St. Paul daily globe., 1885-12-20
LATE NEW YORK FASHIONS.
How They Appear TO an UnsOphisti-
cRfed Country Girl.

New YORK, Dec. 12., 1SS5-Dear Belle:
What bother it is TO commence letter,
isn't it? I've just finished one that l was
particular about, and | sat and bit the end
of my penholder for at least half an hour,
trying to start Off in fine style. Icouldn't
think Of anything except, Il now take my
pen i'll hand to write you few lines, to let
you know that am well and hope that you
are the same" Doesn't that sound familiar?
You want to hear about that wedding, do
you? Well, I'll go and ask the parties most
interested if they will hasten the day, so
that | can write you all about it in my next.
Seriously, it does not take place for some
little tDie yet, and I'll tell you about it as
soon as [ con.
I've been to ball. 1t has Biblical
name, too-Patrarchs. Now [ can just
see you picturing to yourself venerable old
men with flowing boards, who lean heavily
on their canes and ask you if you know
your catechism. There is a little differ ence.
These are Junior Patriarchs who place their
hands on their hearts, and, with killing
smiles, ask you If you will have an ice. You
| are always expected to resemble the old
| fashioned stage coach incapacity, for there
must always be room for one more, and you
| accept the invitation with a smiling face
and heavy heart.
| You ought to have seen the debutantes!
| Il told you in my last what they are.) They
are fresh from school and are so interested
and interesting that | did enjoy looking at
| them. There were such pretty dresses, too.
| One was covered with natural dasies and
another with snowballs; but as fair as the
flowers were. the faces above them were
| fairer There were a great many married
| ladies there who seemed to enjoy flirting
more than the girls and you would have
| laughed to see how some who looked old
enough to be your grandmother were
| dressed and the siXteen-year-old airs they
put on. Mr. Ferdinand Reginald de Huy-
! sterlander was there. | like him better
| than any society man | have met. He
| seems to know how to talk to every one.
! If you hear him talking to people sometimes
you would think he didn't know much eX-
cept how to gossip, but he knows who he is
| talking to, and find that if you don't want
nonsense talked to you all the time you
must be able to talk sense yourself. He
was telling about having the heart disease
and pointed out woman about so years old
who seemed to be composed of great many
smiles and diamonds, big fan, flowers and
a train, and who was dancing with a very
young man who looked the picture of
| despair. He said that heart disease was
all that saved him from like fate, and that
he now felt like Patience on monument
smiling at Grief" (the young man dancing
| being ''Grief'o. Then he told me that he
had danced with her and promenaded and
| tried to tire her out, but at every pause she
would say: shall we have another turn?"
| and at last in despair he put his hand up to
his heart and gasped, ah-ah. She gave a
little girlish shrek and asked what was
the matter. He managed to moan out
''nOthing-nO matter-only this old trouble
| heart disease" She gave another little
squeal and rushed over to this unfortunate
young man. but by the time she returned
with him Mr.. Ferdinand Reginald de
| Huysterlander had partially recovered and
was almost himself. Ibid not think it
| would be best to dance any more at present,
but if Grief would see to the lady," etc.,
etc. / thought it was awful for him to do
so. but when she came up attended by her
forlorn-lookIng escort and inquired how he
was feeling and a sickly smile came to
| Grief's face, [ had to laugh. | changed it
to a cough, though, and then choked. max
ing quite scene.
AS l think of the ball now it seems like a
dream, the lights, music, flowers and perfect
| appointments i'll everything around is like a
far-away, beautiful vision.
1 am going with Marie to select Christ
mas presents next week and will tell you
| about them in my next. With much love.
Mamie. in New York World.