New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-10
SOCIAL SIL1iOUETTES.
ur,sa THE rurarasioSs og ma MARX MAN
HAITIAN
VII
puF LADY WHO GROWS OLD uNukACE'
FULLY.

,,ard She WAS nj all Tunes the pink of hgh-breed-
ins Even her little ulrnessos and crneltes were
done without touch of vulgarity. ] sometimes
think that she has been the most purcly successful
woman Of society that New-(ork has over known
Gifted with neat acute w.t. with grace, vivac-
nv ssiBroliare quite irresistible, and with some
thing 80 nearly approaching absolute beauty tha'
its defects took an actual charm on this account
lydia Chichester must have been well equippea aS
n girl to shine in the world of caste ana iashon'
Asa q,rl never Incw her; rs a woman have ad-
mired and almost loved her. And for two or tnrco
wears after our acquaintance had become 'riehu-
shin, used to marvel at the way in which Sho CON
triyed IN blend the girl and the woman. >" subtle
in tr,tb was this conjunction that you c0nid not
Tell yherc the one ended and the other began. Ii
il were a question of chapcronage, OF qulet sen
assertion of super;ntendence over some charI'"olo
ladies' committee. Mrs. CrOton Nyack was very APT
40 he both called and chosen. If il were question
of dancing the german. of being enthroned on
drag of dining riding. driving or lawn-tennis play
ING. the result was similar. She enjoyed all the
privileges and dignitics Of matronhood aud all the
gallant favors ana compliments which maidenhood
50 prizes.
Her Go,re was slender her movements were har-
monv itself. her hauds were white and beautiful
She made all her steps aud gestures brlskiy; nor
small trmsho foot seemed TO strike the hoor with
n delicate decision and assertion. She spoke Win
speed too for her ideas flowed rapidly. and their
o, ,ress,on was an unconscious and often an ex-
tremey winning process. She had no ahectations
no miaaudciss; her alert eyed, .sheathing bright
gray eve could not have languIshed or futtered
There was something crisp and cloan-cut about her
personality; | nave known lays in early autumn
that reminded me of her, with their sharp yet
tender outlines of foliage their mPid skies. their
swift. fresh breezes In all things she was tho re-
verse of inactive, langud or dubious. Iest, vigor
energy had a secure home in her capable mimi, her
supple agile frame. And yet the needed repose OF
dencanOr aud action was never unpoasahtIf aD-
sent | have never seen such viyacity. such plia-
bility weddod TO secure an ctioct 0i sell
possession aud easy elegance. II lmyo Sketched
Mrs Kynck with ANYTHING like Clearnoss. IL viii bo
granted that she must have promptly conveyed to
nh observer the impression of distinct Il not ct-
trepc youth.
Aud yet when frat met her she had passed her
thirty ninth year yun might easily have taken
nor for Hyo.and-twcnty. ! don't know what abe
did io her wrinkles, | am eufo that she did not
paint powder them. am doubtful. indeed, II
The most minute ones Ind set begun 60 trouble her
She had married Cfot0n Nyaok iwho was by IN
heritnnce twice OF thrice n milonnairc ot the no"
OF about one aud twenty. single child had been
born Of their union, gifl. named Natalie. Natalie
".
timid manner not tilho of her mothers brains,
aud almost tho image OF her lazy. blond. gentle
manly papa Lydia Nyaok had not married hap
p,ly II she had lOyol her husband on her we'd
dina-dy she was wholly indifferent to hiin now
They lived about as much apart from one another
M husband and WIFE, not legally separated. can live
Cfpton had 10y no means the reputation oi c"ninRal
fidelity. iifty scandals had been Sct nlOat CON
corning ln some OF them dnubteA W. affani inlHo'
hoods us gossip md rumof know how 20 coin. lilo
had his yachts his htablos of bloodod horses. hs
coaching interoats hts racing intofoAts. his hundred
aud one plcasuraho distractions. Mira NSack mover
showed tho slightest concern IN his goingn aud
comings. Whom they appeared publicly together
they seemed 10 be tho most amicable terms. Hat
she never made the least reference Ia her mariino
NAL life She herself had always been the soul OF |
decoIum. Her friendships with mon had ncFoT oven |
lapsed into limitations. however mild. She had |
locked the key al sentiment of this sort, and
hid It an eternal farewell. think that was why |
she stood so unassaillbly high with her countless
friends Her powers of entertainment were almost |
prinoey aud she was forever lavlshing them upon |
society: she had two three superb country homes
and one noble mansion Fifth Ayennc where |
service was a positively III al matter and the hue /
things that can be done with great wealth aptly and
deity managed shown in a most brilliant yet !
unglarng way II the past bad dealt her wounds |
she gave sign of them now. lior husbands |
follies had been accepted with philosophy II was |
hard to imagine her moi accepting any reverse with
philosophy and good solse
During the winter OF Natalies entrance into
society | was a good deal at Mrs. Nyacks house.
She scarcely ever diucd at home without three or
four guests. | had always liked Natalie hyack. and
had enjoyed her timd little expressions of nervous
ness and disrus regarding the great balls at which
She must soon appear.
"Natalie is not bit like YOU" SAID to her
mother one evening.
Mrs. Nyack shrugged her shoulders. "You are
quite right She is her fathers own daughter. But
can't think why she should dread to 90 into
society She will be very vol lancGO l shall make
her coming-out ball very pretty affair
= Che made it truly magnificent affair. The spa
oiOus drawing rooms deoked with the cOstliest
flowers wherever such adOrnmcnt possible
Natae's timidity visibly lessened the evening
wore on. | saw that she had begun to drink and
relish the rim capitrac Of the lattery and attention
which met her on side
But her mother was by means in good spirits
Mrs. Nyack had scarcely referred more than once or
twice to the present ball and now perceived that
either the fcstyity itself, some event closely re
lated to IT, had affected her with an unwontcd
gloom 4 dullng aud depressing spell seemed to
have fallen upon her Old volatile gayetv. She WAS
still perfect a hostess; she still bore herself with
much Of tho former gonte. entcing cordialty. Per
haps my more familiar ana friendly eyes detected
the change where II escaped many othcrs. Just be-
fore tlic german began found chance of saying TO
her.
Natalie has quite conquered her bashfnlncss.
Md she looks Overwhelmingly pretty. In lct simple
white dress, with thoso big pearls Have you no.
Iiecd 20
"Oh. yos" replied Mis-. Nvack phc had done ne
HE honor of asking mo to lead the ootillon that
evening. with her daughter Shall yon brgm
presently r she went on