a
housekeeper and a visit to the children, as no
governess is competent TO take entire charge Of
even tractable youngsters, no matter what her
credentials
The giving of luncheons dinners, bridge par
ties and other functions has 20 be planned for
early in the season. Most OF the invitations are
sent out six weeks before the events, but orluge
requires even a longer period in advance.
On the occasion Of a dinner much must be or
dered several days beforehand especially II II
is to be unusual in any way, which is ever the
aim of the leaders of the fashionable set.
Rarely is the entire provided by the home
cook, for outside aid is generally relied on for
two more of the courses especially the sur
prise which is likely TO be some rare ut-blt
which has come to the hostess's knowledge and
which she has treasured in her memory to
spring upon her friends as the piece de resist
ance-
Mrs. Stuvvesant Fish is one Of the hostesses
of New York who is ever penetrating some
novel entertainment Formerly she had the val
liable assistance of the late Stanford White.
who had a genius for planning unique and beau
tiful effects. In fact, quite half the aHalrs
given in the innermOst circle Of society owed
their original features TO his ready and brill
liant mind Harry Lehr has taken his place
the right hand man for all festivities out Of
the ordinary. and is an adept at this interesting
part of social life. If the wOuld-be hostess dis
dains the assistance Of any of the men she
knows in getting UP novelty, she spends time
in seeing vaudeville managers, who can supply
the best talent in this line on the stage. With
her 'tit-bit'' and her 'startler' she VIII be
quite sure Of a successful dinner, for only con-
genial souls are asked to these select parties,
where fun is TO reign from start to finish.
In point of fact the fashionable girl has less
spare time her hands than the girl that has
embarked career, unless the latter has
great ambitions and meets with opportunities TO
crafty them, for should the former have spare
half hour there are always leftover duties which
she must attend TO il she would be social ia
VCrite-
When guests come for a visit of several days
they have TO be included in all invitations for
the time Of their stay and an extra girl is
usually task to provide a good time for, unless
she is well known to all or most OF the set in
which her hostess moves Men are received
with joy at all affairs. even if they Of an in
different and uninteresting type. and bids"
EhOwered upon them for all hours OF the day.
The fashlon OF asking friends Tor visits IN the
season in New York is steadily on the decrease,
! for the reason that il IS difficult 10 have them
asked TO all that is going on. Summer, there
/ fore, is the chosen time 70 extend hospitality,
when ali is or less al fresco in the country
home and extra persons are welcomed gladly
/ by others in the colony.
! The woman to be pitied Is the one who crowds
her day with engagements for which she is
/ always the hostess, in the hope that her long
purse with its very loose strings will gain her
admittance to the inneTmost social circle of her
ambition. Her disastrous failure from time -
! time TO secure as guest some star member Of
! the smart set never seems to daunt her, and
she continues her invitations until some day a
/ 'nOta BILE" through sheer exhaustion OF excuses
! Will accept and thus recompense her for all her
previous failures. To reach this point an endless
! number Of functions have to be given and a mint
/ OF money expended. 1t is a well known fact
/ however that the surest entire to socetv's ranks
is through liberal contributions to charities hav-
ing lists of prominent women as patronesses