National Republican., 1885-11-28
A TALK ABOUT WOMEN.
what Philadelphia Philosopher HAD
to Say when He Went TO New York.

what n Philadelphin philosopher HAD
to Say when He Went TO New York.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Tlmes.l
New YonK, Nov. 15.-''I rather like these
New York women" said a Philadelphia
man, as he leaned idly against q pillar in
front Of the Fifth Avenue Hotel q day or
two ago. al don't mean to particularize,
but to regard them as an entirety. They're
such glorious creatures that am content
to stand IN convenient spot for half day
and watch them go by. Now, don't mis-
understand me; don't jump at conclusions
like trout at fly and infer that l am a
whit less loyal to our own Philadelphia
women for my admiration Of the exotlcs of
New York. Personally, my taste In Its
soberness and quiet tends to Quakerism.
think q simple gray or brown dress, fitting
snugly to well-balanced form, infinitely
preferable to o costume rivaling the
brilliance Of the tropics, and yet there is
enough Of warmth In my nature TO impol
me to loiter about Madison and Union
squares for hours at time, just for the
purpose Of viewing the passing spectacle.
Mind, don't approve Of gorgeousness in
women any more than | am In favor OF free
trade, but do like to see It once IN while,
II for nothing moro than TO increase my ad-
miratlon and love for the women OF my own
city OF Philadelphia
asked this staid Quaker gentleman, who
yet seemed possessed OF a tlnge OF Spanish
fire in his veins, what he found TO be tho
difference between Philadelphia and New
York women.
"It's hard to tell,n said he. "You can't
analyze the first breath Of spring with any
| certainty Of arriving at n scientific result;
| you cannot apply the formula Of the differ
ential calculus to breath Of perfume. In
women we are taught to look for soft
voice, all full OF little modulations that
have world Of meaning In themselves; q
response Of manner akin to that blissful
rest which is induced by the murmur of
| brooks and the whisper Of wind among the
trees. Now, what delicate modulatlons Of
the voice are possible within reach OF those
| internal roaring elevated railway trainsp
| What repose OF manner can you expect In
| n city whose roar is like O tornado in the
forest and whose entire population is on
the dead jump to catch the next train ?"
~ am ~ infer, them" said I, "that this
everlasting noise and this inelegant haste
has effect upon tho voice and manners Of
| our women ~
"Precisely," replied he. "womcn are
the most sensitive and susceptible things in
the world. A breath will effect them, es-
| pecially II II have an odor OF cloves. Now
! here's another thing, all OF piece with
what have said. This beastly racket and
indecent haste beget q quickening Of the
blood and nerves and produce what you
might, for temporary lack of more dis
tinctive words, term fast living. That is to
say, you use great deal of vital force in
q short time. You do wonders in year,
and II your constitution be good you live to
repent IL in porous plasters, hot water, and
dyspepsia. It's ahlgh-pressure way Of liv-
ing. fIigh-pressure living inevitably causes
high-pressure dressing in your women,
which, by curious anomaly, may mean
| low-pressure dressing. Your women arc
consistent-if they live fast they must dress
accordingly. AS a result saunter along
the fashionable streets on pleasant morn
ings and see gorgeous spectacle of mag
nifcently dressed women. What marvel
GUS birds of passage these New Workers are
The town is so thoroughly cosmopolitan
that one gets an endless variety OF the most
artistic products of different strains of the
worlds blood. The constant change in the
scintillating panorama is bewildering to one
accustomed to people of single line OF
genealogical descent.
"The sober brown and the demure gray,
so entlcipg to man of quiet tastes seem to
have little place In this gilded throng of
well-dressed and well-fed women. OF fconrse
there are browns and grays-whole cos
tunes Of them, in fact-but the effects are
Of great brilliance. / never thought that q
gray costume could be made brllliant--yea,
even ilashlng-but there 1t is. II Is the ar
rangement, you see, that brings color out Of
an absence Of color The general effect OF
all these fine costumes is heightened to o
considerable extent by the appearance OF
good living which outlines most of these
women's forms New York women are
notoriously good eaters. It's a good thing
to eat well. In woman 1t gives the form
compactness and solidity; 1t develops the
muscles and gives the appearance Of we'll
knit frame. Only kindly nature and good
digestion can give graceful shoulders and
81 like these New York women" con-
tinued the Philadelphian, following with
his eyes a graceful figure tripping across a
muddy bit OF str, ct. ~ like them for their
healthy interest In life, for their unaffected
: good nature, and for the air Of evenly-bal-
anced practicability with which they stand
on their well-shod feet III l could
sympathize with the headlong speed with
which they, in common with all New York
ers. rush through space, would like them
still better. ! am not prepared to say that
we PbiladelphiaDs make better use OF life
in that We try to enjoy 1t nationally and
moderately as we go along. 1t is matter
women more to my mind, their voices
swecter, their manner more dominated by
repose and external refinement, their minds
} less susceptible to the glitter Of the tinlI.
,, ling cymbals and the passing show, it is be-
cause have been taught to look for these
| NuhuIltb III udNC Hl
others. / trust that / can speak of this
from an unprejudiced standpoint, and II
certainly seems to me las II may to you it
you will only wait for the train after the
l next that town which one has to escape
Q from, as In the case of New York, in order
+. to catch little rest and get the roar o.
commerce out of ones ears, is not to bt
Y preferred to town large enough in arei
to enable one to get some Of the comfort
as well as the profit, out of the only III,
that we know anything about. / dom
know how you have time to court you
wives unless yon do 1t on those roaring
elevated trains. Or do you do 1t by tele
Q phone or district messenger boys? During
q the day you are rushing up and down thii
4 interminable island on your elevated roads
!. at night you rush off TO the theater or ball
l. don't understand 1t, even though / d,
. admire the wel-dressed throngs In you
4 streets. Now, my dear fellow, you have
. scant time In which to catch the inevitabl,
(; car, but bear this in mind, that the Phila
! delphia woman is superior to her New
a York cousin IN many things, all Of which
\ will some day illustrate and explain TO yo,
!. with diagram-if you have time"