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 Union is Social Strength--We band together for our Common Good--The organization of the “Cotillion Dinners”--the “Smart” Set, and the “Solid” Set--A Defense of Fashion, 155 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-rooms”--A Grand Domino Ball--Cruel Tricks of a fair Mask--An English Lady’s Maid takes a Bath--The first Cotillion Dinners given at Newport--Out-of-Door Feasting--Dancing in the Barn, 165 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--A Poet describes the Fiasco--Plates for foot-stools and parboiled Champagne for the thirsty--The Silver, Gold, and Diamond Dinners--Giving Presents to guests, 181 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 Serious--A Dance at a Tea-house--The Coachmen make a Raid on the Champagne--They are all Intoxicated and Confusion reigns--A Dangerous Drive Home, 191 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 Dominick Lynch to the Swells--I determine to have an American Almack’s--The way the “Patriarchs’” was founded--The One-man Power Abolished--Success of the Organization, 207 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 Encounters with socially ambitious Workers--I try to Please all--The Famous “Swan Dinner”--It cost $10,000--A Lake on the Dinner-table--The Swans have a mortal Combat, 221 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--How to be fashionable--“Nobs” and “Swells”--The Prince of Wales’s Aphorism--The value of a pleasant Manner--How a Gentleman should dress--I might have made a Fortune--Commodore Vanderbilt gives me a straight “Tip,” 239 CHAPTER XIX.