The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-16
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

| complete transformation eHecteu ny
stepping out of cab. running up the
front steps and standing in row.
People with whom you had previous
ly exchanged back fence amenities,
who step casually out on the porch
and yell that dinners ready, who can
be seen wandering round on the rear
premises in nondescript garments
hanging things on lines and pulling
weeds out of the walk will suddenly
begin to talk in foreign language
and glare at you if you say-"thanks
very much for that jam you sent over
the other day
! Nothing is funnier than people at a
party or some sort of social jam
borcc. or alleged social.
For there's very little sociabilty
at a party.
or course there are different kinds
OF ,artics. At some there is too much
sOciability Where liquid refreshment
is dispensed lavishly with much con
sequcnt demonstration, affectionate
and otherwise.
|
say" wasn't it perfectly awful! No I
wasn't there | didn't care to go I
knew just what it would be If | were
Blankety Blank Id never show my
face again
But these are few and far between
in Richmond
But. to return. what psychological
microbe is it that bites into the out
ward veneer when people go places
| Society" everywhere is more or less
amusing
That is outside continental capital
or, say, in Washington. And even then
It's amusing.
But society as understood in the
average city or town where the doings
of the society people" are recorded
by the social editor" and people
shudder and grow pale when the great
stairs and up to the receiving line"
There society is funnier than Punch.
Especially at women's things.
You approach some one you have
known all your life and say Hello
what are you doing here!"
Much to your Amusement, Liz, or
Sal or Name or Ellen or Marguerite or
whoever it may happen to be will gaze
at you haughtily, insolently eye you
over with the "Lud. what clothes!" ex-
preston, say frigidly, "how-do you do
in a ten-twentythirty stock company
voice and turn her back squarely and
Enthusiastically.
Later you observe her gushingly
greeting some society leader" whose
husband is possibly the towns most
respectable blacksmith, and who, in
ner before a screen of smilaX studded
with roses and carnations, according
to the reports next morning in the pa
pers.
| There is no mental continuity at a
party-unless its a bridge one. Then
there's something. Maybe it's mental
and maybe it's not. Maybe it rattles
round in a receptacle with an alluring
sound But this is neither here nor
there.
At parties people must be seen talk
ing to some one all the time or else
other people won't think they're popu-
lar. So with heightened color, acquir-
ed before or after arrival, you cling
lovingly or desperately to one group
and then to another, eyes wandering,
lips fixed in Sinking grimace. con-
stantly babbling about what heaven
alone knows for nobody's paying any
attention. They can't-because
they're doing the same thing. Here and
there you fit or glide or possibly ell
bow-constantly getting nearer and
nearer the mecca where people sitting
stiffly round the wall are eating micro
scopic sandwiches and slipping pink
stuff out of glasses. Nobody knows
what it is and nobody cares. They are
hurrying to get through for then they
can leave.
For it wouldn't be decent to go be-
fore being given the occult signal to
enter the refreshment joint with a
bowl of roses on lace mat in the cen
ter where the janitor of your church.
in white coat. is dispensing hospitali-
Ity.
incidentally YOU wonder why he
walks like he might be treadng on
egg shells.
Maybe it's because he's at party
You can always tell society peo-
pie" in a small town because they
wear white gloves at the vaudeville
This is an invariable sign. Its the So
cial trademark, so to speak.
There must be some line of cleavage
between these gilt-edged securities and
the low-browed vulgarans who wan
dered in by twos and threes from
across the street or possibly down the
street. No matter where they come
from. Just so they're there, what does
the box office care.
But the white gloves are the only
distinction. Both the local elect, alleg-
ed. and the low-brows applaud with
equal impartialty.
Is it possible that its all on the out
side?
Nonsense!
This is a cultured town.
We are an art center. we are a mu-
steal center, We are an educational
center. We are every kind of a center
not including the universe.
And what if we do prefer to pay ten
cents for our light diversion? What of