Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-09-06
HIGH LIFE AT SARATOGA.
Why Dab" Thinks 1t the Most Alb
solutely Vulgar Place in
the World.
Where Gold Makes Homely Girls
Pretty and Badly-bred Women
FaShionable-A Sara
tOga Ball.

Of all places in the world Saratoga is |
the most absolutely Vulgar. You can call 1t |
nothing else. The stamp of the gold coin |
makes ordinary girls pretty. badly-bred |
women fashionable and men who wouldn't |
be spoken to outside of a bar-room in New |
York given the entree. At ball the |
woman whose diamonds are the biggest is
quoted as distinguished and the girl whose
frock is the most bizarre Is described as
the belle. | should never be surprised at
any offense against good taste committed
here, for its just a question of how much
money, how many diamonds and how
many frocks. A complimentary writer
called ii the Monaco of America, and
think if the powers that be in the smallest
kingdom in the world should hear of this
insult to their principality they would
come and rae Saratoga to the ground.
Monaco, Unframed in flowers, made joyful
by the soft sea air, has about Its gambling
a halo of romance. Saratoga, slaring hot
and dusty, has about it no romance what
ever and Its gambling is of the sort that
means an eager grasp for the almighty
dollar, while its coat of arms ought to be
three balls.
The women? Well. the many are loud
and badly dressed. The few are quiet in
manner elegant in gown and equipage.
The water? The less said about the
water the better, for no matter how much
can be quoted in favor of its after effect,
there is nothing that gives one so entirely
the taste of ones hereafter as does the
compound of match stems and hcorice
water that is pronounced so healthy.
WHAT A SARATOGA BALL Is LIKE.
The balls are balls in the most pro-
nounced sense of the word-they do not
suggest that on a quiet corner of the yard
there could be written Dancing" or
"Cotillon at II o'clock" but they just
suggest balls-balls where the dancing is
furious. and the gentlemen who wear cos
tune de rigueur find it costume de rigor as
most of them pronounce it. After each
dance they wipe the perspiration off their
faces and feel that they have earned what
ever there is to eat or drink.
WHERE DIAMONDS ARE AT \ PREMIUM
The girls are attired in gowns that out
rival Joseph coat of many colOrs, and
you can not but be amazed at the number
of diamond necklaces that abound. True,
1t wouldn' do to examine them closely If
you are Judge of stones, and such
thing as their not matching in size and
color doesn't seem to be considered. but
they must be big-big before everything
else, and worn as often as possible. Soil
taire earrings, brooch of diamonds and
pair of diamond bracelets form a quiet
get-up in jewelry in the morning. Aud
when you look at the women who so
offend against all the laws of good taste,
you wonder if they are like their dia
monds-otf color.
MRS. HICKs-LoRD's CHARITIES.
Among the ladies of the old regime.
the gentlewomen who remembered the time
when gallantry was the vogue and cour-
tesy was counted of more value than cos
TUNES, is Mrs Hicks-L Lord. Wherever she
goess he would by her dignifed manner
and fine presence attract attention, but
here she seems all the whittier because of
the decided contrast afforded. | was
amused at something a man said to me
which shows that after all men are good
judges of women's clothes. Said he:
Mrs. Lord could never be anything else
| but lady. How do | know? Because !
have been near enough to her to see that
her velvets and silks are of the richest
quality, her lace, even if it only be little
bit. is of the finest. and that whatever
jewelry she wears is perfect in shape and
color; and really don't believe she ever
wears all she possesses" | laughed at his
Judgment and agreed with him. for |
knew it was true. Aud then | told him
little about this gentlewoman,
WHOSE LIFE HAS BEEN A ROMANCE,
and whose kindnesses are so many and so
well considered. Generous to her church,
she is also generous to many of her
friends who, having no riches, suffer the
woes of genteel poverty, and more than
this she is curiously enough, for a fashion
able woman, perfectly au fait regarding
the joys or woes of all the people of her
house When the holiday THINGS come she
looks after the workers in her household,
and at the great dinner table set in the
servants dining-room everybody wife
and child is present and there is not
little voice asking for the drumstick that
does not get it. She doesn't forget the
guards at her gate and the weary nights
when her house is watched are amply
compensated for Now that s what call
doing good with your money and when
the old butler stands up and drinks ITO
the health of Mrs. Lord and God bless
her, at the Thanksgiving dinner it
seems to me she must feel after all how
good it is to have wealth and how good it
is to spend it.
WHERE ROMANCE WAS AND REALLY is.
The oldtimers tell of romances connected
with Saratoga and then sigh that it is not
as it used to be. They regret the days
when the Southern gentry used to come on
for the waters and sigh over the fact that
anybody can get there nowadays. 1t is an
exaggerated weighing machine-you drop
your nickel in the slot-a gold-washed
nickel-and then it is announced exactly
what your weight is from the golden stand
point by the gossips round about. The
days of romance have gone by and those of
reality are here. About the last of the
stories is that of Cammack and the lovely
girl whom he married. He met her here,
and her sweetness Of face. of voice and of
manner. charmed even The man who found
his greatest delight in making money, and
he determined that the beauteOus maid
should be his bride. Evidently she had no
ideal as far as a husband was concerned,
or else even all the money would not have
made her find happiness in a man old
enough to be her father and certainly not
handsome. She is not here this summer,
and it would seem just as well, for the
much-praised beauty has gone-the deli
cate skin has grown flushed and the slen-
der figure is more than round; it is fat!
And the moral of it is that when you have
lived your romance IN one place while you
are young and lovely to look upon, never
come back.
MRS. W. X. VANDERBILT s ROMANCE.
An older romance that has the charm of
fiction about it. is told of Mrs Willie X.
Vanderbilt She was here after her father
had lost his money with some friends,
when the announcement that the rich
son of William Vanderbilt would arrive
that evening was made. OF gowns she
had but few-most of them had been
worn, and she did think that she could
make an impression on any man if only
she had a frock to wear. One Of her
friends volunteered to lend her a yellow
silk. With great delight it was accepted but
the beauty's eyes filed with tears and her
lip quivered with disappointment when
she discovered that on one side of the
bodice and far down on the skirt extended
a wine stain. But was this to daunt a
southern girl2 Certainly not. When the
time came and the gown was put on she
took a black shawl that by some mistake
had been put among her things, dropped
it about her In Spanish fashion fastening