The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-31
Modshness Essential to Success and Re-
spect-AbolitiOn of the Nursemaids Cap
The Philosophy of Feminine Shopping.
An Astronomer Contradicts Rumors OF
Strange Happenings in the Moon.
Sinless FollowerS-What Takes Place at
the Tuesday Meetings of the Sect.
CLARA BELLE.


resses' Clothing and Nursemaids' Caps.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
New YORK, Oct 30.-Let me tell you one
thing about Liberty, who was unvailed in our
harbor on Thursday. She is an outright failure
Her face is we'll enough, but look at her clothes
The biggest woman in the world, placed conspcu-
ously on pedestal as a candidate for admiration,
is distinctly and disgracefully questionable.
have had talk with Bartholdi about it. ut
is evident" said to him, as we stood in party,
viewing the statue from the deck of steam
boat ''that you draped her skirts at the time of
the aesthetic craze when clinging medieval gar
ments were in vogue but we have now come
into an era of bustles, ard she really won't do"
The sculptor was visibly amazed. presume
that uncritical adulation has made him self-sat-
sfed and vain, and so condemnation shocked
him.
''What would you have me do9" he at length
faltered. Surely, Lberty's garb is classical;
and can you expect her to change her bronze
costume as though it were fabric with every al
teration of fashion,
Exactly that" answered. ''Therein you
would show true genius You ought to have
contrived some means of changing the dress OF
Liberty four times year, thus making her ever
timely exhibit of admired and admirable wom-
anhood. just see how dowdy and back numbered,
not to say chestnutty, she looks without any
tournure"
The Frenchman appeared to think I was jok-
ing, and 1 am afraid I didn't make much i'm
preston But was right Liberty Enlighten-
ing the World ought to have the aspect of a lady
l. ~ u
OF course, an impersonator Of any particular
thing ought to be costumed to suit the char
acter, but hold that, as Liberty keeps right up
with the times in New York, her staruesque ex-
ponent absolutely requires modishness to make
her respected. In the way of perfect suitability
in garb, Helen Fortescue is an illustration She
is a sister of the actress whom Lord Garmoye
wished to marry, then wouldn't, and finally had
to pay $50000 too, for changing his mind.
Helen is here in the same company, and her role
is that of poor peasant girl who returns to her
home a sort of prodigal daughter, ragged and
barefooted Mention is made of the bare feet,
and, as the play is in blank verse. perhaps no
body around the concern had skill enough to
alter the text without spelling the meter. Any
how, Helen appears in fva-toed stockings, and
their hue is flesh color-whch is not to say the
bright pink of the ballet, but 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 are covered. AS
the nails are deftly outlined it is hard to decide,
and opinion is usually divided on the sex line.
Themen are CALAMITY ready to believe that the
apparent pedal perfection is genuine, but the
YnY1ch.
and if Helen would only paint corn or two on
her toes she would command unprecedented sue
cess.
One of the dozen actresses who have played
in town lately, and who is 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 a
beatifc new creation fresh from Paris to a
worked-over gown from season before last; and
her choice for each evening depends the
size and demeanor of the audience. Only full
auditoriumsand. plenty 'of enthusiasm command
the very best dress, with tho lustre and frou-
frou of newness undimnished; an assemblage a
little diminished in numbers appreciation
sees the second best robe. and so on down to
the efrayed onesfor acoid, small house. Some
times, however, half audience in size is so
expandingiy yfull of delight thas the4actress re-
wards it with her finest dress; and, on the'otheE
hand, misbehav!ng crowd is punished with the
worse-for-wear costume
| Societytis awfully distracted about actresses,
| anyhow. Hunt Club balls are the diversion OF
the presentkfer those who dislike to amuse them
| ell IN fo
| were two last week and three this. A coterie o
incontestible swells organize club for steeple
chasing and fox hunting, buy or lease a spacious
| country house and grounds somewhere within
twenty miles Of town, and resort there for fiel(
sport, after the English fashion. Each meeting
winds up with ball, usually in the evening
though on election day the Jerome Park specia
| races to be followed by a matinet
| dance. Well, there are half dozen or 81
| of English actresses among us. fresh from Lon
don, where some of them have figured in aristo
| cratic society recognizedly. Now, ready as W.
are to accept English usage as right. we have al
| along shut our doors. against stage women whose
record was at alkclouded. Icould illustrate with
! names, but that would be unpleasant What
! wish only to tell is that move has been made
| to introduce these professional beauties at tht
Hunt balls. Invitations have been extended and
revoked, bitter things have been said, and there
| is a commotion altogether Thus far the con
ventionals have held their own against the limo
vators and three actresses With Introductory let
4 ters from London dignitaries have been ex
1 cluded from the charmed and more or less charm
| ing circle
have said thai ultra-fashionable womer
| strive to do what less briskly modish imitatorI
| are not doing. An instance of this is the aboli
| ton of the nursemaid's cap in Fifth avenue. AS
| long as it a distinguishment to send out
ones feminine servants with lace headgear il
was done; but lately the style has spread so far
that the Bowery itself has capped menials in
plenty, and the belle-matrons of Murray Hill
have put plain hats and bOnnets or the o. ,
| ants of their babies. For them ~
| G. = '-st spring, and u