The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-02-17

classical shape. 1t was on q tall. 1.-the,
agile girl, and showed the lines OF her
figure as plainly as if it were spun on COB
similar repetitions in the ball, bu there
was no other girl inside of one carved SO
d~eliciously as this sweet maid. therefore no
other was so constantly stared at,
AT this great and
about ball in the Academy of Design there
was one thing especially noticeable. Inc
artists and their wives were an entirely
separate element from the blending mass OF
society people. The artists stood about In
little groups. dancing seldomly, and ev1-
IDENTIFY feeling that they were being re,
garded as c~anaille. OF course, all the real
people, knew one another, and they recog-
niz ed the outsiders immediately. Inns OPP
position of sets rendered the affair awk,
ward and stiff from beginning to end. All
tie beauty of the occasion was for the eye.
III q visual sense 1t was one OF the most ex-
quisite things ever exposed IN New YORK.
The foundation of the building. It's gorgeous
decorations of tapestries. antique carvings
and silk hangings, together with the lines
o. water-color pictures crowded along the
walls, made a sight so entirely tine that 1t
could only be compared with a garden of
the gods. The effect of the rooms as they
were at IL o'clock thronged withpeople was
most b%ewildering. 1t was quite I'M
possible to detach q particular cos
tune from the immense splash of color
for special examination, But | noticed that
1ndDl W ~ yOohS $50 fOtto - oO1t
and gauzy Greek gown. In fact, this was
doubtless the most popular costume ut the
fete. 1 believe that this was so because
there is nothing that can be worn, except
tights, that will show the lines of the femi-
nine figure as will the clinging drapery of
the Greek maiden. 1t flows Ik swirls of
mist in among the limbs and curves of the
girl, and when she is d~elicately formed the
effect is enhancing.
Happened to be in the rooms of a we'll
known costumer's establishment when a
conversation took place which contains
some interest. A sprightly young woman
entered, and, after bowling o greeting, in
Quired of the proprietor of the establish
ment how much he would charge to make q
certain costume for Mrs. James Brown Pot
ter. When the name of Mrs. Potter was
mentioned the cOstumer became angry:
."You will pardon me-" he said to
the inquiry, eff 1 compel you to take back
to Mrs. Potter q very decided and harsh
message. Please tell her that she cannot
have any clothes made in my establish
set aside certain weeks of this season to
get up her production here. Then she
went to Paris and brought her clothes
home with her. She can't get a dress made
by me for any price"
Imagine the young man of modern times
returning such a message as that to the
Queen of Egypt.
The costumer then resumed his talk with
the manager of another prominent actress
who insisted that her bill must be cut
down about one hundred per cent. before it
would be paid.
Talking about legal redress against
beautiful actresses the costumer said after
ward that they could win any suit brought
against them.
''They go down to court" he said, spread
the smell of %violets all around them, smile.
n cry, and f1irt, and that settles it. They
get a verdict on their shapes"
The Liederkranz ball was somewhat
quieter than usual this year. There was
just as big a crowd, just as gorgeous tab
leaux, m as much champagne drunk, but
the whole thing came to q close tamely,
m the men went about next day telling
of how stupid it all was. The Liederkranz
was one of the SWEETEST affairs of the season
a few winters ago, but gradually it began
to resemble the French ball in it's aban-
d0ned style of action toward the small
hours, and the elegant people whOhad been
accustomed to attend soon dropped away
As a remedy for this the management APP
| pears to have instilled into the spirit of the
affair an authoritative example of being
eminently decent, and so a commonplace
picture is produced without the old swell
mob to look at it.
Blu one incident that / witnessed at the
L~iederkranZ is good enough to relate. In
one of the baignoir boxes sat a woman
alone. She was completely envelOped in
black lace, so that to say what she looked
like was impossible. Yet there was some
thing about her pose and her silent mystery
of lOnesomeness. All the men, as they
passed the box, would look up, but there
was not a movement of consciousness on
the part of the woman in black. / stood
behind a group of loungers, and regarded
the solitary figure to see what she was
really there, for. Presently a man came
a~.x <A-,~ 49, "A go -. IL.
and fatigue, looked sneeringly up at the
boxes as he went along. seemingly despis-
ing the entire affair. He was a peculiarly
handsome young fellow, with a tall, strong
when his eye caught the figure in black
up In the box. He took a convenient posi-
ton and watched. The tired look left his
face. He was interested. / looked at him
and then at the woman. She had seen him,
and was moving just a little for the first
time since l had discovered her. The young
man had his eyes fixed o. her, and was very
bright now. L knew precisely what his
thoughts were. Here was a romantic fig
ure; but suppose he should investigate and
graceful outlines of a woman for a promise.
The figure in black had guessed his
thoughts as soon as 1 did. The scene began
to be charming. The woman raised her
dropped back and revealed the proof of
youth. 1t was a round, tapering, white
arm, and the hand was as delicate as a
Hover. The young man still watched. The
woman let her hand fall to her throat and
slowly drew the lace aside. diamond star
shone out from marble-like perfection.
The young man started forward, and then
settled back again, as though still uncon-
WINGED. The woman in the box seemed to
understand. She lifted, with a movement
almost maddening in its slowness, the lace
of her mantle. fold by fold, away from the
lower part of her face. Twas as breathless
as the young man she was doing it for.
There was a flash of light that was dag
cling, and a mouth like a rosebud, q chin of
lily purity, shone for one instant through
the gloom of the head-dress. The young
man dashed off the floor and in anothermo-
ment was sitting in the box with the woman
in black.
hadn't seen her eyes. / hope for the
sake of the young man that they proved to
be worthy accompaniment of such a peer
less arm, neck and mouth. CLARA BELLE.
A SOUVENIR OF 1871.