The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1910-06-04

sex to indulge in the same beverage.
But worse was to come. At the
end of the rubbers the hostess came
round with her money box and de-
manded third of everyone's winnings
for her pet charity Everyone yield
ed up something with an i'll grace.
When / inquired to what charity we
were thus contributing was amazed
at the buzz of conversation which Inn
mediately drowned my question.
CHARITY begins at home, Lady 81
whispered a young man In my ear.
You can't expect Lady B. to have us
here and feed us for nothing
"coln Contest" Degrading Spectacle.
"Too astounded to reply, was still
further shocked by a most indecent
and degrading spectacle which en-
sued. The men placed coins OF vari-
Gus value upon the floor. Instantly
every woman in the room, excepting
myself, was lying on her stomach en-
deavoring to pick up the coins with
her mouth. A scene of wild disorder
ensued; shrieks. cries. applause. en-
.couragement from the men, who were
betting freely upon the different wom-
en-, while the contortions of the COM
petitors were alike disgraceful and un-
dignified.
TOO disguised and Mortified for
adieus, hurried from the house. be-
ing in a state of mental whirl. That
evening from an old friend who had
lived in London all her life heard
that this behavior was the rule rather
than the exception, and I resolved to
find out II this was indeed q general
condition Of society.
my opportunities were many. A
dinner party the next evening intro
duced me to still further horrors.
Utter unrestraint was the keynote at
the dinner table. Elbows on the table
and the flinging Of pieces Of bread and
sweetmeats were frequent sights, but
it was afterwards that the worst took
place.
For amusement in the drawing
room before the inevitable bridge the
young men and women-and not al.
ways the young women, but elderly
ones, too-indulged in the pastime
had always imagined was only for the
recreation of street arabs-the turning
of what are called 'cartwheels,' q form
of somersault which is even more de-
void Of decency than the ordinary
head over heels. A space was cleared
In the middle of the drawing room.
and over and over and over again
went these girls and women, a per
Torrance certainly not without some
skill. but utterly devoid Of anything
to commend 1t, and INDUCED In by
some bearers Of names which have
made history-names honored and
looked up to, but now dragged down
to the lowest Of levels by perform
ances such a. these. to which the most
| uneducated and unreflned would only
occasionally give vent.
Standing on Head Accomplishments
! Another drawing room accomplish
ment Of today is to stand on the head
as long as possible. This was intro
duced byNa woman of title who has
gained herself degree of notoriety
hitherto foreign to bearers of hel
ancient and honored name.
"A week end party at ducal man
sion completed my establishment. II
the country thought things would bt
as they used to be. But no. II pos
sible there was more abandonment
more vulgar horse play, more practica
jokes. and ruder innuendoes than evei
In London. The great feat Of the eve
ming was the mixing up Of the nigh
attire Of the house party. Bedroom
were ruthlessly invaded and youni
mans night attire put into the digni
ned apartment where q queen haa
slept, while the dowager duchess
found her robe dc mutt in the dressini
room Of q debutante.
Sunday passed like . music hal
entertainment prolonged ad nauseam
and It was with the greatest relief tina
| I turned my back upon the mansioI
whose historical association, antiQu'
magnincence. and picturesque SUI
roundings could not remove the stall
OF the modern Inhabitants whose pre-
sncs desecratsd IL hallowed surround
ings.
4 have paid othsr wssk ed visit
since this msmesable - ~ -