Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/76

This page has been validated.
78
a hair-dresser's experience

of others from their own city. Some have succeeded, but others I know never can. In Philadelphia there is a certain set that no money, no dashing, not even the influence of friends, can get into but their own circle. I knew some young ladies in Washington City who gave a large ball every year during the sitting of Congress, and invited every person of note and every stranger of rank in the city—all would go. These self-same young ladies, on making a visit to Philadelphia, could not or would not be received into that clique. I have myself heard the ladies say they could not ask them. I asked the ladies why did they go to their balls. Their reply was, they were in Washington, and wished to see the strangers from different States.

I was quite amused one day, on looking out of the window on the promenade, to see a lady, who had always something disagreeable to say of a certain Doctor or his wife, in close conversation with the Dr.'s lady, and seeming to forget how little she thought of her; the next day when I went to comb her hair, I asked her how she could talk to, and seem so pleased with one she looked down on so much. She told me every one here thought so much of them, and the Doctor was at the head of all the gayety and amusements going on, so while there she did not care; at home, she would not know them, only as some others did, call on them. Then, when they returned the call, not be at home; and when they gave large parties, they never noticed them; but, she said, she understood they intended to sell out their establishment and go to Europe. On their return they were going on the most fashionable street in Philadelphia, and I suppose