AMERICAN "SMART" SOCIETY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10818, 8 December 1902, Page 6

AMERICAN "SMART" SOCIETY.

.ife4srfo*&foga3e&o*- 'inFart^' society • in- L'o'nddjV 1 have neVer approached those' of the ;eorii<%ondittg and this cUffßi*nee:-is d,ttc^t so*mttchto a Sigher standard of/laste here as to tfee greater susceptibility *f «»*r, idleSdftss to ridicnle. Every -week brings tne "sfory'bf .some jtevr absurdity frefrn-Newport'br- NewYork. The latest is a "tramp Ball," at which the guest* of both, sftxes* will weaT tattered clothes and vie with eSch-o^herin -making the most disreputable -appearance possible*- It seems that the men are to make a - particularly painstaking* attempt in that direction, even to the 'Carrying of the empty tomato- cans 1 which-f sdrve* the real American tramps as ten. -kettles . and -. drinking cups. An incident in which Mrs -Ctnyvesant Fish- and Mrs • Odgen Go'elet lately figured illustrates the sort of v 'deVice that leading -American society women resprt to in the pursuit of their rivalries. To please the Grand Dnke Boris of Russia, who had complained that Mrs Fish and Mrs" O^iien^oeret TatelyTfilt&e-cr^t^tratfes tKe sort gt device that leading society 'women resort to in the purauit of their rivalries. To please 'the 6rnnd Duke Boris of Russia, who had complained, that Mrs Fish, ha.d relerxed-to him^ffe a dissolute fortune-hunter, Mrs Goelet sent "putcards for an impromptu dinner to irieet the Duke on- the Evening df Mrs Fish's last dinner of the, Newport seasbn: On hearing of this, Mrs Fish said, "If Mrs Goelet is to have the Grand Duke of ' Russia, T -will have- the Czar himself," and she sent forthwith fot a Mr Lehr, a comedian, to personate the Czar at her table. It ifl re- : lated that be appeared. »t $hg a ■ crown*of pastefcoaid'ahd tinseV, awl Carrying- a sceptre. He behaved KKe tfte monarch of comic opera, and Mrs Fish 'paid him all the honours dtte.to'a reigning ISihperor. Before the sbup was served, 1 Mr Lehr fixed his .crown firmly on his head, stiffened his back and exclaimed,, "T must insist thai the soupi be* served to me first, Mrs Fish." ' this was an allusion tb a rb-' port that the Grand Dnke had abrnptly withdrawn from -the dinner table 1 - of another Newport hostess because- he 3 was' not the first to be served with- soup, and Mr Lehr played on the theme with variations throughout tlie dinner. At the close", all » the guesjs stood up,' while the band played thc'Russian anthem, 'fluid the comedian sat majestically in bis chair. Mr Dooley's description of Newport is amusing r — {"fhe "tttißsriff lfixuiy 'and'tolmdfaV.^^hm^the husband of yesterday* inthradooccs the 'wife that was to the wife that is ot ought to, be.." . , ■ , -„ ■ <: <t ■{ V _— . — ■ 1. -I, -■ —