Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-07

lVt night because Il will be for many
,beir first Assembly, and to the deb
mat means a wonderful thing, let me
,eu YOU. And many are the strings
mat are pulled and the wires that are
d,sturbed by anxious Mammas to try
aud get I'm so they can take their small
daughters, too. But as yet the line is
rrettv strict and one sees very few
rev faces, except the debs whose
narents have always gone and the
suests who come from out of town to
this ball which dates back before the
pevomtion, when the social life was
such a great part of this city, and, in
fact is yet peculiar to Philadelphia,
outside of any other city in the Union.
In New York, Chicago, and even Bos-
ION. money has much to do with pres
,ioe. and, of course, Washington has a
sort of international society.
without doubt Philadelphia stands
for Family, even though we must
acknowledge in about five cases money
has had it's effect, but then there has
been a tiny background to help it also.
A strange thing about social position
here is that no matter how reduced a
person may be, unable to entertain or
make any return in point of invita-
tlons etc, still he or she is always in
yited to everything and not one degree
Of prestige is lost. In fact, l know of
many gentlewomen who are now en-
gagged in making their own living and
have been obliged to drop out from
many social things, and yet, | assure
YOU. let one of these women appear
tonight and she will be more than well
come
Philadelphia holds to its old majestic
ways and all the courtesy and polish of
hundreds of years of breeding and good
form Is shown in the conduct of these
balls, which are up to date in every
particular of decoration. music, supper
and other things which make a dance a ,
success, but which keep to the old
time courtesy and formal bow on the
part of chaperones and guests. / think
what lends itself most to the dignity of
these affairs is the fact that the scions
of all our old families feel 1t their duty
to appear on this occasion; and | as
sure you it Is pretty sight to see the !
courtly old gentleman of threescore |
and ten and some fourscore bowling !
and smiling to the younger generation, !.
which is happy, indeed, to see them.
remember being told how little old |
Miss Mary Coke, long since dead, but so |
well known in this city, used to appear !
at each ball like one resurrected in n
gown of soft brown or gray, cut high |
at the back, but square, low neck in
front (this was when the balls were
held in the foyer of the old Academy, |
and would be seen, leaning on the arm
of the courtly DIR. Richard Cleeman, \
or his brother, Mr.. Ludovic Cleeman,
tboth of loving memory, as Weld, walk
ing about the lobby. waving her Won
derful old feather fan and smiling be-
nignly on the crowds of friends who
greeted her.
A more remarkable figure, however,
of the olden times was Aunt Ad
Thompson. She was Miss Adeline
Thompson, and used to live with Miss
Elizabeth Norris the aunt of George
W. Norris and the late A. Garesche
Norris. Every one called her Aunt
Ad, and she must have been a char
acter from all hear of her. She lived
to be about 80, If l am not mistaken,
and always appeared in public fairly
decorated with old lace, and the palest
shades of ribbons in wee bows would
be arranged in various places on her
gowns, which were also as gay as could
be.
Speaking OF all these old-time peo-
pie and customs does not mean that
the young people do not have their
innings; not by any means, for the
floor is splendid for dancing and the
orchestra is always fine, so ii really is
great.
This year the patronesses will be
especially handsome women, it seems
TO me, and quite a younger clan of
matrons. Mrs. Cuyler and Mrs.
Gowen both have debutante daughters,
Eleanor Cuyler and Mariana Gowen,
and the others who will receive are
Minnie Cassatt, Honor Vaux. Becky
Pepper and Pauline Brock
don't think we attach quite as much
Importance to the ball as our elders
did My sister told me once of the
awe with which every one awaited the
coming of old Charles with his book,
IN which you wrote your subscription,
and woe betide any one who tried to
put down the name of one who was
not eligible, for this old negro knew
VINO should go and who should not. !
and held the strings of social fate in
MS hands for many years. So you
see we are all getting ready. practicing ,
our eourtesies and best smiles for to-
nights the night.
NANCY WYNNE. !