The San Francisco call., 1908-05-17

"HE glory Of the heets visit has
been turned upon the city's So
cial circle like a searchlight from
4 one Of the ships themselves. and
the most ordinary affairs have
borrowed brightness from the presence
OF the visitors. engagements. always
interesting. have been 10 times more so
when made known in the presence OF
an admiral Luncheons and receptions
are no longer dull when attended by
the different navy women and the Off
GERS in their uniforms and gold laced
capes. Tea at the big hotels to an ac-
compartment of martial music greet
fngs from distinguished visitors and
messages from the big ships, becomes
an important event, a thrilling and
exhilarating matter.
Nobody has monopolized the fun. If
Miss A had a first cousin in command
Of a battleship. Miss 2 was an old
friend Of two captains wives, and Miss
Fas meeting all the young officers
because her brother knew them at Ann
spolis.
There were enough to so around and
to alter the figure slightly-they have
been going around everywhere and
taking the girls Of San Francisco So
ciety with them
All the nOtelS nave Deeu ceDLefS IOE
merry meetings over teacups. The lit
tie tearoom in the park has daily had
Sta quota Of visitors. and every officer
on the battleships is now an expert In
the art OF engineering nervous girls,
with half furled parasols and tipping
big hats. across the narrow ladders.
The FIRST reception TO the officers and
ladies Of the feet took place at the
FairInont hotel on Wednesday evening
10 days ago-the first evening the ships
were in hsrbor.
On the Friday night following was
the Greenway ball.
On Monday the second reception took
place-even more enjoyable than the
first, for there were fewer people pres
ent and more room for dancing.
Tuesday the blueJackets' ball was
given, and was attended by many So
ciety girls.
Thursday night there was another
dance under the auspices or the Cali
fornis club-this time TO the petty Off
GERS.
Friday witnessed the big Presidio
hop, quite the most brilliant affair that
has taken place at the popular post
for a long time.
The list. fnterlarded as it was with
big receptions, dinners, lunches and
teas. is a staggering one. and no one
IS surprised TO hear the different off,
GERS say, as they do say that San
Francisco's hospitality eclipses that of
every other port in the world.
Instead OF scattering the social in
terest, the ships visit has had the
effect of concentrating st. and every
event, large and small fits into some
other event Teas precede dinners, din
ners dances. dances house parties, and
so on in an unending chain.
Really, I think the feet has done
more to affiliate several different social
forces here than any other event could
possibly have done. Dowagers dragged
from their exclusive drawing rooms Ia
meet admirals have been introduced to
little Miss Climber, and have found
that really the child is very pretty and
has quite the belle aire": and so down
goes her name for next winters cotfl-
lion-a consummation that she has been
desiring frantically for two or three or
four years, as the case may be. A gen
eral spirit Of expansion is being noticed
even in the most exclusive little circles.
The second big reception on Monday
was a great social success. The city's
prominent people in general were bid
den TO this affair, which is not quite
the same thing as saying that the cfty's
society people attended il. But there
were plenty Of society people scattered
in among the soldiers and statesmen,
the painters lawyers, tsinkers, doctors
and their wives, who thronged the big,
brilliantly lighted rooms. The affair
was remarkably well managed no
erowding. no oppressive heat, no lost
coats and no ruined gowns in spfIe Of
the 5, ,000 people who enjoyed it.
One Of today's pictures is Of Mrs.
Linda Hoag Bryan. who is destined.
according TO the confident prophecy Of
the younger set, to take the place that
Mrs. Ynez Shorb White. who is now
Mrs. Carroll Buck. left vacant
Mrs Bryan loves girls and boys. un-
derstands them and manages them with
= skill that leaves no doubt of her ca
pacity for the difficult post She has
been taking a more and more prom
inent position in the social whirl for
the past few years, ever since her three