The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-02-10


"Belle Brittan"-who is now cores
pendent of the New Orleans Picayune-s
writes from Washington of one of the
latest and most fashionable parties of the
capital. The writer is one of the mod
estest women in the world, but is not
blessed with any personal charms. She
is little intellectual old maid-thirty-
seven last October--with a thin, scrag.
gy physique, which requires concealment.
This, perhaps, will, in some measure, ac-
count for parts of the following extract
of her letter:
A word touching the great and all en-.
crossing topic of dress may not be unin,
teresting to your fair readers. As l have
before written, the New York ladies', as
general rule, are the best dressed ladies'
in Washington. In this respect we arc
hard to beat. Not that we wear richer
fabrics or costiler jewels Iout on con-
haire, some of your Southern bellies beat
us in their nightly display of laccs and
diamonds, and in slow necks and short
sleeves But the more tonnsh of our
New York ladies, whatever fondncss they
may have for precious stones and spider
web trimmings, think it vulgar to wear
them. And as to slow necks," we leave
them to low people" In the presence
of certain distinguished ladies here.
have felt grateful for the use of a pink
fan to conceal my bushes.
Hide, 0 hide those hills of snow &c
Now, do not think me sqeamish or pru-
dish am not bit of it. But there is
a time and place for all things, and
miscellaneous gathering of promiscuous
people is not the proper time and place
for stunning exhibition of beautiful
bosom.
One of the brightest looking and most
swectly dressed young ladies have met
here, is the graceful, bright-eyed, digni-
fled daughter of the late Judge Wood
bury, of New Hampshire. have only
seen her in immaculate white; and with
only her swan-like throat bare. But her
g courtsey" in the Lancers would take
me off my feet if | were; but | am
not. Still she reminds me of one of Mac
kav's sweet songs, which, after repudiat-
M How r. 1.''r. cTo'ii- ana ifsiSlasoI5e
illusion, says:
$ But when look on Elcn's face,
With arch endcarment cleaning,
Aud from her eyes see Loves replies
IN every glance comes streaming
Not Anthony, who lds world,
Nor Paris, son OF Pfam,
Nnt any fool who died for 1--we
Was such fool us | am %
Mrs. Senator Douglas, Mrs. Slidell
and Mrs. Thompson, are among the ac-
beauties" Of our republic
can court. Mrs. Douglas will do her full
share in dragging the triumphant car Of
the " little giant up to the White House.
She looks like a queen; and if the con-
stitution permitted, who could refuse to
vote for one SO queenly. Mrs. Slidell en-
teriains as handsomely as any lady in
Washington, and possesses every accom-
pllshment of mind, manner and person
to grace a foreign court. ! have, there
fore, purely patriotic and most unselfish
desire that she should represent us at the
brilliant court of Madrid.
Lady Gore Ouseley, am told, Though
| have not seen it, has introduced the
English novelty Of the red pctticoat, now
all the rage in London. They are made
of wooden, with plush stripes woven in,
and are said to have most coquettish
and bewitching effect--although that will
depend upon the person who wears, and
the manner of handling them The po-
ct Mackay, who sings of everything that
strikes his eye or heart, thus pitches into
the crimson skirt:
30, the red, the Haunting petticoat!
That courts the eye of day;
That loves to flare and be admired,
And blinks from far away.
1t may delight the rowing sight,
And charm the fancy free;
But il its wearer's half as bold,
I'll pass, and let her be.
With her red, her Haunting petticoat-
She's not the girl for me"
But this poetic shaft was not aimed at
her lady-ship, who is very charming
and accomplished woman, and an Ameri-
can at that.
Tonight, several distinguished gentle
man, mostly members of Congress, give
the popular poet, Mackay, dinner
Your "fair correspondent is honored
with an invitation; and highly honored.
too, as no other ladies are to sweeten the
feast with their presence. To go, or not
to go, that's the question. And, as you
editors say, of rebus, t" the answer in
our next"
Yours, in cloak and quandary,
BELLE BRITAIN.
We learn that man by the name of
Ainc,rorfh uaa shof hx NJ, 400 anni,, N farr