Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-06-11
Estelle Clayton Plays Barefooted
Role.

CLARA Belle - The actresses have
broken out upon us in Easter fashion,
and, as some of them are the best eSer,.
plars we have of the latest Styles in dress,
deem 1t proper to make dnote Of them.
by long odds the most remarkable is
Estelle Clayton, who comes forward as
star at Union Square Theater, New
iork' She appears as the heroine of
drama made out of one Of Ouida's novel;,
She is rustic maiden at the outset
clothed IN simpliciry-that is to say, in
garo oil INDECENT peasantry. Then she
goes TO Paris for the ostensible dramatic
/ purpose OF having some adventures in
lo'e and matrimony, but really TO wear
inner and inner costums, until she is AT
length disclosed as most gotgeouslr
arrayed belle. This costume had a cor.
sage and train of white hoult de sole
hned with faille and trimmed with pills.
ses OF tulle, adorned with clusters OF
natural lilies of the valley. Bouquets
OF the same flowers fastened the iupc
draperles Of tulle over faille. The long
tulle veil, falling over bare shoulders
was fastened to the hat with a diamond
ana sapphire crescent, and the head.
dress was completed by ostrich plums.
Pearls clasped the neck, and a diamond
and sapphire cross glistened on che
corsage.
In order to impress nv readers with
the height OF the rise in wardrobe which
TINS heroine portrays, permit me to say
That III the first scene she had neither
shoes nor stockings. There is entire
realism in the impersonation at this
point. Miss Clayton does not draw on
snug pair Of flesh-colOred hose. with
neatly separated toes, and bits of moth
er-ot-pearl to represent the nails There
Is positively no deception. | sat only
three rows from the front, and NV one
ra-glasses are like telescopes foI
strength. The feet were absolutely
bare, and so were the ankles-yea,
clear to the beginning of the calves, a.
was shown when she reclined on &
messy bank of green boards. 4 won
drous beauty is Miss Clayton, | confess
with regular features, a sweet mouth
and glorious eyes. Her physical per
lection extended to the tips of her toes.
too. The feet were in size proportionate
to her entire bulk, their shape
was simply ideal, and the closest
scrutiny did notreveal the suggestion of
corn or the shadow of bunlon. The
commences of pedal deformity, caused
by tight or ill-fitting shoes. has not in
volved the Clayton feet They do not
seem to have ever been restrained bv
snug inclosure; and at the same time
their apparent texture Is so fine that, ii
anybody supposes she has grown up
barefooted, it is a mistake. There
have been no seasons Of sunburn on
those delicate feet; those toes have
never been stone bruised 10y running
on country roads; the refinement Of Sc
clusion-that nun.hke existence which
the feet of civilization follow all heir
lives-is evident at a glance. Do /
Judge that Miss Clayton is proud of
her fe t, aud forces an occasion to eX-
hibit them? OF course not. She feels
that full dramatic delineation Of q
bellies progress in fashion from the
state of peasant to that of a Partisan
queen requires that she should set out
barefootel, and she would do it if her
feet were swell jornted, her toes corn
defsced and her ankles thick. Did J
hear the echo Of a laugh?