AN AMERICAN V.SOCIETY JOURNAL.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2574, 7 April 1877, Page 4

AN AMERICAN V.SOCIETY JOURNAL.

(FROM THE PAtli" MAT.I. GAZETTE )

An enterprising speculator took steps some time ago.for . starting a newspaper •which was to bo devoted entirely "to the amusements of the rich. The projector hesitated, between two, titles, .Le Beau Monde and The Snob ; a Journal of Bank and Fashion. Ultimately the scheme was abandoned. But what was only intended to be done in London has been actually accomplished in Washington and Baltimore, the two fashionable cities par excellence of the United States. In each of these centres of polite dissipation appears once a week an organ of frivolity and fast life called the Card Basket, which describes with minuteness and criticises with candour the manners, food, dress, demeanour, equipages, personal appearanc?, and matrimonial prospects of the electro-gilded American youth. Nor are the middle-aged members of society neglected. Indeed, one of the first announcement's we meet with in the Card Basket's opening number is to the effect "that Mr 3 Boss Bay was -among the prominent chaperones at the Middies' Hop." But the leading beauties of the Washington and 'Baltimore balls are the favourite.subjects) of remark ; and "it is impossible to read without interest that " Miss Sallie Keagan, a pretty and modest Philadelphia belle, has been visiting our" city.;" or that Miss Julia Cox, a brunette of the Spanish type, is a favorite with .the German gallants." At the date of publication Miss Mary Smith, of Twelfth street, was entertaining Miss Hose Morris, of Chicago, "-a lady who adds to "her many other indescribable charms Unusual^ ..musical accomplishments." As a rule the Card Basket's critic of beauty introduces but little personal feeling into his. appreciations ; but he becomes undesirably " subjective" •when.: after announcing, as if of his own private knowledgo, tha< "Miss M. has a younger sister:-who is still more remarkable for beauty and talent,'' he adds, :-".-.We await very impatiently her promised advent in Washington." '■'■'■' .

'-- In a later number we meet with a paragraph, evidently 'from the same sensitive chromclerrrecording the premature breakup of an " agreeable trio of young ladies; composed of Miss Florence Anderson, Fo. ; 183, North Calverfc: street, and her two friends, Misses Mamie' Miller and Jeannie Thomas." Miss Miller, however, has. gone away, which we are assuredV-.! will be sad news to more than one Baltimore, gallant, for the bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and golden hair of thislaughing sprite, have struck many a responsive' chord." .: All the' y.oung- ladies' mentioned in the Card {Basket seem to have pet names, .so that a record of the nicest; girls t present at a '' hop," " sociable,"; "levee," "German," ," kettledrum" or " pudding-luncli," leoks to an English reader"li£"e Ta lis6orflre ballet-girls engaged at a theatre devoted to opera bouffe. The journalist, must-be either on..a- very familiar footine; with, the young ladies whose charms he discusses sometimes •with apparent impartiality but occasionally with unconcealed gusto, or r it,has become; the fashibriiivthe United States to christen,; girls by affectionate diminutives of 'the ordinary Cliristian names. We meet no longer with the once popular Minnie, but Mamies, JNanies, Lizzies, Gussies, Hetties Louies, and Maggies abound;'-" The " pudding-lunch" of which we i ha ye just Spoken is ; said to' be at '■ present all the rage in Baltimore. '' It will, per-haps,-be superfluous to explain that a pudding-lunch is a lunch at which puddings of various kinds are eaten, though not to the exclusion of other dishes.. KellledrumSj we learn, have, gonespmewhat"batof 'fasliibh, but; they are to be revived under,the title of "Blue teas," ; "a style of - entertainment said to have been : introduced at Newport by Mrs Julia Ward JHoype/' ■■, Tea parties, of another Is. md are' called " samarvars "~- the *' samarvar " (literally " self-boiler ") being* as is-now'pretty; generally-known, the name oftae" Russian* tea-urn. People are also invited to mysterious gatherings' called^" Myrtle Germans," and occasionally, to "apple butter parties" and '*' musb-and-milk festivals," though these latter would seem torbe ; of a;somewhat provinciaT character," au d as" such looked down upotttin.the fashionable centres. *• r'In ; consequence, no-doubt, pfjth.ernumber and variety of the entertainments given at Washington,", much mis.conceptibn*seems :to existas to ' the: Style of costume-appropriatei to cachV The editor of the Card Basket, "after describing the opening party 6f4he sseasoa-at some one's "cosy temple,of Terpsichore,", # calls attention !to the" fact that .We ybtrng lady wore " a dark grey street suit, with hat to match " throughout the. evening, nnd thereupon iprotestsr.against i" the absurd style of appearing at- a dress party in street; costume and outer garments/which has^been praclisfcdr sol much-for ;several seasons past." ■ Street costumes are,; it seems, : :; permissible" at " terpsichorean matinees;" but a matinee, terpsichorean or other, thoughitHM"ayla:st until ant advanced hour of! the evening, "cannot be prolonged until late the next morning. • It is, not necessary that a German, a sociable^ pi:.a pudding-lunch should be given onlia? large scale to merit notice in the columns of the Carde Basket. Under the head of "Rusby's Banquet'-we read that Mr, and Mrs David T. Busby have been giving a supper to "some■, 15 or 20 persons," at which raw oystei>i,croquettes and French peas, partridge?, broiled oysters, sweetbread salad and chicken salad, iced cream, ices, and -cakes were served. "Ritchie's Jieturn" would seem to promise an account of'a similar';feast. But the article so entitled deals'simply with the fact that Major ijitchie has _eoniß back from his bridal tour, and "permanently transferred ii-lovely t} 7pe of Southern female beauty to the atmo&pliere of the Monumental city." The major is frarikljr reminded that " his erect form cannot conceal the tellftale locks of coming grey," though he is' at the same: time- informed that hei *' seems to have plunged into the fountain, of youth and renewed his boyhood." The most interesting incident, however, in connexion, with""ilitchie's Setiirn " is the fir^t ap v-c pearanceof his.wife. She is described as " rather-.of the brunette order, '-her dark eyes alone beiug a perfect-glory."

The- Card Basket; of course, pays due attention to marriages and marriage feasts. At some recent "'nuptials^' the bride, we are told was "a stately and graceful brunette,-whose - features seemed chiselled ..out, of pure white marble.". 3&veri the ■ is deemed worthy of a paragraph, though all that can- be said of him is that he " wore the customary, dress suit, and looked like an able

protector of bis lovely bride." As if in coiir firmation of the well-known assertion that marriages are made iv heaven, the writer who describes the "nuptials" for the Card Basket declares that in the case of Mr Cornelius Kmnierick, a "well-known society gallant," and his lovely bride, recently united by the Rev. Dr Newman, ■" their two hearts will hereafter beat as one." In the accounts of weddings neither the dresses nor the breakfast are forgotten. We find one lady complimented on having "represented a fortune in the wealth of diamonds, which she "flashed at every moment," while, another, who equally "flashed a wealth of diamonds," is said to have been " the envy of many less fortunate in this particular." Every one cannot have diamonds. On the other hand, " a very elegant repast"" was spread " for the deglutition of all; " and there was not only champagnu, but " champagne flowed in extravagant abundance." The Card Basket's wedding chronicler aims above all things at brilliant. description and fine writing generally ; but he is not without humour, and in a spirited account of a " bond of union " said, to have been effected between the^sistercities, Washington and Baltimore, the bride and bridegroom are spoken of as " the interested parties." It seems impossible for residents in the places watched by the Card Basket to entertain or be entertained in any manner without ath*acting the notice of the all.-, seeing editor, who, however, in a great many cases, seems to have his information freely supplied to him. Mr. John D. Moulton, " one of pur highly respected business men," having asked a few friends to spend the evening with him, the Card Basket publishes a long account of '"' Moulton's. Merry-making," and :tells how " the vivacious little lady," Mrs W. G. Moulfcon, was dressed ; adding that, " at all times entertaining," she " on this occasion appeared in oneof her liveliest moods." One of the ladies present is congratulated on having worn "an exceedingly modest but elegant dress ; " the oyster supper is done justice to, and the men guests are spoken of not unkindly, though the}' are reminded that they were all condemned to the " inevitable swallow-tail coat and white tie." Sometimes we find a word of-criticism on the service ofrtfte refreshments, but never- in hostile spirit. .Thus nt one evening party the fact is noted that "claret, champagne, lemonade, and punch" were supplied, and the host is praised for having allowed " no strong liquors" to be drunk. With a heart beating for all .humanity, the editor of the Card 'Basket Ewill- not -allow even children to amuse themselves without interesting himself in their proceedings. : Thus Master Harry Piescott fihaying : : received ":& surprise in the shape of 'a pound party by a number of his young friends at his residence, 1532 Columbia street, M.W.," we are duly, informed that " the evening was spent in playing games and enjoying the numerous pounds of sweetmeats." : The; names are given of the Xmllies, Libbies, Carries, and Allies present; also of the Jackeys, Charlies, and Freddies, and the fact is formally chronicled that " the little de.ars departed at 11 o'clock for their downy couches."

It is, perhaps, a significant fact that very .little^ spaceis'reserved in this journal of fashionable amusements for athletic sports, even of the mildest description. It is mentioned,'however, among other, announcements of the same kind, that Dr. Christiani " rides behind a dun horse in a Jenny Lind/waggbn ; " that Mr W. M. Hutchinson "handles the reins over a pretty brown.pony;" that "Mr W. B. Moses, the well known furniture dealer, owns an elegant pair of greys, which are said to be very fast;" and that Sirs Charles Eidgeley's " magnificent fouf-in-hand can Frequently be seen drawn up in front of her house." But if the Card Basket deals in petty and, as many will think, uhbecoming'gossip, it, at least, has the merit of avoiding malignant scandal, and as much, unfortunately, cannot be said for prints of a like kind in this, country. It was not nice, however, to call attention in the very first number to the fact . that. " the newly - appointed Minister>frbm Italy, Baron Blanc, is»a single gentleman."