Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-13
LIFE IN NEW YORK.
G1impses lat. Fashionable Life by An
Insider.

III ~NeW tork city himself a
few nights ago TO give voice to some OF his in
formation on the question of the growing
gayety and carelessness of New York women.
He has before this contributed certain refiec-
lions about the society people TO the Shn with
entire acceptance. He is a superintendent OF
entertainments. and a man whose life is passed
in serving people of abundant and liberal hos
pitality. In stature he is small, in manner
abrupt and I'm attire modest in the extreme.
"The question is often asked he said with
great elaboration, whether New York women
are growing faster now than they Were a few
years ago. Everybody is aware OF the decline
in church going, and the briskness of the sea-
son after IL is once started. Rumors of poker
parties in which women play for high stakes
are numerous, and there are many other indi-
cations of general laxity on the part of the
morals of New York women which are dis
cussed by the citizens at large. To begin with,
the word fast as used in America and as COM
monty employed in England, has very differ
emit meanings On the other side of the water
being very fast, while the sentiment was en-
dorsed by the mother who stood near. The
term does not carry an idea OF wickedness, low
moral tone, or questionable habits with it at
all When an English girl speaks of another
as fast, she means that she is "a daring horse
woman, and interchangeable dancer, an enthusi-
astic tennis player, and fond of entertainments
of every sort. In New York the word implies
much more than this although the Eng
lish set here use IL freely after the mapner of
their cousins across the pond. When speak of
he manners and habits of New York women
THAT many of the old safeguards and con-
yenttOnal barriers against hightiness and care
Iessness have been removed OF recent years in
New York is plain. 1t is easy enough for all of
Us to remember when young girls-by which
mean debutants OF from seventeen to twenty
two years OF age-were not allowed to appear
in decollette dresses. They usually dressed
simply in white, with the forearm bare and the
corsage cut slightly V shaped at the neck and
nlied in with lace. Gradually the widened at
the top and deepened at the point, while the
sleeves shrunk up, until now IL is the COM
mon sight to see girl whose bust and arms
justify such exposure, wearing a corsage that
rivals that of a Russian princess in frankness
and In the lavish display OF natures charm.
within q season or two, girls nave taken To
wearing low costumes of this sort at dinners
as at balls, and they even attend the opera clad
N the same manner. OF course this does not
imply any idea of relaxed morals in special in
stances, but II does show that the general tone
OF society has been much lowered in the matter
OF dress alone OF recent years. 1t will, of
course, be plain to anybody who takes the
trouble to think, that going to a dance the
oPera unoe1 tne prSteetlns eye OF mother or
three-hour dinner in corsage that is pro-
nouncedly low. 1t was also at one time con-
sidered a little risky for girl 10 touch wine of
any sort, but a great many society girls pre-
vailed upon TO sip a glass of wine nowadays
without much urging. As tor the subjects that
are discussed at dinner, il is simply amazing.
somehow the old idea of modest, retiring and
glrlish innocence has gone completely, and the
girl who 'knowsit ali Is the most admired. This
Is unquestionably owing to very large extent
To the fact that in New York a society woman
has nearly all Of her fun before she is married,
whereas on the other side of the water her tree
dom doesn't begin until after the wedding cere
mony.
"a far more significant indication, however,
OF the decline of society people from the old
Puritan and knickerbocker standard is found
Il the sway which women of decidedly ques-
rionable regulations manage To exercise in
circles from which one would naturally expect
them to be excluded. In this respect, if In no
other, it is certain that decentralization has set
In The stern old society leaders, who once alb
norred scandal as they did death, have disap-
peared from the held and "a lot of risky young
matrons who have not the moral stamina of the
older society arbitrators have taken their places
The result of all this Is decidedly queer when
we compare the condition OF things to-day with
hat of thirty years ago. could run over a dozen
names on my fingers OF women who have been
fast enough TO have caused their instant ban
tshment in Boston or Philadelphia, but VINO
are in as good standing in society here as they
care to be. One of them is a woman of such
pronounced beauty that her picture has been
published in number of the English society
magazines, and the sale of her photographs in
Paris and London rivals that of the pictures of
the most famous of the English professional
beauties. She has superb figure, and is "a
capital whip. Most New Workers who have
promenaded Fifth avenue know her by sight
for she often drives "a little team of jet black
horses in a cart which was built for her in Lon
don, and which is exactly similar to the one
which the Princess of Wales drives around the
grounds of Sandringham. She divides her time
the year round among New York, Newport,
London, Paris and Pau. Once in a while her
husband accompanies her, but only when it is
absolutely necessary TOR propriety's sake. At
other times she manages To join parties OF
friends, and, as she is clever as web as beau
tiful and the possessor OF at least a milIion
keI"
but the husband?'
"Oh, there's no trouble at all with him: he's
penSiOned, You know. He has more or less in
terest in horse affairs, and he manages to live
very comfortably on an allowance which she
gives him OF $4,000 a year. 1t isn't a very
noble thing to do, perhaps but he is man alb
SOiutely without professional or business ca
v, knows Tp:tliZ hat ba
couldn't earn his living il thrown upon his own
resources Consequently he goes his way and
allows his wife To go hers. He occupies a suite
OF two roOr1s in the house, anu she has the run
of the rest OF the establishment TO herself He
makes nve or six appearances with her during
the season, sitting in her box on the opening
night at the opera, and chatting comfortably at
her side on drag on coaching day. This you
see, Is On entirely harmonious and pleasant
arrangement. The other feature OF il is a tall
base and handsome man of the world who mas
a handle 10 his name, a red ribbon to his but
tonhole and an air OF languid indifference To-
ward every woman on earth except this partic-
ular one He is with her constantly. They
tonishing that she is still tolerated Ia good
socIety-douoly so as he Is the fifth or sixth
man whose name has been linked with hers
within the past half dozen years.
This Is only one OF numberIess tnsfancas
The effort which New YORK society is making
10 add the briillancy and dash which prevail
in London 10 Its amusementS is having the
same effect, only in "a lesser degree which the
Introduction OF metropolitan custom has upOn
Tue VI PROVINCIAL Town. solid worth
goOu blood, ana respectable attachments give
way to the dash and glitter OF the professional
or amateur entertainments. IL takes fashion
sears and years 10 cross the ocean no matter
NhetheT IL concerns pastlIne a garment
They wore the bell-crown beaver hat d re wears
in London before IL got the hold here and inst
about the time that We adopted IL il went 0lYt Of
fashion on the other side. Estheticism yeas
born, rose, tourished and was in its death
throes when Du Maurier began TO caricature m
Not vi then DID we get ii over here. Amateur
tneatricals nave been the pet particular fad OF
Londoners for many years. Inc craze mas a
nTm foothold In New York now and in pruws
more violent every day"
lis II purely matter OF fashion,"
The lace of societys iactotum took ON n
head sageiy several times aud then said. aft
Is my own opinion that "A large number of the
young men anu women who plunge so Violently
INTO amateur theatricals do it for "a very sub
staDtial and selfish sort of a reason"
"Do you mean money!
by no means much greater incentive
IMAM money Is the prospect OF social position
10 the average young man or woman ON the
outskirts OF society IL is this prospect that
10 my mind, urges FULLY two-thrds OF the anna
teurs o. VINO would ever have heard OF a
dozen of the young leading amateur actors il il
gave up their time and attention wholly To the
matter, and As result they are asked eyery-
where, their names get into the society coll
1nlns OF the papers, and they pose as bowling
s"eis- Inc extent To which the thing is car
rleo can be imagined when you reflect that
There Is a regular travelling company of anna
t<ur actors. They 20 10 Washington PhjIade-
phlA, baltimore, Orange, &c, and play almost
as wei a. professionals do. They are in de-
mand everywhere because they are in the
iashion But what an astonishing thing IL is
when you consider that ladies and geufiemen
should go about the country playing In this