River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-07-10
NEW YORK WOMEN.
Their Distinctive Quality ofTaste and styI

The New YORK woman, says IA writer
IN the american queen, can scarcely be
mistaken by close observer, who has
travelled for a woman from New Eng
land, from the South or the West, or from
any other capital Of the Atlantic seaboard
1t may not be easy for him who recog-
nizes her at a glance to say in words why
he recognized her; but he feels as sure
of her habitat as if she was covered from
head to foot with labels of the metropolis.
If he be imaginative, he pereeives in her
face something of the brightness of Goth
ans skies, the broad sweep of the Hud-
son in her motion, the easy indifference
of the great city in her poise, the self
confidence OF her giving out of the bust
ling centre of the western world, the
breezy, bracing quality of the sea air in
her figure and her gait. Hers is famil-
iar form in all lands, for no woman is
such wanderer as she, and whenever
found she is discernible. Her com
patriot, sailing up the Nile and nearing
the second cataracts, gets a glimpse of
her as the descending daabeeah passes
him in the moonlight; but the glimpse
is sufficient. He has probably never
seen her before, but she is revealed to
him in flash as the sister of the
woman he had admired on the Fifth ave
nue. promenade or driving in the Contra
park. Climbing the Pyramids, he de
tects In tie graceful, springy foot lifted
| alluringly above him petal kinship to
the feet he remembers as twinkling in the
waltz at the academy balls. The femi-
nine New YorSer stands not apart by any
| extraordinary comeliness. is apt to
be pretty-very pretty; but tins is fault
she shares with all her country women.
She shines by making the most of herself
not by hiding, but by helping nature.
She is artistic, not artificial; ste is esthet-
ic, not foolish. With given amount of
beauty perhaps, she can appear more
beautiful than any of her American sis
tiers not more bounteously blessed. She
possesses taste in ample measure she
studies effect; understands harmonies
has cunning perceptions of
tone. When she Is well dressed
she knows it, and nobody can
shake her conviction of the fact Then
is she as certain of herself as trough she
were a demonstrated theorem in Fuel id
and she can walk down a crowded and
critical drawing groom without haunting
thought of her acceptability. Style is
incentestably hers. Even when plain,
this sets her off, and renders her more at
tractve often than is the pretty woman
incapable of improving opportunities
The style of the New York woman has
penetrated to far-off lands, has been wit
messed and approved by Brahmin and
Buddhist, by MOslem and Parsee. 1t is
the style of mind and manner, not less
than of person and attire; it is instinct,
tact, breeding, perfect courtesy, as well
as graceful lines and fitting shades of
color. The New York woman has self
confidence, and from this, and from UNI
Outstanding of her range, she keeps with
in her proper sphere, and charms at once
10y her TnLuftT0ns and her intelligence.
Accustomed to triumphs, she does not
mar them by assumption. She receives
becomingly what is her right, and proves
herself one of the numberless unspoiled
darings of the great republic