The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-11-07
NEW YORK SOCIETY.
A New York letter.writer saws:

New L ork letterwriter says: .l.s
New York society is home from tho seaside
and the mountains, and now delights in exhib-
iting itself on Broadway, at tho opera ard on
the gay courses of the Central Park. Fashion
and extravaganza run pell nlell from the Metro
politan to Harlem, and vie for the palm OF folly.
New York was once staid and sober city, but
the period of its sobrety is almost. past tho re-
collection of the mythical "o6est inhabitant,"
aud every one who can afford tho luxury Of
fashion, now runs. madly into the very excess
and frenzy of wild extravaSance. business Is
prosperous; money is abundant; places of amuse-
ment fourishing; morals are $3.50, and the
appetite for excitement, healthful or baneful,
seems to be almost Unsuitable Churches are
moderately attended; theatres are literally pat
roaized; the Academy Of Music is nightly
thronged; prestdiSitation and zompilaerostation
are admired aud wondered at, aEd the Central
Park is daily crowGe with fast youag men, aud
equally rapid young ladies', who sport Grecian
curs, and delight'in showing the metropolitan
world, how admirably they can "handle the
ribbons"
The variety of equpages which one can soc
any pleasant afternoon on the Central Park
drives, might we'll astonsh the uniu t'ated, and
excite envy even in the breasts of the nobility
--"those pampered children Of luxury'--as our
severe moral writers generally express it. We
have got far beyond the age Of family carriages,
barouches, carryalls, r0ckav ays, gigs, light
wagons, and other antiquated vehicles, and our
fair ones now loll in the luxuriant recesSes of
equipages which surpass in magnifcence any
two-wheeled or four wheeled turnout ever seen
in this world or the old one The new styles
have names-at least new on this side of
the Atlantic The fsvories this season are, the
Victoria. the London Clarence, the Landau, the
Phaton, the Brougham, the Drag, the dog Cart,
the Basket Wagon, and the Caleche. Thou
sands Of these vehicles whirl and glide through
the Park every pleasant hour, bearing their
powdered and perfumed freight Of flushed
checks, flashing, merry eyes, black brown and
auburn hair, arranged in waterfalls or la
Greequc, plump little bodies, aud much millinery
whereof your correspondent is not qualified 10
speak -
The rage for fast horses and fancy vehicles,
which was formerly confined to male circles, has
extended to the drawing room and d'boudoir, aud
young ladies nov 'talk horse" with nearly as
much gusto as their fathers and brothers did five
years ago Last summer some of our New York
ladies astoiished the quiet folk at the watering
places by taking the rens and trying the mettle
of their animals.a after The most approved Fashion
Course STYLE They were so charmed with the
excitement of fast trotting, that they brought
the whip penchant home with them, and now
indulge it in the face of fashion and the world
of the Central Indeed, most fashionable
young ladies' are becoming renowned for their
expertness at the reins, aud it is not by any
means uncommon to Watrons Of fifty flying
along behind pair Of three-minutes greys or
blacks.
Some of the cquipages displayed at the Park
this season are worth twenty thousand dollars,
and few of them cost less than FIVE thousand -
Park horses are frequently more priced for their
style than their speed, especially those driven
by the ladies.