Show THE TH E MYSTERY O or Oi SOCi What hat T Vc We c Don Dont Don't t Know About It Is the KnO Thing That Makes Us Keep i iBY it BY THOMAS L. L 1 MASSON A 1 A A CLOUDING C to writers on Socialism j. j and similar topics which tc few peo- peo Plo pie leo know anything about the majority ma ma- maI I jorl of or people In iii tho world are aru working work- work Ins ing Int in tn n order that a t few w at tho the top ma may i loll IoU around on the divans or ride forth In golden chariots I Solden These people are arc I known as society and the they must bo be very ver Interesting as their pictures constantly constanty con con- stanty appear In papers and periodicals cals and what they do or dont don't do is explained great at-great length I A lady ladr who lived near me several years ago ao In the I modest suburb where here In spring and summer I r put m my m numerous numerous numer numer- ous progeny out to graze has hns recently married the tho brother of ot a European king Whether she got a n bar bargain aln or not not I dont don't know But the fact tact that sho she has been In called so-called society for forso forso so o lon long that she sho Is handsome and that her former husband left nor her a l great groat many millions millions all all this has con- con to tile the lre international excitement excitement excite excite- ment caused by the event event Tho The gentleman gentleman gentle genUe- man she rescued undoubtedly needed the tho mone money Ho was l In living in a cheap at the time and his brother the king was up against it so 50 hard that he ho had to alon along the tho side streets and back alleys ales ale's that Italy has so generously provided pro for tor this purpose In order to avoid avoil their numerous numer numer- ous otis s o creditors It I was therefore a. a a jo Joyous joyous Joy joy- ous moment in their lve lives when the younger brother was wa able to announce that America In the te shape of or a. a a suburban suburban suburban ban society queen had bad come to tho the rescue rescue res res- cue and that the they could now get et back their laundry each ech week without previously previously pre pre- being obliged to sit on park benches and match coins with rude strangers Now the world worl Is full tul of ot women You meet them wherever you go Some critical Frenchman who wishes mo me to withhold his name on account of ot the time female members of or his immediate Immediato family has declared th that t when hen you ou get getto getto getto to know them all al women are aro alike alke Wh Why Is It I therefore that when a society woman oman who has nothing nothing- to do but look pleasant and spend mono money marries a prince with no visible means of or support support there thero is so 80 much excitement excite excite- ment mont about it and other events such as a n. crisis In exchange o or the fall ata of at ofa ofa a a of at governments or so all pale into Insignificance The reason Is quite quIe simple It I is because because be be- cause cuse there are so few mysteries loft left and society is one of or them It I Is in vain aln that tho the doings of or society sod soci ety people are chronicled that their goings going and comings comInS's arc are followed with wih tho the painstaking care care the tho astronomers uso Use In J keeping track tack of ot the planets planets They still sti continue to be m mysterious to tous tous tous us common people because nobody knows how to get g-et at Jt them or to depict them as the they really p are and to tell tel ho how the they r real really act and feel It H Isn't necessarily because the they have hae money that interests us in them so supremely as It Is because thov they have havo lbert liberty of or choice choice or or rn pp a-pp appear a at t to have This is what fascinates us It H Is an astonishing an incredible a amagie magic magie like fairy fairy Iko thing timing that there thero should exist a a race of ot people before our eyes who ho can apparently do anything they please plese Here Is a a. a lady who wishes to marry marr a prince She looks over those on hand Just as a we do tho the list o of films for tor the coming week eek selects one ono she thinks will answer the purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose and and moves moves' her retinue toward him with wih the tho precision o of a spider People Peo Peo- pie In society indeed appear to have nothing to do but consult consul their own pleasure Society men can acquire new wives at an any time merely by writing writing out a check for tor their lawyers laer Society ladles ladies can go anywhere they please they ring ring a a bell bel give a few rew orders In refined monotones to their social secretaries sec see and thereupon are transported to the tho Riviera to the Palatine to Palm Beach or Santa Barbara Barba as the time case may be If I the they wish to bul build a new residence or acquire a new camp in the Adirondacks or a southern plantation thc they clap their hands and an architect and a real estate agent float In on them through h the ceiling like liko the te genii of ot Aladdin's lamp Of or course society people are inter Inter- esting And it isn't because of oC the time thing thing the they actual actually do or have but because we wo should like to know just how they feel feel Nothing Is more fascinating fasci fasci- sating than the tho thought of or what you would do I If could do anything you you ou wanted to do But there is something more than this Society people are our only onh source of ot supply for tor manners and manners are arc no doubt supremely mely Im urn- Society people have leisure to think these things out and it Is is no doubt doubt worth what we pa pay them to todo todo do 10 iLl itI If I It were not for tor them we should not know what furs to wear at atan atan atan an afternoon tea we should keep on saying vest cst Instead of or waistcoat we e should never know when It Is proper to wear a sport suit at a country wedding wedding wed wed- ding which it sometimes Is though you OU ma may not realize It or Just what you ou should sa say to the time mother o of the tho girl to whom you OU were once married before she became engaged to the brother of ot the lad lady who afterwards became wife before married your our wie you ron the thc one ono you OU have on hand at present We e must know about these things we cannot know about them thern and that is bod body Js is s practicing them and that Is what society is for If I there were no society people we would woul al all al b be ing plain food wearing plain and bo be living makS ei clot clot- Hi l on what wo we make I is Is wo we would all al be so rake commo I vulgar and low that w we wouldn't n H whether wo we were In debt there would be nothing to or look noi l 1 ward to lo lJ J j Our stock of oC mysteries f Is growing less les Th Tho north I and 1 l i poles have long since withdrawn an l Y claims to excite tho Imagination tl tj a r r Sir Oliver Olver Lodge has formally J 1 us to tho the d dead ad so BO that b tt D' D time the temporary Inconvenience ot Of V the close companionship l some undertaker hitherto a coronal live tivo stranger we have havo COmp compa lve nothing to lo forward onard to In tho next life le but to tb same old sack suits and cigars MS We when here Statesmanship dl b anI and the strategy o of war have all al re costly centy had tho the sawdust removed f fr them and the machinery behind r aturo and poe poetry ry and free verse lter 1 all 01 been exposed by Ibanez vere hT M an and Am Amy Lowell latter So We w. hj only onh the tho doln doings s of or society hy fall Cal back bael upon as a m mystery that n t OU lasts oar all the others and will never be solved wU This mystery of or society varies naura naturU according to size and In m my own home home town I am thrill and enchanted with ith the time thought t th it is rumored that o our r local lea leader smokes Il tJ a while sh sha h her breakfast In bed but because sh KM ND h t York lork is bigger than anything Is Inevitable Ine that the mystery of or x N York society people should be gr ret than anywhere else I The only onh American Amerian writers who ho ha hit hal I reproduced accurately the o of American society people are Hear Bel James and ant Edith Wharton Mrs Mrs Wh Wb ton tn has stopped and Benr Henry James hj hi departed so the tho mystery of oC New Y Tor rl society Is entirely safe sara In tho the hand o of Robert Chambers J At present things In Gotham are on so so Mrs Irs Mumble on who it will wi be remembered enter tamed the Duke o of Worst o r his recent trip gave saVe a diner dance danee h la evening c In honor of a daughter la Ih has never seen before In three year yran Mr rr Jumble ls Is at Palm Bi B na e with Ith Lady y Harcourt wi wl won on the bridge tournament at Clyd Clyde on on-Clyde in the spring hf o t 18 ClYe triplets are arc in town own with U tb Tooter rooter while their Los Ls Amgeles U Am A geles and Newport places are b la redecorated b by t the IaU sculptor and sign sig painter The L Lud d 4 girls were seen on Fifth an aye i nue yesterday esterday One of or them had on oni new sable tippet J It I Is whispered that Hortense id Ld ton who won the tennis singles single j a Tuxedo not so s long ago aJo will wi everybody soon b by doing startling she sho has several sc n friends wi bl 1 C cloa e u iu Ing up an Idea idea is I if ir not intense In everything she us tl While wintering not so as Ion ago aso In iii Egypt she sho Jumped into t tNie th Nile Nie one day with all her elot 01 01 Tho The stor story of or her spectacular rescue b byoung byoung t young Willie who happened happen to be speeding alon along the tho Nile Nie at tb tha moment in his car will wi b be rec recalled l ono one o of the events of ot the year T arc related by marria maa martial with His Grace Graco the time Duke of ton who was reported favorably fa j 1 prime minister by Queen Victoria Victoria i the tho SOs stilt still sti rides to bounIn hound houn In Virginia every year ear I In memo of or this occasion Her Her father Ob Luddington it is not general genera known once lived In Kansas Kan but 13 laU hat his extended residence in London r n moved all traces of or his former Jd Ho He has Just bought seats sub tho the stoc stock exchange for Cor his bis two io bo ba boH Harold and Ludding rep reap t cl lively f d Aside from these thes brief events event th theS the'S the Js S s nothing else of ot special important In New ew York Just at present But In case anything serious hal pens I will wi either elther wire phone phoc or d dro you OU a postal card So S please pleasa do dov doa worry v 0 rry J |