The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-11-20
A SCENE In THE BOIS.

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Great Partisan Park,
The costumes that are worn on the Bois
de Boulogne are something simply gorgeous.
One can imagine them blazing under the
chandeliers of ball room, but in the broad
sunlight with no other background than
carriage robes, the effect is startling. Red
velvet dresses, flounced white lace and hats
of velvet, with floating plumes, are not un-
common. Blue, green, pink and old gold
hold high carnival. Yet among these the
most startling saw was toilet OF pure
white. The wearer was an artificial blonde.
Heaven and her maid only knows what her
natural hair and complexion are; but on this
occasion it was mingling of cleaning yellow
tresses, snowy skin, coral lips and sombre
dark eyes, set off by a flowing robe of heavy
white velvet, almost covered with white lace
and swansdown, pearl jewelry, hat that
consisted of nothing but long white feather
that hardly shaded the lustre of her hair;
her hands were covered with long white
gloves, and her feet, shod in snowy kid,
rested on a white bearskin. The open car
riage in which she lolled was lined with
dark blue, and drawn by two fine white
horses. This vision in snow and gold is one
of the Cora Pearls of Paris. Then comes a
tinkling of silver bells, and we see little
old man, with long gray beard and red
cap, seated in fairy little wagon, and driv-
ing tandem fashion three small ponies
that are in curious harmony with the
driver. They are little and round and gray,
with long, bushy names and wise faces
around their necks collars of silver bells that
keep up a musical sound. Behind the wa
gon ran couple of real Russian hounds,
and my surmise is correct. The little man
is Russian. rich, old and spending his
money in Paris.
But am told must wait until / see la
belle Russo, and l wait, but meantime watch
the other turnouts that are rushing along
Among them comes an equipage fit to figure
in fairy tale. 1t consists of little coupe
drawn by two tiny ponies, plump and as
brown as chestnuts. They are no bigger
than Newfoundland dogs, and as mischiev-
Gus as puppies, and seem to think it great
fun to trot alongside the big horses, who
would take them down at mouthful. In
the coupe was Cinderella and her fairy
grandmother, and back of them, perched on
a high seat, an imp--or, to be more explicit,
/ saw a young girl not bit over seventeen.
/ think German, but at any rate she made
one think of sweet -brier, and morning glor-
les and peach blossoms, and everything en-
chantingly modest and lovely. The natural
bloom and delicate coloring of her face, the
soft braids of golden hair, looped up under
q coquettish, but most demurely So little
bonnet, the tender blue of her eyes, height
ened by the costume of cashmere of the same
color, the sweetness of her smile and thes shy
pleasure she took in the gay scene, made
picture worth hanging on memory's wall.
She drove with a gentle but steady hand the
frolicsome little steeds, and listened to the
mite of an old lady behind her, who chat
tered away vivaciously. Behind sat the
tiger, a small Nubian, black as the ace of
spades, with the face of a monkey, and clad
in livery glittering with gold buttons.
Towering over our fairy equipage came
span of bay horses drawing a carriage of
dark blue, in which sat lady with fine
arlstocratic face and graceful figure attired
in black velvet. She was accompanied by
dark and Spanish-looking gentleman, and
the couple were pointed out to me as the
Count and Countess de Charter. There was
nothing especially startling about their
turnout, except that instead of driver on
the seat the horses were managed by an out
rider, dressed jockey fashion in brilliant
blue and silver and mounted on the nigh
horse. What queer things one sees on
tne DOlS ue DOuiOSne An African came
along dressed like prince, and with
diamonds on his shirt front and fingers that
would buy kingdom He reined up to the
sidewalk to throw gold piece to one Of
those poor deformities who haunt the streets
of Paris. Then came fashy barouche. 1t
held two men and two women; they had
evidently dined and drank much wine.
They were laughing loudly and betting
One of them, a snowy brunette, lost. Her
companion, man about town, demanded she
should pay; and, shocking to relate without
hesitation she caught up her dress of green
brocade and whipped off a jewelled garter,
amidst exclamations and jeers, and threw it
to him. He clasped the affair of gilt and
brilliancy round his neck like dog collar
A Chinese mandarin came along in hired
carriage. His dress and bearing proclaimed
his rank. Suddenly cocotte leaned from
voiture and threw rose in his face with
meaning smile. lie drew himself up with
the insulted dignity of an emperor, and l
am sure he would have had the woman's
head cut off if he could.