Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-09-13
Vivid Picture Of Life.

What have become Of the red-heeled
shoes, the vast hoops, the brocades and
mountains of powdered hair, which no
/ lady could be seen without? La mere
guillotine has made a clean sweep of
| them all. The hoop has given place to
the swinging robe of Greek statuary,
which now scarcely wells the form it
drapes; q tunic of white cashmere,
| loOped to one knee by a cameo, only
half covers the neck and shoulders;
beneath the bosom it is confined by
celnture of gold or brass; the bare arms
are-clasPed by antique bracelets; above
the white tunlc is worn another Of
scarlet; busklns inelose the legs, Roman
sandals have taken the place of red.
| heeled shoes, and the naked toes are
encircled by rings of gold and precious
stones. The hair is gathered in a snood.
and is of different color to the COM
pIexion. in imitation of the ladies of
ancient Rome. The men sometimes on
public occasions also don the classic
dress, and appear in tunic and toga but
the costume most affected by the jeun-
esse doree is that of the ineroyable,
strikingly contrasting in its grotesque
hldeousness with the graceful beauty Of
that of the other sex It consists Of a
narrow-skirted coat with high collar
| that reaches nearly to the top Of the
head; a huge cravat, half coneeaiing
Jaws and chin; a short waistcoat, nam
keen breeches with punches of ribbons
at the knees, silk stockings, or boots
with buff tops, bunch Of seals and
trinkets hanging from the breeehes
pocket to the knee; the hair plated or
gathered into queue, and rings In the
ears. The Spartan plainness OF manner
which Robespierre worked to bring into
fashion has disappeared with the Con-
Tention; and the incroyabIe, who never
pronounees the letter r. is a far more
Objectionable fop than the aristOerat Of
| the ancient regime. Mingled with these
exquisites are few dark figures Of the
old Jacobins, coarsely and uncleanly
clad, by atfectations; men who froWn
upon these fopperies, and wish the DAYS
of Ia Terreur back again that they might
consign these sham aristocrats to the
same fate as the real ones. Between
these and the jeunesse doree there is
deadly hatred. The furniture Of the
rooms is as classical as the ladies'; the
satins and gildings, and mirrors Of Louis
QuatorZe and Louis QuinZe have given
place to Pompeian decorations; beds,
couches, urns, lamps, bronzes-al are
classic, Literature is all but extinct
odes to Liberty and limitations of the
Greek alone obtain favor; everybody
has had enough of philosophy-at least
in books. 1t is dancing which is now
the all-absorbing rage; and instead Of
Rousseau, Voltaire and DideFot-y yestris,
Trenis, Gardel, the maiFes-de-danse,
are now the ruling spirits of the saloons.
The moment they enter, an eager and
admiring crowd gathers round to do
them homage; then a ring is formed,
and these cynosures proceed to execute
a series of marvellous and intricate
figures, which the bystanders applaud
with the most fervid enthusiasm. After
a time all the company join in the dance;
the ladies take the Bacchantes for their
model, now moving through the figures
with dreamy, yoluptuous languor, now
all fire and animation; with the light
cashmere shawl that is thrown across
their shoulders, and the graceful move
ments of their arms, they strike series
of picturesque tableaUx, such as are now
only seen in the opera ballet. With true
French instinct they make a fashion
even out of the guillotine. There are
what are called les balls des vietimes, to
which no person is admitted who has
not lost.a relative by Ia Tereur, and
whose distinguishing mark must be q
band of Grape WON round the arm The
moral system which the ladies and
gentlemen of the days of Louis QuinZe
preached is now in practice. Marriage
is contract which can be dissolved i'm
mediately at the viii of the parties con-
cerned; women still young have already
had three husbands; the Christian reilg:
ION is banned by law, and instead o.
Sunday, every tenth day Is set apaFt as
holiday.-BeIgraVe.