Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-02-11
Concerning Beauty I'm washington.


Correspondencs Cincinnati Enquirer
You must go from home to hear the
news, they say, and if you want to know
all about the beauty and the fashion with
which Washington is filled during the
season." you must look in the newspa-
pers published few hundred miles from
here. You may find it in Forneys
Chronicle, but that is no newspaper at
ali. Its name should be changed to the
Unlimited Pafer But the New York
papers come here every night laden with
glowing accounts of the receptions of the
previous evening-what the charming
Mrs. Thing-a.bob wore, and how beautiful
she looked : and how the lovely and ac-
compished Miss So-and-so was the cyno-
sure Of all eyes. From all of which we
would think the array was perfectly daz-
zling, and wonder how any bach
elor could manage to behold it oil and
keen his senses. Now, l do not profess
70 be a judge of female beauty, aud l
acknowledge utter ignorance of those
toilet and millinery mysteries which enter
so largely into the makeup of the per
feet woman. nobly planned" " for court
shin. flirting and command. Anxious to
test the truth of all had read and heard
about the beauty and the loveliness OF
the Washington receptions, ! secured the
services of connoisseuri IN sneh matters,
and quite a susceptible young man
withal, and together we made the rounds,
about q week ago We went everywhere
we plunged IN medias res-into the
verv center of all the "gslsxies of
beauty" had no idea that my friend
would come out with q whole heart. Bat
he aid; and when at the nlose of the ex-
nedition asked him if he hadn't been
impressed, he irreverently said, mot
d--n bit. :, =,
The fact is, the "stock company"-if
7 NAV 40 call it-of Washington fashion
is a magnificent array OF beJeweled
homeliness. You will, however, tind OF
every reception o few ''stars"-real gems
of female besuiy-bnt they ere here Tor
few nights only" They come.
mostly. from the West; and Cincinnati
lust now furnishes few of them. There
are seldom more than four beauties IN
Washington at a time-apa lest be con-
siSered a "brute" for this assertion, l
hereby. declare that every lady Who READS
This and visits Washington is one OF the
feur deliberately meant. confess,
however. that I cant bring myself to
roint of admiration for the stock COM
pany.' Though net . Judge, OF beauty,
4 can tell the want Of 1t Hilo Oh ana
-tbocgh On ignoramBs on toiIsts I can
sas;lv detect struggle between age and
ars--that desperate effort to smooth the
wrinkles Of years, and fill up the burrows
Of Time the ruthless ploughmer.
After be has passed over with
bis iuexorable sub-soiler you may
follow with harrows and rollers, eua
no end Of implements and srtiEces, but
vou can't restore the beautiful freshness
of the unsurned sod. Aud SO the stock
cos,usny {" looks ell the worse for this
desuerate contest, and resorts 70 dla-
monda and low-uecked dresses. and pow
dsrs. and kaow not what else. But "a
ture has not been Gsmorallzed BY the waf,
and will not yield 70 Rhoddy. And thus
n happens that the largest dazzle they
can eet up 10 Washington fats far ssort
RI henusy and grace and elegsnes OF the
ouietest ond most uupretantioEs huls
sooiaI Gathering 10 one OF the snail
towns Of o bio and Indiana-vhere Ponoe
de Locus fabled fountain Of perpetual
vo uth is not sosgbt after, or believed in;
ana. scarce dssired--skere youth aud
beauty travel hand in baud all they
silently merge iuioca srEeefsl sna %,
maturity, aud were Toe
q rot selected es tee oD}
Ionic of cSsTsrsssion with which 81 may
be supposed familiaL MACE