The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-05

Will permit ana IL was due TO this report buAt
the actress was snubbed by elaborate society az
Tuxedo. lately--not to her wholly circumspeet
betrothal to Lord Garmoyle In the audience
80 close to the stage that Sugden and Fortescne
could not have failed to recognize her, sat Selma
Dolaro, the actress who eloped to America
something like ten years ago with Lord Desart
Selma was pitiful sight. notwithstanding that
much OF her old-time beauty remained in her
half-veied face. and that her cheap attire was
neatly stylish; for she is Ill and poor, and has
said goodbye to the world in which she figured
for time so merrily. The play was "Frou
Frou," with its story OF wife's eopement, and
1t struck me that free and reminiscent discus.
sion of the theme by Sugden, Forteseue and
Dolaro would be exceedingly interesting.
One of the acknowledged bellies of swelldom
has managed to get herself considered along with
the stage performance at the opera. A feature
of the season there is an unusually elaborate
ba.let--not an incident In an opera, but a sepa-
rate pantomime and dance. The first danseuse
is an outright charmer, and greatly admired by
both men and women Well the society girl,
on the nights when the ballet piece is presented,
wears dress whose bodice is an exact counter
part OF that portion of the danseuse's costume;
and as there is close similarity in the two faces
and forms, the resemblance is quiZzically OBJ
served through opera glasses from all parts OF
the house Thus the amateur gets considera-
with none of the professionals arduous exercise
of tie feet.
A visit to the grand opera in New York this
season is like glmps Of fairy land-too utterly
sweet for criticism. You know the boxowners
are the SWEETEST of the swell, and pay $1,000
apiece for fifteen weeks of opera. There are two
full tiers Of boxes, and few more a level
with the orchestra Each box is accompanied
with drswing-room, connecting with the Hobbies
In these little parlors the ladies take of their
wraps and do the last primping preparatory to
appearing bare-headel, low-necked AID sleeve
less before the audience. The boxes are APP
pointed with dark hangings to make proper
background for the delicate shades of dress
goods and for the inordinase display of complex
ions which are fashionable at full dress affairs
Certainly the sex looks pretty in such q setting
as this The house is simply grand drawing
Of the most giddy society display
themselves. There they view and
are viewed, they gossip and whisper, they do
everything except attend to the opera, which lie
the last thing they think of These reception
rooms attached to the boxes are often fitted up
at considerable expense. Some men have spent
two or three thousand dollars in clothing the
walls of their tiny room with golden paper in
adding costly chandeliers, lounges rugs, chairs,
portieres, clocks, and l don't know what ALL
Think of turning room six by eight into a
jewel case! And yet that's what Mr. Rhinelander
and several other New York, Cincinnati, st.
Louis and San Francisco millionaires have done.
From one of these beautiful rooms to another
the ladies fit between the acts, visiting and in-
terchanging words OF admiration and toothsome
gossip. Aud all the evening long the gentlemen
move from box to box in calls upon the ladies'
Never before in the history of this prodgal viii
lage was SO much wealth lavished upon
any idol of fashion as is displayed here
in ladies' dresses. in jewels and in
furniture We talk of millions lightly
nowadays. but it is not careless assertion to
say that there never is night when million
dollars worth of finery Is not gathered in this
opera-house. In one matrons ears | saw 81 200
worth of diamonds, while on her neck was a
necklace worth ten times that. and in her hair
was a pin that cost 81 000 to say nothing of her
bodice brooch. fneer-rlngs and bracelets, all
crusted with big damonds-and she WASN'T
anything wonderful" as they say in New Eng.
land. Her fur sacque cost So, $50 and her cloak,
worn from her carriage TO her box cost 1926.
The price Of her dress could only be guessed at
as it came from Paris. but it was Of satin,
weighted with gold embroidery thick
armor. Why, husband in moderate circum-
stances would swfuily hate to have to pay for
her gold epera-glasses, or her point lace hand
kerchef And yet she was not comparable in
expensiveness of style to the ladies in the boxes
v
Warrens, Trenches, Drexels, Connors, Nor
tons.
have just come from that painful luxury, the
sleeping-car. How incongruous and improper il
was, for instance, to discover that the grumbler
in an upper berth, whose widest remark in the
course Of the long night was Its cursed not up
herel' was none other than full fedged major
general. BY day he was gorgeous vision OF
spectacular gallantry; by night bowling demon
of profanity. But enough of men, the common
place creatures. Their ways are as plain as an
opened book and their characters as easily read.
Let US return to the inexhaustible field for
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES resource. The first
night in sleeper is nothing to the first morn
ing. Well do I remember my first experience
The toilet is accomplished under such
narrowing circumstances. But it is sur
prising how readily one becomes indiffer-
woman, from an adjoining section II have trav-
eled all the way from San Francisco in sleeper
and I've lost the last shred OF modesty." be-
lieved her when saw her sitting on the end Of
her berth in her corset with loosened lacings,
drawing on her boots with q lavish display of
plumply filled hosiery, the curtains pushed back
and men and women passing to and from the
toilet room. 1t was needless exposure The
girl across the aisle, NUMBER three, emerged
from her closet curtains with not wrinkle in
her drapery, boots buttoned and hair as smooth
as satin 10 the line where il broke into pillows
of crimpiness over her forehead How did she
do It'll She WAS in the toilet room with the
first streak of dawn, for peeped through nv
curtains as she passed by in dressing sack and
skirts. the volrminous drapery on her arms aud
the crimping pins held by lovely turban. There
was difference She could travel to China and
back without danger TO her modesty.
There was sixteen-ysarcld girl on that train
who will own the road some day. unless they
multiply her, and so divide the profits Of her pc.
culiarity. She is rather pretty. in an uncultured
style, and she looks as ingenious as a babe; but
what she knows of the nature Of masculine bu
mainly would burst the covers of an unabridged
dictionary. She prospers by q combination Of
wit and lemon drops. She enters the car with a
calm smile on her face, and an open package of
her wares in her hands. AS she walks down the
aisle she shakes drop from the package into
the lap of each passenger and casually remarks,
E1Nira fraah layuop hos a,x