The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-20
Literature and Gossip.

Alhambra' very naturally asks why
she should be forbidden to wear as too
indecent for the stage the cast off dress
es which have done service for ladies of
title in society," 1 too am puzzled TO
understand how any modest woman
can bring herself to wear before stran-
gers such scant apology for clothing
as she would blush to appear in at
home, where none but the eye of hus-
band, father, or brother would rest
upon her; and one is constrained to
ask, what is society drifting to in this
vicious aping of the demi-monde?
Shall we suffer the indecencies and lax
morality OF the days of Charles II. to
supercede those decorous habits which,
happily, have prevailed during the
present reign? have before me copy
of last weeks Illustrated Times, in
which is a very lively illustration OF
evening dresses for winter The ladies
in the picture obligingly exhibit, uncov-
cred, breadth and depth of the back
which, in civilized life, it might be sup
posed. would never be revealed, but by
the exigencies of the toilet, and such a
display of the neck and bosom as the
most passionate admirer of the human
form divine could reasonably wish to
see. The arms and shoulders are ex-
hibited with a prodigality chastened
only by narrow strip of lace assumed
" OC SuL4CAchb 70 pIeNSHl Eu6 UEHSS
from slipping of the body IN toto. 1t
may be said that none but base minds
will see any impropriety in adopting a
style of dress dictated by fashion, since
to the pure all things are pure.' But,
unhappily, we are not all pure, and
even assuming that purity of thought
predominated among men, there must
always be in mixed assembiages leav-
ening ofthe Old Adam, which the pres
ent Eve-like simplicity of evening dress
is not calculated to repel or snbdue into
respect. Pal Mall Gazette.
APoTHEsMs AND REPARTEEs are
sometimes important items in CONVEX
sation. The wise man tells us that ga
word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
in pictures of silver" How often is il
the case that a man throws his whole
character into single speech, as when
Caesar said he had rather be the first
man in village than the second at
Rome. What beautiful testimony
unconsciously give to his own
bland and genial character, when
he said that he was never in
suited but once in his life, and that was
by drunken man. How completely
did King William III. reveal his max
inns of government, when, being told
there was man in England that was
ready to die martyrif he had chance:
81 am determined" )" said the King, sin
my reign, he shall never have a chance
Or when Louis XIV. was pouring his
victorious troops into Holland, and the
Dutch were repeatedly defeated, the
patriot king said: One thing we can do,
and that is to die in the last ditch. The
speech of John Adams when he return
ed from England, and learned, after the
formation of the constitution, that
Washington was nominated for Presi-
dent, indicated both Washington's char
acter and his own. He at first seemed a
little disappointed that the warrior had
overtopped the statesman; but finally
recovering and consoling himself. said:
well, Washington always knew how
to keep his mouth shut" The shrewd
farmer in Newbury made something of
a characteristic speech. When the news
ofpeace with Great Britain came in 1915.
and the whole country was intoxica-
ted with joy, he said, stroking his face:
81 am glad of the peace; but am sorry
sold my oats when did" Here we
learn two things: first, that oats were
rising, and second, that the mans pa
triotfsm, being weak in its origin, was
failing before the price.-ReU. DR.. Wtti-
in1tOn. \
DIsENCHANTMENT.-A young gentle
man of good family, past-master in the
craft of over-running the constable,
and renowned alike for the skill and
the perseverance he has evinced in Civ
ing his numerous creditors the slip,
ventured to attend brilliant masquer-
ade at the - Theatre, and was drawn
into an animated conversation with
graceful, soft-voiced domino, who ran
over the gamut of sentiment with equal
grace and spirit. The entretieu was
till the small hours. Enrap-
tured with his bonnie fortune, Herr Won
W hn lilo oil hnna1aSa1rv S,l lnE 4
men, had plenty of money to spend, per-
suaded the charming unknown to
share splendid supper, during which
he sought, and successfully, TO drown
her timidity in flood of champagne;
and at length, about sunrise, prevailed
chambers. leave my readers to i'm
agine his discontinue when, on alight-
ing from the 1dcre which conveyed his
prize to his door, she stood revealed as
IA sucking baliff, slender and beard
less, cunningly attired by an accom-
plished nsodiste. Escape was hopeless
the capture was duly effected, and the
ardent tadventnre-Seeker, in addition to
he humiliation of being outwitted by
his creditors, had to swallow the mortf-
tication of having regaled a juvenile
lint of the law with all the delicacies
of the season, and a good many out of
it.-VienHG Correspondent
THE QUEENS Coop MANNRRs.-A
peer, when dining with Queen Victoria,
was challenged by royal duchess to
take wine with her. He politely
thanked her, but declined the compii-
ment, stating that he never took wine.
The duchess Immediately turned to the
Queen, and jocularly said: "PIease,
your majesty, here is Lord -, who
declines to take wine at your majesty's
table," Every eye was turned to the
Queen, and not little curiosity was
evinced as to the manner in which the
abstainer would be dealt with. With
smiling and graceful expression, the
Queen replied: "There is no compul-
sion at my table," The story is COM
municated to newspaper by one of
the guests.
A GORGEOUS FETE.-A correspon-
dent asks: "Could you guess who has
given the most magnificent Eete of the
season thus far in Paris? A distin-
guished member of the Aspasian sister
hood. In a gorgeously furnished
house, situated in the Champs Elysees,
she, a few nights back, received be-
tween two hundred and three hundred
persons at ball-the men belonging to
the highest families, or occupying the
foremost places in France; the women,
young and pretty Tor with pretentions
to both), with dresses which, for mag
nifcence, must have realized the Wild
est dreams of womankind, and with
diamonds that for number and SPLEEN
dor could with difficulty be exceeded
by those offs saloon full of princesses.
After these folks had amused them
selves with dancing and flirting, the
ball was broken up, and all retired, ex-