The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-12
The Diamond Treatment as a Vaccina.
ton Against Elopement Disease.
How Women Are Imposed Upon and Cheated
by Male Dress Makers-Gymnastic Craze
Teaching Dudes Cockney Accent.
CLARA BELLE.

Opening of the Social Season-Impositions
of the Male Dress-Makers.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
NEW YORK, Dec. 1.-THE season of the dance
in the Astor sort of society has begun with one
of those semi-private public balls that assemble
''our very best people" to the number of about
three hundred at time, in Delmonico's Hall.
1t was the same old kind of thing and yet it
was new and strange to the debutante girls
buds, we cali them-who are this winter for
the first formally in society. dozen or more
of fresh young creatures, with an average
amount of prettiness were objects of general
interest. The fact that struck me forcbly,
probably because of the contrast, was that
fully equal number of old-maid heiresses were
there It would be wicked to name them, but
were to do so you would see rnst they belong
to noted New York families. One has a full
million in her own right, several are owners of
half as much apiece, and the rest range down to
fortunes of hundred thousand In the matter
of comeliness they are on level with the fem
mime community. It is not on account of ugli-
ness of person, nor yet of sourness Of temper,
that they have remained unmarried beyond
thirty years Why, then2 Because they cannot
know that their wooers are not mere fortune
hunters. 1t has happened in each case that no
offer has come from a desired man with enough
money of his own to clear him Of suspicion, and
the doubt has operated against the poor fellows
That is the reason why some of the big heiresses
go unwedded through the world
A wonderful old maid is dying as write
Her name-Catharine Wolfe-s in New York a
synonym for philanthropy But she was good
to herself, too. With an assured income of half
a million year. she early resolved that she
would never marry. Her reason was the one
have already set forth But in her case spe-
ciic instance of insincere courtship, in which
she learned to a certainty that the pretended
lover adored her fortune only. She dismissed
him, and never afterward let anybody take his
place. She has for ten years past devoted two
hundred thousand year to charity and religion.
In that time she has built several costly extern
sions TO Grace Church, erected four chapels en-
dowed five benevolent institutions and disbursed
untold wealth privately. At the same time she
has lived most sumptuously, surrounding her
self with marveously costly works of art and
indulging every personal fancy to the utmost
About five years ago she became aware that rich
living had started Bright's disease, and that she
could not recover but her life could be pro-
onged considerably by assduous medical atten-
ton, and so she engaged Dr. William Tod Hell
muth at fifty thousand year, to call on her
twice day. Diet was all-important and so
Miss Wolfe had to deny herself many accus-
toned luxures of the table She had curious
system of reconciling herself to these depriva-
tons.
II got the suggestion at q reception given by
a stingy woman" she said. 1.-THE sideboard was
meaeerly set out with vlands, and the best dish
was lobster. Well, right back of that supply of
lobster she had put picture of live lobster--a
horrid creepy, repulsive thing What for?
Simply to spoil the women's appetites for
lobster. 1t was device of economy. From that
got an idea. l would study up the sources
of all the food that was bad for me- and 80 destroy
my liking for it. And it has worked pretty we'll
There isn't much we eat that will bear strict
scrutiny"
One social figure at the opera is that of
girl who is being treated with diamonds as
prevention of the disease Of elopement. She is
Clarina Morosini, younger sister of that Vic
toria Morosni who welded with her fathers
coachman. Nobody suspects Clarina of a ten
dency towards such toolishness. But 1t was
thought that too strict secluson from mascu
line acquaintance and other social delights for
girls was responsible for Victorias exploit.
Seemingly for that reason. Morosini is INDUCING
his younger daughter in diamonds. She shines
with them, as she sits in an opera box like an
image wrought out of one colossal gem.
The notable thing in theatrical audiences is
an attempt by the manager of fashionable
house to induce the women, after the foreign
mode, to lay aside their hats and bonnets. The
experiment was tried without great promise of
success. SIEVE nteen out of about 500 obeyed the
urgent request to leave their headgear in an
ante-roor. and the seventeen were women who,
on every possible occasion, seek conspicuous
ness Usage settles it in New York that women
shall go bareheaded in boxes at the opera but
that their noddles shall be covered at other
theatrical entertainments They might be in
duccd to wear hats with glass brims or bonnets
with transparent trimmings, but that is the ut
most concession they would make to the man in
the seat behind
Just as hopeless is the crusade of Father
Duffy against the bang He has forbidden the
girls in s.. Agnes Seminary to shade their brows
with hair Their indignation has been focused
in one communication from BERTHE McCaffrey,
pretty little pupil of sixteen That is to say she
is bewitching when her curly locks thatch the
upper portion of her forehead, and she has to-
day sent TO the father photograph of her face
thus becomingly softened Along with that
picture she inclosed another, with her hair part
ed in the middle and smoothly brushed down at
the sides, disclosing q high, intellectual and
outright ugly expanse of brow Probably the
pictorial argument will not convince him of his
error, but it ought to.
1t seems to me that we women are being
abused. read great deal about the craze for
tailor-made garments for women and there's a