The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-08-19
a RUSSIAN CUNT AT SARATOGA
HIS OPINION OF AMERICAN
WOMEN.

- Count 0uaOwSkl In recent letter
: from Saratoga to the New York Tribune
writes as follows of tho ladies he has
e seen there:
S The fair sex is, Of course, here as eve
rywbere, the main subject ef interest
6 and attraction. There would be nc
charm without those beautiful flowers
! scattered in the parks, in the alleys, in
the streets and on the piazzas They
are gay but well behaved, and dressed
freshly aud elegantly great number
of them appropriately to the place and
to the season. A few only among the
mass commit mistake against the rules
of true elegance in wearing heavy silks
or velvet robes. Some dress young, be-
, ing old, but such anomalies are to be en-
countered everywhere, generally. Only
the French and Russian women, of what
in Europe is considered higher society,
understand to harmonic and blend their
apparel with their age. Hero, however,
[ see very little over-dressing; and in
such cases it has, seemingly, its source
in the misunderstood democratic spirit
of the visitors from the country, wishing
to prove to the metropolitans that they
equal them in fashion, and thus easily
overshooting the mark Others very
likely, must wear out their heavy win
ter ball dresses Moreover, the art of
dressing tastefully or appropriately to
certain hours of the day and months of
the year is not so generally difused, nei-
ther here or in Europe.
Observation has taught me that al!
over the world. in its old and new Sec
tions, with few and rare exceptions,
commercial classes, their offspring and
life or business conditions, have similar
fashions, arising from the love of and
the tendency to show, often to vain dis
play, of wealth. They have mostly sim
liar notions, similar demeanor, at vari-
ance with that of the nobility, as well
as with that of the educated, prosper
Gus, rural ropulations. The prominent
feature of this similarity between here
and Europe is the display of jewels Of
all kinds, above all, of diamonds. AS
muslin, tulle and lace are the most dis
tinguishod and elegant stuffs for the
summer season, so likewise is consider
ed, by the refined in Europe, the not
wearing of any heavy jewelry, above all,
of diamonds, which wholly belong to the
winter or ball toilet. These are, to be
sure, mere conventionalities in the ab-
stract, the one is as good ss the other
Without, therefore, claiming suprem
acy of the one over the other, I bring
them only into juxtaposition. If tru-
ly refined woman in Europe wears jew
elry iu the country or in a watering
place, it will be something very light,
very transparent, SO to say, in artificial
workmanship and taste. above all such
genuine elegantes never, under any cir
cumstances, in winter or summer, will
cover all their fingers with rings, with
big diamonds, aud then display their
ungloved hands. In Europe, it is con-
sidered by aristocratic fashionables taste
less, in the highest degree, to wear rings
or diamonds on the fore finger. Some
call it even vulgar. Very seldom, and
only in case of the utmost necessity,
will a woman-or let it be said lady
in Europe unglove her hand in the
open air,.or during cali, or at an even
ing party, in ball room, or in the the
ater. Here in America, the contrary
prevails to a certain extent. observe
American ladies, haring generally con
ceded to them the name of highest ton,
and position, either not wear
gloves at all, CIR, scarcely seated in their
opera box, ungloye their hands, and
make as much show as possible of their
btjeweled fingers. Nay, more. The
" carer of single, the smallest jewel or
diamond, loses no time in showing t to
the public amazement. Generally,
gloves seem not to be general favorites.
Often persons can be seen dancing, both
of them uugToved, sin judged unpar-
donable by European fastidiousness-
There young girls would refuse an un-
gloved cavalier, and the mammas would
interfere aud prevent them from accep- !
ting an invitation.