Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-12
SPRING IN LONDON.
Scenes In Hyde Park.

From the n. 7. Sun.
LONDON, March 23.-The few halcyon days
which have deluded the present generation into
believing that spring exists, and that it can look
like what 1t never is, have filled the park as it
rarely is even at the height of the season There
is a dril-like, almost automatic precision in the
man9uvres of Hyde Park. Each hour Of the
day is sacred to particular form of parade
duty, and it is absolutely impossible to shorten
or transpose the allotted time. To be seen
driving when you should be riding, or to be
seen at all except within the lines and in
trenchments of the camp of fashion. is to vote
yourself nobody. You at once become repro
bate, an outlaw, compared to whom the exile
in Siberian mines is cheerful member of So
ciety.
Leaving alone the early hours, the pride of
the morning. when babies, perambulators and
nurses combine exercise and amusement by
rather circumscribed and unhauowed march
past the Horse Guards, and where accidents
invariably happen in front of the sentry boxes
which necessitate heightened stoppage before
the tall soldier, We reach IL O'Clock. Hundreds
of equestrians flock into Rotten Row every
forenoon emerging on all sides, and thronging
the space between ''the Corner" and Reming-
ton Garden gates. They never swerve nor
wander into other paths; they pace the con-
sCheioHol tItsauultu Will the same regularity
as the blinded mule of Spanish nora: and
they never seem to weary Of the daily routine
They are all there. The little shapeless ANA
ION of five on her shaggy Shetland. with long
hair nearly touching the pony's back and riding
close to the tall carriage horse and the protec-
ton OF the old coachnan; the mature and
equally shapeless matron who takes her morning
canter instead of Banting. Behind these that
well-known, invariable. inimitable British sill
houette OF the square-shOuldered, white-haired.
gray-whiskered gentleman of sixty; pOrtly is
the adjective which becomes him SO well. There
is so much of the rudy vintage lingering in his
cheeks; he rides either large gray horse or a
tat cob, and may be minister. banker. or a
railway director. II he is shabbily dressed,
he may be lord; in which case the
groom who follows him rides by far the
better horse of the two, for it is considered
supreme good taste to seem careless of horse
flesh when ones stables are full. All the young
men are very much alike in appearance, but
they affect divers styles. The langud ones
rarely go out of walk; also those who hire
tneir horses, as they are never quite sure of
them. Those who own no racing horses gener-
ally look like jockeys in private life, and sit if
the park were course and they had tremen-
dOus jumps in front of them when they reach
the end of the row and wheel round they just
casually glance right and left. shorten their
stirrups and seem to say: This is the way l
should do it if l ever did it," Their hair is cut
very Short their trousers are maryels of tight
ness and their ties are so white that they
almost appear to have been forgotten. They do
not associate with other equestrians. nor talk
TO ladies'. They occasionally stop at the ratings
to exchange few clipped words with kindred
spirits who derive infinite soace from sucking
canes that look Ike whips. or whips that look
like canes. If you see these very noisy young
men on foot afterward they strike you as very
meek, awkward, and speeches.. They do not
commit themselves in words even on their
favorite amusement. but still they carry out the
national idea of outdoor exercise and healthy
enjoyment
The women still wear those very short and
peculiarly ungraceful habits which no perfection
of fit can render graceful to a short girl riding
tall horse; she displays her foot. and beneath it
the saddle girths, and has the effect of being out
of all proportion More low. round hats are
seen now than of yOre. when it was considered
mot the thing" to be seen in any except mans
hat. Dark green is the prevailing color. 1t is
a pretty cOnceit to say that all English women
ride well; many do. of course, but some are GER
talnly not to the saddle born. and their bearing
on the reins is cruelty to the horses mouth
Sometimes batch of six or seven girls come
flying past, palpably escorted by a jaunty riding
master, and they scatter all before them in their
headlOng charge. Many try the rails. and dis
play pretty feats Of Craftsmanship for the benefit
of the bystanders. Those are generally unat-
tended save by groom.
The delusive summer sunshine filled the side
alleys with pedestrians. and a motley crowd
they were Sables and muffs josted narasols
and spring bOnnets; some were in winter man
ties, others in June costumes. N.B.-June. i'm
the almanac is a summer month; in London,
June is sometimes not so cold as Christmas
and occasionally almost genial The prevail
ing fashion for ladies is to wear sash with
dress attached; at least there is every reason to
believe that a skirt turks somewhere beneath
those huge bows and loops and ends, but it
cannot be proved. Every now and then wO-
man passes, or one passes her as she sits on
chair alone. She seems faultlessly dressed
and is generally young and good looking. But
there is je sails quot an inch too much i'm the
long tan gloves, glitter of gold where none
should show. shade of terra Gotta in the friz-
zled halr an extra frill on the skirt which ex-
plain why other women look at her out of the
corner Of their eyes, and men stare at her so
squarely. Beauty. regret to say, also distinc-
ton, and especially good carriage, are scarce
both among those who ride to be looked at and
those who come in order to be seen.
When the clock on the Park lodge points to l.
pedestrians and equestrians vanish like light
ming. A few fleet moments and the Row is
sllented and deserted. The Park remains empty
till 5, when the carriages have their hour, and
the fairy gOdmOthers wand is changed the
pumpkins into coaches instead of the rats into