Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-11-29

that humanity is not all base, wicked and de
praVed; and then you meet men whose smiling
exterior cannot hide from your searching glance
the wickedness and midnight darkness which
turks within. Their ''visages do cream and
mantle like standing pool, - and they repel with
greater force than the ordinary laws of attrac.
ton and repulsion would seem to warrant. You
behold men of talent and men of cunning, men
of smartness, keen, cutting, and acute whose
trades all turn to dollars as fast as the blood
drooPed from the bleeding head of Medusa turn
ed to dragons, but never once minister to the
higher and nobler aspirations of the soul Nor
do they think 1t necessary to recognize in the
poor Overreached man whom they have inveig-
led into their clutches that they have been rob.
bing God.
You sweep along in this vast crowd and you
wonder what it all means, what they are all
after You look at the vast palaces which
overlook the street you cast your ewes at the
show windows in every number, and see the
gaudy and tempting bills set out with which to
tempt the vanity or offer premium to the ne
cesslties OF the passing throng; you bring to
mind the large commerce ofthe city, and think of
the large extent of country for which this city is
key and mart; you recuI to Wall street, where
the money bags are, and the Exchange, where
the Bulls and the Bears govern with aristocratic
rule the stocks of the whole country, and you
need be in doubt no longer. They are all after
money, money-they are ALL in some sense
worshipers at the shrine of Mammon.
l confess that the ladies who appear upon
Broadway are not as extravagantly dressed as
l expected to see them. Among the promena-
ders you rarely see any extrayagance now and
then, it is true, may be seen a very costly VIC
torine, hat or shawl, but the proportion of such
is very small as compared to the great number.
1t is true that you rarely see ladies of ton and
fashion upon even Broadway; they mostly ride
IN carriages but you see them at the resorts
for fashionable shopping, as they alight from
their carriages and go up and down the street
hunting out something to supply the void of
" Nothing to Wear" and to be able to say that
they have something to wear" It is but rare
indeed, if my small observation be any criteri-
on, that you see the Flora MeFlimseys upon
upon the street or upon a shopping excursion,
and conclude therefore that the race will soon
die out, or that they have all become so much
Frenchified as to be able TO control the laws of
nature so that few if any are "born into this
breathing world" OF course would not have
it understood that the fair daughters of New
York are neglectful of dress If they failed to
dress elegantly, tastefully and richly, it would
De al III puIdllOn u pOH LneI nuSDanQS, broth
eTs and fathers, who ale making fortunes almost
daily-at least those engaged in the commercial
and money matters of the city But a woman
of sense knows how, when and where to dress,
and of such l believe are the ladies' of New
York
There is one peeuliarity of dress which
struck me as so singular that cannot fail to
notice it. That is the bonnet or hat. Now I
supposed, being utilitarian, that the hat was
made for some servIee-was made to protect
the head from the cold or the storm, or some
thing of that kind but my suggestions are
all at fault 1t is no such thing-and the hat
is never worn for any such purpose. A hat is
thing to stick upon the shoulders and to stand
up or hang thereon, back of the head. The
truly fashionable hat at its highest point rises to
a level with self esteem, and comes no farther
forward. The Hat as now worn is very use
less affair; it has neither beauty, comeliness,
grace, taste, nor utility to recommend it.
Crinoline is as expansive as ever. Not one
inch has it receded from its former broad posi-
tion, and it still continues its banners on the
outer wall. There let it remain: for who does
not admire walking pyramid.
The ladies Of New York are generally very
beautiful-the most beautiful of women.
have no doubt they will compare iavorably with
the ladies of any city, state or country.
Truly yours, JUNIUS, JR.