The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-19
THE WHIMS OF FAIR WOMEN.
rrBrors CHARACTERIsTICs or THEIR
DUTIES AND DIVERSIONS.
pr,x.,e Eaue.trian Rine for - judges
D.ushters-At IA Rehearsal for smiies-
m. close Of tho Bail season.

p,u.hters-At "a Rehearsal for SMILES
m. Close Of tho Bail season.
A. the gathering OF Vassar students and
alumni in this city. n recent observation. to tho
onact that mourning dresses were conspicuous
a, yassar College. was shown to DO correct.
Tho number OF girl students in sombre black
-os so large as to evoke 1t seemed
ol,ocether disproportionate to tho entire as
mblage Many were in deep mourning, and
chair sad faces. showingithat their ailliction had
h,an sufficiently recent to be still alive in their
minds. made sorrowful contrasts to the general
iue and hustle. These fair mourners would
not have thought OF going to any other social
Gathering. and here they attended Tor tho
reasou that IL was q tribute to frol. Mitchell,
beloved instructor. AS soon as IL was learned
tba, he would not DO able to be present,
s,vst Of the mourning people Went away.
While many Of them looked extremely
sad in their simple black dresses, among tho
more brilliantly attircd women, they were in
describably sweet. Their palo faces and dark
,ostumes made them conspicuous in the bright
eolors. They were like SO many beautiful
Nadonnss. Intellectual. lovely. and refined.
yassar girls are accustomed to mourning
dresses In the college. During each school
farm there arc seldom less than thirty to forty
IN black. No doubt II is the same in the insti-
,utions of learning devoted to tho other sex,
only it is not so noticeable. A girl dressed In
mourning compels instant attention. while q
BOYS clothes are not so striking. Many young
men ignore the laws of society in regard to
wearing black as a mark of respect to their de-
nared relatives. while a girl rarely does so.
Judre Freedman of the Superior Court has a
priyate riding ring for his daughters. His
residence Is ono of the finest In Harlem. The
riding ring isa one-story building which ad-
,oins his dwelling, about twenty-five feet high,
and built substantially OF pressed brick. TIL
ANAL windows are nearly covered with the we'll
trimmed English ivy which stretches all over
the northern wall. In front Is a well-kept
lawn. n rare thing in New York. II a mans life
depended upon it he could not guess the pur-
nose o. tho extension. The writer stopped to
admire tho vine-covered building, when a
merry peal Of laughter fell upon his ears.
While he stood ~puzzling what 1t all meant,
the laughter was repeated, this time in q
prolonged peal. followed by a humping
as of iron striking wood. Then it was
realized that tho mysterious sounds came
from the interior Of the low building. Inside
was a regular riding ring. and in 1t were
five girls m ounted on spirited horses, prancing
and curyettinG. The fair esquestriennes were
u slRHt WOTlu lOohlup III. luelT faces HRlOW
with excitement, the picture Of perfect health,
they raced with an abandon and recklessness
that was almost appalling. They INDUCED in
all kinds OF wild pranks. showing a complete
they rode. The, latter seemed to Join in the
fun. and needed but little, coaxing to rear and
plunge and kick UP their heels invain attempts
to unseat their courageous riders. TWo OF
them woreI the Judges daughters.
The women who 90 to a bail in any other way
Than In n curTIaup ure thpfpby liSyfacp1- They
may, be good enough in their way. but theycan-
not be tolerated by II" our best society" Women
long, waterproof clohks, and carrying, little
bundles Of toilet accessories in their hands. are
sSen st tn .af iiG sess but SI the hey ei nre not o an'i their w ana
for example, to the Patriarchs'' gathering.
Even the poorest Of the poor relations OF swell
to pay carriage hire. Thus on such an occa-
sion no umbrellas, overshoes or other indica-
tons Of outdoor transit are to be seen. Mag
nnicently warm wraps are plenty. but a
Of snow would ruin. them. They, are
c SSnS ba Snhls "a and sdpr IN ihsir d lane e snits
ers. So tina, al! they have to do in the dressing
, rem e , to t, dHlr their wraps and touch up their
;SIins thsir maids with them, ii sans a soeiety
lhsndmsiden >! and Hi' ene Of Of these fh@s,9 da sae th sss' @as
Be- a competitive show Of pretty maids: Our
their eats to the cat show, Whyshouldn't they
send their maids to n maid showI
bl rqn1yt s so im2Ios on we're Tsst witnessed WITH Msdt at ia a s hre,
70 @a 6s. TS Ssll sM a; aRa Ss eE9er tn iasss IT s ps tfe
Academy OF Music. with its ballet, was In its
seventh. week. and the managers observed that
tue sSse Of T Ihe ips smi1 Rnanf Tiho Bale s kris Ss s@iiei Is
e. Ses Z sDifi it r ceuidn,s er stand aa e9a aeierFor at Its
There is really nothing for her to smile at,
when you come to think Of it. and she does it
her own dancing as others view it, by means
81 faoG 9 " T.pnwSa g,ancef. bit sbS sannot get q
s .SGa nt ned q iU th RI peenlIa Ar re ehs qansGrs B wGIs
turned on at fuli head and the stage manager
When / say three. grin" he said. "One.
two, three"
twas a ludicrous scene, The girls were in
their street attire. and they wero a prepos.
seessinc lot. with an almost entire absence Of
i n, mothers and grandmothers which ira
has OF late years rejected over maturity in bal
I nrayid and v6 mnhn9nTees haSe t been w compelled Pc sdr to
smiling. Some, OF the smiles were dimpled.
Pretty. and natural. Others were grimaces.
tained Tor about "a a minute minute M and st them the m boss
wanted to get, rid Of was the set smile" by
Il. ho'h shaI VI NV outA
which looks as much like pain as mirth.
Wen try 1t once moro, ladies', IL you please"
ne said. and all of you who smile right will be
relieved. Now again, one, two. three"
There was considerable Improvement. The
IL, iSSpsf front as iias his sn say sai an !Yo Si5, at IA AZ 81 ris b1o q
out. The second will remain. Three and four
can go, Five and six must do a great deal bet
ter And SO he passed his along
from one to another until the end was reached.
Fourteen unsatisfactory smilers remained.
And, there the show ended. for the man mar
shalled thesesimperfect girls into a separate
room where there were large mirrors. and
where he spent the ens%uingihour training them
how to smile IN q manner bewitching to a the
Rtrical assemblage.
New York women OF to-day seldom pause in
the midst OF a good luncheon at u first-class
restaurant to reflect upon, the extraordinary
Eastronomic advantages which they enjoy. To
BE- sure. physiciens and dyspcptics continue to
dilate upon the disastrous results of rich and
Intricate dishes. but people with pocketbooks
shd Questions keep right along. and their
funerals do not apparently. outnlmber those
chiei advantage of the year 1888 is thar a mod
est woman may enter any good hostelry. pick
up an elaborate bill OF fare, order whatever
suits her, palate ut the moment, and comfort
llbly settle back in nm easy chair while tho meal
Is bninu h,Dltnht n,ttrf, ~ ~ ,nn s,al , pys