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Category: Biographies#McAllister, Ward, 1827-1895#Socialites -- New York (State) -- New York -- Biography

Society as I Have Found It

By McAllister, Ward

Classic work by McAllister, Ward.

Total Chapters: 54•Public Domain Free Read

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I.

PAGE My Family--My Mother an Angel of Beauty and Charity--My Father’s Nobleness of Character--Building Bonfires on Paradise Rocks and flying Kites from Purgatory with Uncle Sam Wa...

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CHAPTER II.

My New York Life--A Penurious Aunt who fed me on Turkey--My First Fancy Ball--Spending One Thousand Dollars for a Costume--The Schermerhorns give a ball in Great Jones Street--Stic...

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CHAPTER III.

Introduction to London Sports--A Dog Fight in the Suburbs--Sporting Ladies--The Drawing of the Badger--My Host gets Gloriously Drunk--Visit to Her Majesty’s Kitchen--Dinner with th...

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CHAPTER IV.

A Winter in Florence and Rome--Cheap Living and Good Cooking--Walnut-fed Turkeys--The Grand Duke of Tuscany’s Ball--An American Girl who Elbowed the King--What a Ball Supper should...

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CHAPTER V.

Summer in Baden-Baden--The Late Emperor William no Judge of Wine--My Irish Doctor--His Horror of Water--How an American Girl tried to Captivate Him--The Louisiana Judge--I win the ...

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CHAPTER VI.

Winter in Pau--I hire a perfect Villa for $800 a year--Luxury at Small Cost--I Learn how to give Dinners--Fraternizing with the Bordeaux Wine Merchants--The Judge’s Wild Scheme--I ...

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CHAPTER VII.

My Return to New York--Dinner to a well-known Millionaire--Visit of Lord Frederick Cavendish, Hon. E. Ashley, and G. W. des Voeux to the United States--I Entertain them at my South...

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CHAPTER VIII.

A Southern Deer Park--A Don Quixote Steed--We Hunt for Deer and Bag a Turkey--Getting a Dinner by Force--The French Chef and the Colored Cook Contrasted--One is Inspired, the Other...

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CHAPTER IX.

I Leave the South--A Typical British Naval Officer--An Officer of the Household Troops--Early Newport Life--A Country Dinner--The Way I got up Pic-nics--Farmers throw their Houses ...

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CHAPTER X.

Society’s Leaders--A Lady whose Dinners were Exquisite and whose Wines were Perfect--Her “Blue Room Parties”--Two Colonial Beauties--The Introduction of the Chef--The Prince of Wal...

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CHAPTER XI.

A Handsome, Courtly Man--A Turkey Chase--A Visit to Livingston Manor--An Ideal Life--On Horseback from Staatsburg to New York--Village Inn Dinners--I entertain a Fashionable Party ...

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CHAPTER XII.

John Van Buren’s Dinner--I spend the Entire Day in getting my Dress-coat--Lord Harrington criticises American Expressions--Contrast in our way of Living in 1862 and 1890--In Social...

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CHAPTER XIII.

Cost of Cotillion Dinners--My delicate Position--The Début of a Beautiful Blonde--Lord Roseberry’s mot--We have better Madeira than England--I am dubbed “The Autocrat of Drawing-ro...

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CHAPTER XIV.

The first private Balls at Delmonico’s--A Nightingale who drove Four-in-hand--Private Theatricals in a Stable--A Yachting Excursion without wind and a Clam-bake under difficulties-...

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CHAPTER XV.

The Four-in-hand Craze--Postilions and Outriders follow--A Trotting-horse Courtship--Cost of Newport Picnics Then and Now--Driving off a Bridge--An Accident that might have been Se...

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CHAPTER XVI.

Grand Banquet to a Bride elect--She sat in a bank of Roses with Fountains playing around her--An Anecdote of Almack’s--The way the Duke of Wellington introduced my Father and Domin...

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CHAPTER XVII.

A Lady who has led Society for many years--A Grand Dame indeed--The Patriarchs a great social Feature--Organizing the F. C. D. C.--Their Rise and Fall--The Mother Goose Ball--My En...

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CHAPTER XVIII.

How to introduce a young Girl into Society--I make the Daughter of a Relative a reigning Belle--First Offers of Marriage generally the Best--Wives should flirt with their Husbands-...

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CHAPTER XIX.

Success in Entertaining--The Art of Dinner-giving--Selection of Guests--A happy Mixture of Young Women and Dowagers--The latter more appreciative of the Good Things--Interviewing t...

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CHAPTER XX.

Madeira the King of Wines--It took its Name from the Ship it came in--Daniel Webster and “Butler 16”--How Philadelphians “fine” their Wines--A Southern Wine Party--An Expert’s shre...

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CHAPTER XXI.

Brût Champagne--Another Revolution in treatment of this Wine--It must be Old to be Good--’74 Champagne worth $8 a bottle in Paris--How to frappé Champagne--The best Clarets--Even y...

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CHAPTER XXII.

Assigning Guests at Dinner--The Boston fashion dying out--The approved Manner--Going in to Dinner--Time to be spent at table--Table Decoration--Too many Flowers in bad taste--Simpl...

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CHAPTER XXIII.

Some practical Questions answered--Difference between Men and Women Cooks--Swedish Women the cleanest and most economical--My Bills with a Chef--My Bills with a Woman Cook--Hints o...

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CHAPTER XXIV.

The “Banner Ball”--How to prepare a Ball-room Floor--A curious Costume and a sharp Answer--The Turkish Ball--Indisposition of ladies to dance at a Public Ball--The Yorktown Centenn...

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CHAPTER XXV.

A Famous Newport Ball--Exquisite effect produced by blocks of Ice and Electric Lights--The Japanese room--Corners for “Flirtation couples”--A superb Supper--Secretary Frelinghuysen...

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CHAPTER XXVI.

New Era in New York Society--Extravagance of Living--Grand Fancy Dress Ball in Fifth Avenue--I go as the Lover of Margaret de Valois--A great Journalist at Newport--A British Offic...

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CHAPTER XXVII.

I visit Washington as the guest of Attorney-General Brewster--A Dinner at the White House--Amusing arrangement of Guests--The Winthrop Statue--The memorable Winters of 1884-85--A M...

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CHAPTER I.

_My Family--My Mother an Angel of Beauty and Charity--My Father’s Nobleness of Character--Building Bonfires on Paradise Rocks and Flying Kites from Purgatory with Uncle S...

Read →
CHAPTER II.

_My New York Life--A Penurious Aunt who Fed me on Turkey--My First Fancy Ball--Spending One Thousand Dollars for a Costume--The Schermerhorns give a Ball in Great Jones S...

Read →
CHAPTER III.

_Introduction to London Sports--A Dog Fight in the Suburbs--Sporting Ladies--The Drawing of the Badger--My Host gets Gloriously Drunk--Visit to Her Majesty’s Kitchen--Din...

Read →
CHAPTER IV.

_A Winter in Florence and Rome--Cheap Living and Good Cooking--Walnut-fed Turkeys--The Grand Duke of Tuscany’s Ball--An American Girl who Elbowed the King--What a Ball Su...

Read →
CHAPTER V.

_Summer in Baden-Baden--The Late Emperor William no Judge of Wine--My Irish Doctor--His Horror of Water--How an American Girl Tried to Captivate Him--The Louisiana Judge-...

Read →
CHAPTER VI.

_Winter in Pau--I Hire a Perfect Villa for $800 a year--Luxury at Small Cost--I Learn How to Give Dinners--Fraternizing with the Bordeaux Wine Merchants--The Judge’s Wild...

Read →
CHAPTER VII.

_My Return to New York--Dinner to a Well-known Millionaire--Visit of Lord Frederick Cavendish, Hon. E. Ashley, and G. W. des Voeux to the United States--I Entertain Them ...

Read →
CHAPTER VIII.

_A Southern Deer Park--A Don Quixote Steed--We Hunt for Deer and Bag a Turkey--Getting a Dinner by Force--The French Chef and the Colored Cook Contrasted--One is Inspired...

Read →
CHAPTER IX.

_I Leave the South--A Typical British Naval Officer--An Officer of the Household Troops--Early Newport Life--A Country Dinner--The Way I got up Picnics--Farmers Throw the...

Read →
CHAPTER X.

_Society’s Leaders--A Lady whose Dinners were Exquisite and whose Wines were Perfect--Her “Blue Room Parties”--Two Colonial Beauties--The Introduction of the Chef--The Pr...

Read →
CHAPTER XI.

_A Handsome, Courtly Man--A Turkey Chase--A Visit to Livingston Manor--An Ideal Life--On Horseback from Staatsburg to New York--Village Inn Dinners--I Entertain a Fashion...

Read →
CHAPTER XII.

_John Van Buren’s Dinner--I spend the Entire Day in getting my Dress-Coat--Lord Hartington criticises American Expressions--Contrast in our Way of Living in 1862 and 1890...

Read →
CHAPTER XIII.

_Cost of Cotillion Dinners--My delicate Position--The Début of a Beautiful Blonde--Lord Roseberry’s mot--We have better Madeira than England--I am dubbed “The Autocrat of...

Read →
CHAPTER XIV.

_The first private Balls at Delmonico’s--A Nightingale who drove Four-in-hand--Private Theatricals in a Stable--A Yachting Excursion without wind and a Clam-bake under di...

Read →
CHAPTER XV.

_The Four-in-Hand Craze--Postilions and Outriders Follow--A Trotting-Horse Courtship--Cost of Newport Picnics Then and Now--Driving off a Bridge--An Accident that might h...

Read →
CHAPTER XVI.

_Grand Banquet to a Bride-elect--She sat in a bank of Roses with Fountains playing around her--An Anecdote of Almack’s--The way the Duke of Wellington introduced my Fathe...

Read →
CHAPTER XVII.

_A Lady who has led Society for many Years--A Grand Dame indeed--The Patriarchs a great social Feature--Organizing the F. C. D. C.--Their Rise and Fall--The Mother Goose ...

Read →
CHAPTER XVIII.

_How to introduce a young Girl into Society--I make the Daughter of a Relative a reigning Belle--First Offers of Marriage generally the Best--Wives should flirt with thei...

Read →
CHAPTER XIX.

_Success in Entertaining--The Art of Dinner-giving--Selection of Guests--A happy Mixture of Young Women and Dowagers--The latter more Appreciative of the Good Things--Int...

Read →
CHAPTER XX.

_Madeira the King of Wines--It took its Name from the Ship it came in--Daniel Webster and “Butler 16”--How Philadelphians “fine” their Wines--A Southern Wine Party--An Ex...

Read →
CHAPTER XXI.

_Brût Champagne--Another Revolution in treatment of this Wine--It must be Old to be good--’74 Champagne worth $8 a bottle in Paris--How to frappé Champagne--The best Clar...

Read →
CHAPTER XXII.

_Assigning Guests at Dinner--The Boston fashion dying out--The approved Manner--Going in to Dinner--Time to be spent at table--Table Decoration--Too many flowers in bad t...

Read →
CHAPTER XXIII.

_Some practical Questions answered--Difference between Men and Women Cooks--Swedish Women the cleanest and most economical--My bills with a Chef--My bills with a Woman Co...

Read →
CHAPTER XXIV.

_The “Banner Ball”--How to prepare a Ball-room Floor--A curious Costume and a sharp Answer--The Turkish Ball--Indisposition of ladies to dance at a Public Ball--The Yorkt...

Read →
CHAPTER XXV.

_A Famous Newport Ball--Exquisite effect produced by blocks of Ice and Electric Lights--The Japanese room--Corners for “Flirtation couples”--A superb Supper--Secretary Fr...

Read →
CHAPTER XXVI.

_New Era in New York Society--Extravagance of Living--Grand Fancy Dress Ball in Fifth Avenue--I go as the Lover of Margaret de Valois--A Great Journalist at Newport--A Br...

Read →
CHAPTER XXVII.

_I visit Washington as the guest of Attorney-General Brewster--A Dinner at the White House--Amusing arrangement of Guests--The Winthrop Statue--The memorable Winters of 1...

Read →