The Sunday herald., 1886-10-31
CLARA BELLIES CHAT
lar Maids FOR women OF Fashion
The Hunt Balls aud English Act.
rcsacs.
Especial correspondcnce.l

Especial Correspondcnce.l
NEW YORK, october 30, 1850.
let me tell you one thing about Liberty,
who was unveiled In our harbor on Thursday.
she Is an outright failure Her face Ia good
enough, but look At her clo,hcsl The biggest
woman In the world, placed consplcuously on q
pedestal as candidate Tor admiration, In distinctly
aud disgracetully uuiashionablc. I have had talk
with Bartholdi about It.
"ltls evident" said to him, as we stood In
party viewing the statue from the deck OF steam
boat "that you drapcd her skirts at the time Of the
aesthetic craze, when clinging, medieval garments
were In vogue hut we have now come into an era
OF bus,cs, and she really won't do
The sculptor was vsibly amazed. presume that
uncritica adulatlon had male him self satisfied AMI
vain, and so condemnation shocked him.
"what would you have mo do 2" he at length
faltered. "surey, Liberty's garb Ia classical; and
can you expect her to change her bronze costume
as though II were fabric with every alteration Of
fashon?r
"ESactly that / answered. "Therein you would
show true genius. You ought to have con,rivcd
some means OF changing the dress OF Liberty four
times year, thus making her ever timely exhibit
OF admired and admirable womanhood. Just see
how dowdy AMI back.numbered, not to say chest
nut'y, she looks without any tournure!"
The Frenchman appeared TO think was Joking,
Hui titlakc IhUcn IMPRESSION. But
was right Liberty Bnlightenlna the World ought
to havctnc aspect OF a lady-a wclldrcssed lady
and she hasn't.
Ofcourse, an impersonator OF any particular thing
ought TO be cos,umcd to suit the character, hut
hold that as Liberty keeps right up with the times
In New YORK, her statuesquc exponent absolutely
requires modishncss to make her respected. In the
way OF perfect suitability In garb Helen Fortcscuc is
an Illustration She is a sister Of the actress whom
Wiz n,If IN
finally had to pay $4,000 to her for changing his
mind. Helen is here in tho same company, and her
role Is that OF poor peasant girl who returns to her
home sort Of prodlgal daughter, ragged and bare
footed. Mention is made OF the bare feet, AMI as
the play Is In blank verse, perhaps nobody around
the concern had skill enough 10 alter tn, text with
out spelling the meter. Anyhow, Helen appears In
nve.toed stockings, and their hue is iesh-color-
which s not to say the bright pink OF the ballet, hut
realistic skin tint that makes folks drop their opera
glasses from her head to her feet to discern whether
or not the girls feet and ankles covered. Ashe
nails are deity outlined, II Is hard to decide, and
opinion Ia usually divided on the sex line. The men
are gallaDtly ready to believe tnat the apparent
pedal perfection IL genuine, but the un,mpassloned
women Will not cOncede so much: acG II Helen
would only paint corn or two oh her toes she
would command unprecedented SUCCESS.
One OF the dozen actresses who have played In
town lately, and who IL celebrated for the beauty
and cost OF her costumes, decides during the first
portion of "Camille" what she shall wear In the
ensuing ball scene. She has four costumes for that
act, ranging In quality from bcatinc new creation
| fresh from Paris to workel-ovcr gown from sea-
son before last, and her choice for each evening
depends on the size and demeanor OF the audience.
| only full auditorium and plenty OF enthusiasm
command the very best dress, with the lustre and
frou-frou of newness undlmlnlshed; an assemblage
little deficient In numbers or appreciation the
secOndbest robe, and 80 on down to the frayed one
| for q cold, small house. Sometimes, however, a
half audience In size Ia so expandlngy full OF delight
that the actress rewards 1t with her finest Dress and
| on the other hand, mlsbehavng crowd is punished
| with the worse-for-wear costume.
Society is awfu,ly distracted about actresses any.
how. Hunt Club balls are the diversion OF the pres
| ent for those who dislike to amuse themselves In
! ways possible to the million. There were two las,
| week and three this. A co,erie of lncOntestlble
| swells organize club for steeplechasing and fox
hunting, buy or lease spacious country house and
grounds somewhere within twenty miles OF town
and resort there for field sport, after the English
fashion. Each meeting winds up with ball-usu
ally In the evening" though on election day the Je
| rome Park special races are to be followed by
| matinee dance. Well there are half dozen or SC
Of English actresses among us, fresh from London
where some Of them have figured In aristOcrati,
society recognzedy. Now, ready rs we are to nc
cept English usage as right, we have all aloni
shut our doors against stage women who's
record was at all clouded. could illustrat
with names, but that would be unpleasant
What wish only to tell Is that NOV
has been made to Introduce these professional beau
ties at the hunt balls Invitations have been eX
tended and revoked, bitter things have been said
and there Is commo,lon altogether. Thus far IN
ConventlOnals have held their own against the In
novators, andthrec actresses with Introductory let
frnn rIoa t,u,,a lam, Ia
from the charmed and more or less charming circle
have said that ultra-fashlOnable women strive I
. do what less brsky nodish imitators are not doing
An instance OF this Is the abolition OF the nurs,
maids cap In Fifth Avenue. As long az 1t wasa d
tingulshment to send out ones feminine BervaI
with lace headgear 1t was done; but lately the sty
spread 30 far that the Bowery itself has cappe
menals In plenty, and the belle-matrons of Murra
Hill have put plain hats anu bonnets on the ateI
dants Of their babies For them the climax VIZ
capped last spring, and now the fashion Ia dlscarde
The entirely new freak OF the apex bellies is to ell
y plOy strapping, muscular maids, instead OF the del
cateooking ones formerly preferred, as menials I,
personal service. This Is done particularly by Il
Angomanlac set, who delight In equcstrianisnl, p
destrlansm, and other outdoor sports They pri,
themselves on the taking of healthy exercise, al
the Drawn now demanded In their body servants
somewhat In the nature OF the strength required |
a professional athlete of his trainer. Instead OF Il
groom following my lady on horseback, there arc
= least three cases now In which the mounted nc
vitor IL n stalwart young woman, hablted not uni
! her mistress, but wearing conspicuOusly on b
breast the monogram OF her employer. 1t IL pa
j. of her duties TO lift her ladyshp at junctures
lazness or fatigue, rub and spray her after hare
eriion, and act generally as an idealized trainer.
F" the physique combined with the skill required
y such service Is rare indeed, you can see ho
u uniquely distinguished II is TO command them. 1t
u calculated that wealth can keep this indulgence
+" Itself for some considerable time.
Shopping Is rampant In New York Just now. oI
whom l saw hard ut 1t was young .and fair al
d slender; hut grief had marked her for his ow
d The long folds OF crepe on the black dress, aI
" the double veil falling almost to her feet, told
u sorrOwful tale. A little girl, perhaps eight yea
e old, called the young creature 'mamma." She W
p also dressed In unrelieved black with huge bows
v crepe on her hat, and black gloves that covered
" whole OF her plump little arms. IL was like I
" thetcally twlce-tOld tale az the mother anu ch
D. moved through the gay throng. hut there was o
ID mitigating feature which saved the systematic
" server from too great heariache: the young woma
W ears were adorned with diamonds OF common ri
and brilliancy, her crepe throat band was clasp
III with dazzling diamond brooch, and the chill
J, small ears bore each diamond supposed to
Oh suited to their size. They were out shopping a
.. were examining bright etching silks and 8
/
&c and down the crepe skirt In unrelentng brIghnc
:" and the diamonds flashed In the light ~ II grief
'c never known In the world. What did this m0urni
: couple do with those snowy fabrics? Denied
W autOcraic custom use OF cOlors OH their perso
u they might he soacing themselves by purchase
for others not afflicted as themselves, or for no
o. decoration, where c0lOrs not forbidden. Vcri
" grief has lts mlligaions: 1t can go shopping
'h wear diamonds. CLARA BHLLE
IN
no Captain IsOggs's Trick.
[I,osion Trayeller.l
capt. Boggs, q virginian, who held capital
m | license on the Mississippi River before he was
W nun and iYn for fourteen YcarA had tho contract