The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-19
PERSONAL AND SOCIETY GOSSIP.


Holidays aad Society.
As Christmas day draws near the shopper is
abroad in the land. They are divided into two
great classes. Those who know just what they
want, have each article marked on the list and
the same grouped into such articles to be bought
At one place This shopper will be found out
sarly In the morning, with look Of quiet deter
mination and business, and by the time the
stores begin to be crowded her materials are all
bought and she is ready to go home and spend
Che day quietly in making and marking her pur-
ehases, while. on the other hand. the woman who
knows not what she wants, spends the greater
part Of the day and long after the gas is lighted
in rumaging, for such il must be called. with the
pnlling and crowding that is done Such wom
goes home tired and cross, and finds she has
bought things she cannot use and left unbought
that which she most needed; but after
all. what more delights woman's heart than
10 go on shopping expedition And when going
tc strange city that is about the first, last and
only thing that is done, and belongs wholly and
absolutely to women. Standing in front of a
leading 1ewelry establishment the other day, adj
mlring the exqnisitely artistic display of gems,
china. glass, geI1 and silver, two ladies. at
traeted by the same came % and almost imme-
diately began criticising in no very compli
mentary terms the singing of some one recently
heard. Prom what was said 1t seems the singer
had rendered soprano COLO when she had dis
tinctive alto voice. and one remarked, Why
she did not come any nearer the tone than that. ;"
and with the last word she carefully measured
about six inches on the handle OK her umbrella.
The costumes of the ladies at the Mikado Club
nall on Thursday night were the handsomest al
together of sny worn at any one entertainment
IA this city for long time, and presented great
variety. Miss Dora Messine's was a skirt of
rich olive plush and the waist and draperies a
peculiar olive shading on drab, of silk. Another
combination very effective was worn by Miss
Mitchell. The skirt of orange plush was plain,
and the draperies were Of a canary colored veil
ing, soft and graceful A dress Of the olive plush
and light blue surah was prettly designed and
very striking Miss Well, with her dainty little
figure, looked exceedingly well in dress of
white lace over light yellow silk. Yellow roses
headed the narrow foot-rufae and garanded the
eorsage which WAS pointed back and front.
Several handsome black silk dresses and the
dress suits of the gentlemen appeared to ad-
vantage among the bright colors.
It seldom that married ladies will tell of
any Of their honeymoon experiences, but one was
heard this week that might possibly have du.
plicate. The bride was happy, of course, and
wished to be as agreeable as possible to her new
lord, so, from here to Baltimore, kept up a con-
slant stream Of talk or any and all subjects, and
secretly wondered why husband did rot help her
any, by saying something, but as he ventured
only monosyllabic answers to her questions, she
felt tt her boundeD duty as well as pleasure, to
keep on. Upon reaching their first objective
roint, and being duly installed in the hotel. he
turned to her and said, Goodness me, Maria,
kQr n all vvn
talk much as you do? You enough to
drive man crazy" She was subdued for the
time being, but often thinks of that remark
when she hears any one talk great deal.
The party at Mr.. D. w. Coffin's, on Tuesday
night, was an elegant affair The house is COM
modious and we'll adapted to entertaining large
humber. Three large rooms connect and omen
with broad doors into a wide hail. The carpets
were covered with damask for the dancing,
which followed the reception given early in the
Bvening. The floral decorations were exceeding
~ artistic: in front of the mantel- pieces were
DAnks of ferns, and IN the mantels a tall scarlet
lantana in the center was guarded by white
each side, while the intervening space was piled
high with scarlet and white begonias. Mr.. and
Mrs. Coffin and daughters we're delightful in
tending their hospitality to about two hundred
friends. AT the close of the reception hours, IL
younger guests remained. The young ladies
were handsome IN their light evening dresses.
One looked as ii she might have stepped from
some frame SO picturesque was she tall and
slender with her light fluffy hair high on her
head. a dress of white, of some
soft material las the novelists say
was full of graceful folds, and the corsage, cut
very low, was bordered with folds of silvery
gauze, and about her neck was a necklace of
largo pearls. The whole was so perfectly simple
By her side was elderly queenly looking woman
IN black velvet, point lace and diamonds.
While ladies' afternoon receptions are enjoy
able, they are very much alike, short greeting
and good bye to the hostess and the ladies as
sisting her. a little talk to the friends; for ro-
ireshments, ice-cream, cake, and chocolate or
soffee-and all is done. Then the guest owes
an entertainments to the hostess and others, and
proceeds to give a reception modelled on exactly
the same plan. But at these receptions you
meet many of your acquaintance that other
wise you seldom see, for calling is so unsatis-
factory a way to make or keep friends. There
are two ladies in this city who have actually ex-
changed calls eleven times and never found each
other at home.
There are few musical societies any more
prosperous than the Lyra, and their concerts
IRE always enjoyable, for the active member
gets the best instruction and the associate hears
the best of music Their concert last week was
equal 10 any yet given. The great operatic
success. 'Ermnie,' is now in preparation by
this society with promise of doing as we'll as
they did last winter with the 'Mikado," by
which they cleared large amount
One set of young folks will be somewhat de-.
rgeted this holiday season by the absence of the
Touue ladies from the city Miss Daisy Rob-
erts is in Germany, Miss Carrie Vaien in Cali
Fornia, Lille Butler goes to Chicago, Lille
Reeves to Cleveland and Carrie Shower to Louis
vile.
Weddings, always subject of interest. are to
be many during January. February and March.
Though the prospective brides and grooms are
making desperate efforts to keep matters quiet.
1everal leading churches already engaged