The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-02-27
AN ELEGANT EPISTLE.
MISS MARY E. eulLLoT's LETTER
A Talented Texas Girl at the Exposition
She Gives Reconnoissance-T
Panorama of Sedan-rhe Pen
Picture the Better.

II
louisiana. "Summer Land" Is amusing,
considering the mist and rain we hmye /
been having here. New Orleans is a
capital parody on the sunny south. |
Sunbeams are the exception, not the
rule, this winter, and the most inehablv
Disguised people in the world are Wis
itOrs from the north and east, who came
here to revel in the eternal sunshine of
the tropics, and who have been chiefly
employed IN trying to keep dry, lin one
sense OF the world. But even under the
shadow of cloudy skies, "Little Paris
comes out with its beauties in bright re-
lief, with its long avenues of
orange trees, dropping low with
great gold fruit; its superb homes, with
their parks, their terraced balconies.
sweet with the tapestry Of vines and
flowers; its Spanish Fort and West
End, which even now, in midwinter,
show how beautiful they will be when
framed ia the Il wers and sunshine of
summer.
The brilliant carnival Is over. Posi-
bly, it was the most brilliant carnival
New Orleans ever saw. 1t was like the
fabulous pageants OF the heather gods
OF antiquity; there were myths from
Chinese seas, dolphins and tritons;
nvmphs ridingo on the waves OF tempest
uous oceans: mermaids playing in tho
spray of fountains; CupIds coming out
OF huge water-lilies, and whiting
twink!tng arrows at fair faces leaning
from thousand balconies. There were
scenes from HlndO mythology; gorgeous
pictures from the corals under the sea-.
and lurd, flaming tabeaux from tho
Inferno; and the Rex bali at Artillery
hall, was like a dream OF the Arabian
Nights. Beautiful women IN he
r.ilnaripnlU hrtlliapt
snowy arms and sculpturesoue
shoulders seen through the "half
concealing half disclosing" mist
of clOud-like laces, bright faces peeping
from blazing cOrOnets of diamonds,
dresses that seem made OF clouds and
rain-bows and sewed together with
moon beams,
This is a good place to study feminine
beauty. There are great many repre-
sentative types to DO seen on the streets,
at tho exposition and the theatres
First, there Is the spritely little French
woman, who wears everything with
such exquisite gOOl taste, whose every
movement, from the uprising of her
exquisite little hand to the toss of her
cOquettish head, is the embodiment of
grace, and who is absolutely irsstable
in the soft tiuts and cOloriug Of her
amazingly pretty dresses. ChOn there
is the "dOwn east" girl, who has possl-
bly, quoened IL at Long Branch or Cape
May for two or three seasons, and WHO
wears the conscious air of an empress.
IAen the western girl, who has a roll
licking good time, and doesn't care
whether school keeps IN or not" who
uirts in the excursion boats
drinks champaign at the cafes; and is
the life aud animation of every place.
Then we have the Mexican senOrta.
Who receives the homage of admiring
giances with naughty indifference, and
who, when her face In IN repOse, would
make glorious model for Cleopatra
Speaking Of glorious things, what
eyes these creole women have What
sublime depths of nobility, courage,
gentieness, subtlety and troachory they
reveal to as. Son poet has said 'rhe
eyes are the window glasses of the
SOUL and II IS very true of these superb
women. There every emotion, love;
hate, anger, all is mirrored in their
eyes as faithfully as stars are mirrorod
at sea.
With true Texan pride we think the
Texas exhibit IS the grandest ut the ex-
position. In fact it is conceded to far
surpass that Of the Southern and West
ern states, and 70 compare quite taYorg-
bly, with the Northern and Eastern
states, Major Elliot; has accomplished
wonders for Texas.
Among the foreign displays the
Mexican may rank first in extent and
variety, but In point of artistic excel
lenOe the French and Italian must claim
ihe precedence. There are statuesque
bronzes, statues III marble, terra Gotta
and brass that are exquisite in design
aud finish; Jewels set in the most fun
tsslic design, bits OF rainbow-cut crys-
tai, in tilmy gold, that outrival the brill
al, a obi Al
expert; venetian glassware, delicate as
air bubbles; cut-glass mirrors that peep
out like clear waters from wildernesses
Of flowers; costumes Of pUinie duChesSe
lace, with trains of ostrich feathers;
gr5Sl dinner parties OF dolls, dressed
In the court style OF Louis XIV, But ]
n ght, like Vounyson's brook, Ego on
forever" if did not stop.
There is q glorious painting here, the
"B1ttIe ot Ssdau,n n triumph Of pap0
rRmiC art covering 10000 square tee
OF canvass, and costing 100000
The great battle that ended
the second empire, and mad
Franco a republic, is here repre-
scented with sublime realism, Sedar
aud It's suburb, Tsrcy, is surrounded by
eGrth-works, and UHhind thom the
French artillery is showeriug missiles
on the attacking Germans. no the cas-
hAAf lAaAllfN vi tAAN thA ilANfh VIM 80 Vi A'A
zeilles rise, lined against bright SKY
The French army Ia retrc8tiug upon Sc
dan, and the Interest OF this portion o
the painting CeutCrs upon SuYerl
equestrian figure OF Napoleon Ill. Fa
to the east tile towers and church spre
OF Douchery rise dim and iudistiuct be
yOnd the hills, and the chateau Belle
Vue, wher0 Napoleon surrendered hi
sword. The hills arc covered with Ba
cavalry
lancers. I'm the Immediate foregrou id
tho red cross OF Geneva lnats from Il ca
thedral spire, and below group Of sur
geOns were performing various office
for the wounded, and moro, wOman,s sub
limo in Dor mission of self sacrilc
and heroiSm, kroels over tn
PROSTATE form OF Frenc
officer. Her face, almost Madonna lik
In it's beauty, is full Of holy sadness
and the eyes of the dyiag officer ar
turned TO where the broken lines of tn
French army are retreatng in disordt
towards Sedan. How the paintin
thrillsl The canvass fades awRvi I'll
flames Ol Bazeiles blaze and crackl
living fire pours from the cannon, II
battle banners float iimly In the smob
and the long roar OF the guns breal
over the hills! Tho painting lives an
movesl The HERALD Is not exclusivel
devoted TO art so / pass.
The weather IL ab0mnahle. The su
Is always clouded, mist Is alwal
falling, and 40 night, Gu the river, gre
white ghosts arise from the water al
hug the tall ships until we can only 81
their lights Glmly MS through a fog.
New Orleans, with It's orange av
nues, its flowers that outrival the o.
chantod gardens OF Lalla Rookh, and |
exceeding versatile weather, isn't SUI
charming place after all.
MARY n. GUtLLoT,
If man cant be both good and ric
he ought, 10 least, tp oe wise. Let eVe'