Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-10

Ne1 wealthy ana preJentlous
~ family. One of their
residences is a fine place
at Pleasance, just out of town. They have
rooted over their stable yard, made regu-
lation sawdust ring, and put in some of the
paraphernalia of professional circus. I
was favored witness of this weeks show
at the Waterbury place. There were only
60 spectators. We did not sit on hard
boards. with no supports for our backs, and
with our feet dangling, after the old-fash-
ioned manner of the tent show, but each had
comfortable camp chair, placed on plat
form, overlooking the arena.
SWELL CIRCUS RIDERS.
Nine athletes were amateurs from the
ranks of swelldom. They performed feats
on the trapeze, the horizontal bar and on
the spring board. Intermixed with them
in the entertainment were ten professionals
hired from Barnum's company, which was
being formed for the forthcoming season.
After an hour of various feats, the charm of
femininity was impaired to the entertain
ment, and by the distinguished means of
six equestrian bellies, who rode their horses
into the ring, and went through with some
delicate evolutions. The ladies were in
sidesaddles, and wore ordinary equestrian
habits. And there was no clown to ask:
'fWhat will the lady have next?" But it
was real and true circus, all the same, and
it showed how thoroughly our rich pleasure
seekers do an amusing thing when they un-
dertake it.
AT THE PATRIARCHS' BALL.
While the Inauguration ball was going
m Ir1N NoS nerfn vanhe los,
their last Waiting at the Patriarchs' bali.
All the 'Astors, Vanderbilts and their sort
of folks were present, except the several
| members of the two named families now in
Europe, and it seemed as though these ex.
elusive and pretentious people were glad to
emphasize the fact that they disdained to
make the trip to Washington for participa-
ton in a mixed public assemblage, how
ever consequential it might be.
By the way, the daughter-in-law of James
G. Blaine was at the same time exhibiting
herself in the proscenium box of theater.
Mindful of her forthcoming debut as an az
tress, she loses no opportunity to advertise
herself to the theatrical public. She is
Jall, willowy and rather good looking young
lady, but more stylish than beautiful when
you come to examine her critically. I sup
pose have seen her at the theater 20 times
within halt that number of weeks. She in
variably gets into lower box next the
stage, and sits in front corner facing the
audience, so that she is about as much
within the dramatic view as any of the per-
formers behind the footlights. So literally
was she included in the stage limits on this
occasion that the footlights shone glaringly
on her face. The boldness of the display is
modified by her aspect of demure propriety.
| Evidently she has the requisite self-posses-
sion for good actress, whether or not she
possesses the other needed qualities.
YOUNG MRS. BLAINE.
What a vast difference the physique of
woman makes in regard to the impression
of character that the sight of her CONVEYS
to an observer. There was young Mrs.
Blaine doing really audacious thing, and
! yet she looked ingenious, modest and unas-
| suming. But on the stage, at the same
time, was an actress undertaking to portray
exactly that sort of maiden, but failing
utterly because she happened to be of large
stature, plump figure, and altogether
physically bold type. In the play she i'm
personated a particularly unsophisticated
and guileless girl, who positively didn't
know enough to look out for herself, and
who had to be protected against the perils
of beauty by the hero of the drama. An
actress of slight figure, pensive face and
suggestion of weakness should have been
chosen for this role, but the performer was
a robust beauty, and her really clever imi-
tation of occurrences was regarded by the
audience as something comical. She hung
her head modestly, gave shy glances, and
made all the otner denotements of bashful-
ness correctly, but it wasn't of any use, and
that was why she failed within few feet
from where Mrs. Blaine was succeeding.
PRESIDENTIAL DRESSES.
Some sewing girl let the cat out of the
bag, and the real ground for Mrs. Caroline
Scott Harrison's aversion to the decolIete
bodice was not moral, but flannel While
in no way delicate lady, she is too fond of
her health to take any risk of losing it, and
positively refused to adopt the low-necked
and short-sleeved gown prescribed by the
modiste. 1.-THE flannel must remain, - she
is reported to have said, $50 cut the corsage
any way you please" And the flannel did
remain. By special request an order was
sent to a manufacturing house and the
lady's vests were woven to measure with
V, square and heart-shaped necks and
| sleeves reaching to the shoulders
Mrs. Levi P. Morton, on the contrary,
ordered her ball dress cut court fashion, that
| is with a low, round corsage and short
sleeves. She is one of the few women of
her age in New York society who could
| wear the style, WHICH SHOWS the neck and
shoulders, tapers from the hips, is laced up
the back and fitted without a hustle. 1t is
the very dress for the wife of the Vice Pres
ident, as her shoulders are beautiful. dim
pied and milk white, her throat and arms
are exquisitely modelled, and her skin is as
perfect as piece of bridal satin. Together
with being beautiful woman, Mrs. Morton
is a most accomplished one, and her children
are not more systematic in study hours than
she is.
MRS. CLEVELAND AS A PoETEss,
Now they are saying and denying that
Mrs Grover Cleveland has had erotlc fever
and under its in1ammatory fareup com
posed lot of what she modestly terms
rhymes" 1t is a positive fact that she
read them to a few friends, who praised
them to the brow of Miss Liberty, and
under this encouragement they were tried
on Grover. Nobody knows what the criti-
cism was, but it made the authoress cry.
Mrs Folsom told the impatient ladies
that Mrs. Cleveland would not do anv more
writing till she went to New York, and that
is how the announcement came to be made
that the pretty wife of the big ex-President
was going to write. No contract has been
made with any publisher, and is not likely
to be either, for Miss Cleveland is decidedly
more able in welding pen than her
brothers wife, and he never enthused over
her work of the past four years. Her
opinions Of one administration might be