The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-12-01

~ a1D FL FtlLE W hEAUTI
THE DRESSES n THEIR
The LADY correspondent Of the Cincinnati
Gazette writes thus of the card reception at
the White House on the 18th: You certainly
viii excuse me if 1 dispute the word of the
combined journalistic craft, and declare Mrs.
Fred. Grant no beauty whateverl Her COM
plexion is dark, unrelieved by color, and
her features irregular. But she certainly
has a petite, prettily nodded figure. and is
stylish to an enviable degree, but she is not
pretty. I met the youthful pair ont walk
ing a few days ago, and let mo describe the
brides appearance lof course the groom
lOoked as usually She was dressed in : suit
OF Requisite hyacinth shade OF silk, trimmed
with bands of shaded gray ostrich tips: her
nat matched the suit. and was trimmed
with the same shade of plumes. Her
hair was parted on one side, and her
tout ensemble wss finished and stylish.
The friend with whom 1 wss walking
exclaimed, after the couple bad passed:
THAT Mrs. Fred. Grant? I thought she
was a beautyi' Col. Fred. seems very
proud OF his treasure, and does some OF the
most absurd things occasionally. Passing
bank the other day, in company with his
~cOnsort, ne turned suddenly around, rushed
his bewildered better half into the dingy
darkness of the rooms devoted to Mammon.
and forthwith introduced her, in the
pIOuues manner, 10 q couple OF his banker
friends. Then started out sgain, and
Meeting with a sportsman who had fire.
quently accompanied parties Of young men
with dogs, etc, on their hunting expedi-
tons, called him up TO be introduced 20 this
wonderful little woman on his arm. TUES
day evening a card reception was held at the
White House from 8 sntil IL O'Clock, At
which Mrs. Fred Grant was formally pre-
scented to the Washington beau monde.
The hundred invitations issued included the
celebrities 0i ihe army, navy, official, and
civil life. The bride received in her we'd
ding dress OF white satin, so prOfusely Gov
cred with exquisite point lace that the satin
was only observable here and there as il
glimmered itself into recognition through
some kindly interstices. Der ornaments
were
MAGNIFICENT DIAMONDS.
The ladies all seemed TO vie with each
other in the freshness and elegance of their
~toile,tes, as if desirous that the youthful bride
should not outdo them in costly array. One
beautiful dress was of garnet satin, with
the flmiest web of Duchess lace for fchu.
overdress, and iounces, the accompanying
| ornaments being d almonds and garnets.
Another dress of Partisan finish, was 4
dainty fiesh-colOred silk, rich self, and heavy;
trimmed with every blending shade down to
deepest mahogany color. a sweet debutante
wore a silvery white pena trimmed with
clusters of the pale lemon colored tea
roses (Marshal Ney) Another young faVO-
rite wore a pale blue silk dress, with a trans
parent gaze de cbamberv OVerdreSS, in which
diamond raised figures of q darker hue gave
a changeable, wave like appearance to the
whole. It was caught up by Struggling vines
of pink. hued wild roses thrown carelessly
here and there. Another lovely girl wore
a chaste China crepe Of creamy Wilderness.
with delicate lilies OF theyalley peeping from
the slender green leaves, and trailing fra
gravity down the side. Another, still .worethe
rarest shade of pomegranate pink crepe,
with the trimmings fading of to
a faint flush tinge. But L must
mere descriptions of beautiful dresses.
The supper was a very fine one, and the
floral decorations quite pretty, bnt the
young people were f~earfully disappointed
when they discovered that dancing was out
of the question, as the crash covers to the
carpets had been forgotten, and their heavy.
yielding softness offered no inducements to
the eight fantastic toe" even though the
voice of the band went out in ravishing
wsltzes. But.then they made good all lost
opportunities at the Bachelors German last
evening, at which Mrs. Secretary Fish did
the digniied honOrs, and General Max
Woodruff led the German. His sister
MISS NELLIE, A D~EBUTANTE,
was much admired. on account of her eX-
quisitely graceful dancing, and was IN the
floor oftener than any other young lady
present. Such a regiment OF debutantes
are being marched into social gsyety this
winter to strive in the warfare for belledom
Thirty already out. aud some lodgings
waiting for a little later in the season. Four
commodore's daughters are already on the
roster. as we'll as several others, whose
fathers rank from admiral down. One Of
the four young ladies first mentioned Is
very accomplished and witty. although not
a beauty. She plsvs upon four different
musical instruments, and speaks italiaE.
German, and French with the ease Of her
mother tongue. Her mamma, however, has
lived so many years amid the effete c~ivlliza-
ton of the continent that she can not become
accustomed to the independence of our re-
publican girls. Her daughter is therefore
always attended by an old and trusty man
servant, who, if she walks, keeps at an or
derly's distance behind his young mistress,
following her as faithfully as her own
shadow. The young gentlemen are begin
ming to protest and declare the system Of
chaperonage as it already exists needs cur
tailed instead of augmented power. Another
debutante has very decided pretensions to
beauty. Her skin is of that olive clearDess
through which the blood delights to pene-
trate to the surface. Her eyes are dark, lus-
trous, and wide lidded; her hair a golden
brown-a 'new departure" for a brunette
and her teeth without a flaw. 1t is not
beauty alone that makes a belle; in fact, his
tory will bear me out when / say that many
of the most notedly fascinating women of
days gone by were decidedly ugly. It is
manner and mind, above matter and face.
So L shall carefully arrange my chime of
bellies, and bring out the characteristic tone
of each and all, and be careful not to strike
false notes. shall call those. pretty who
are really so, and others talented or accom-
plished, as the case may be.
Young man, you feel a superiority to the
whole human race, as you stand at the altar
with your fair young bride. You would not