Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-04-05
AN AMERICAN BELLE.
How She Is Brought Up, Educated AND
Trained for Social Life.


as one OF Browning's poems Happen
ing to sit at lunch the other day next
to one of the most successful debut
ants OF the season thought | would
make gentle inquiries about her early
life. She was a charming creature,
eminently New Yorkish. and, without
being strictly handsome. was irresist-
ible. She was tall and not too slight.
with well-developed figure. A warm
color mantled on her clear cheek, and
her features were fairly regular. the
chief attraction being pair of large.
dark blue eyes. shaded by long lashes,
which she knew very well to be her
best point, and used with great effect.
AS she pulled off her long gray gloves
and took up her oyster fork / noticed
her beautiful hands, which were long
aud slender. with perfect almond
shaped nails that bespoke the mani
cures frequent care, ana taper fingers.
Her rings were few, but costly--too
costly.
Where did you go to SCHOOL, |
asked, to begin with. 'In New York.
or were you at boarding school some
whereof"
She turned her beautiful eyes upon
me In pretty perplexity. When she
spoke her voice was delightful, quite
English in its rich. generous quality.
and she talked slowly. with sort OF
quiet dignity that was very charming
''Oh. no. l never went to school,"
said she, smiling. II had a governess
and master at home. My governoss
taught me the necessary smattering OF
history, arithmetic and geography,
and being Frenchwoman always
spoke her own language with me. My
mpid WAS also French, that being one
| of my earliest accomplishments. Then
| masters came in for German and
Italian. music and dancing. Oh dear,
what care they did take, had to walk
so many hours day, take cold
| plunge-bath every morning that was
for my complexion-go to the dentist
every month, have my hair brushed
| by Celine for an hour every night be-
fore went to bed, and sit L Il long
time every morning with my shoulder
strained against blackboard to make
sure that my figure would be good.
rose every morning at seven and went
to bed every night at eight. This
went on until | was sixteen.
EAT sixteen" she said, "they took
me abroad. Even on the steamer
was not allowed to make any acquaint
ances. | spent a year at school il
Leipsic, very small and expensive
place, whore there were young German
girls OF high degree and scattering
OF English and Americans from tn,
best families, with whom | was no
only permitted but instructed to be
como intimate. Then mamma cam
again. and this time took me to Paris
where l staid another year at the Sacr
Cnur. Then | was eighteen, and
was time to prepare for the importan
event OF my coming out. | left tn
convent in March. and for the mex
three months we had most gloriou
time getting my things together i
|
; quite $4,000 for the gowns, hats an
1 chiffon she said were absolutely neces
sary for my first season. From a mer
child suddenly bloomed into youn
} woman, Mamma took me with her t
4 one or two entertainments in Paris
after that we went to London just io
the end of the season. but it was d
vine; then TO Newport for August. {
n Lenox for September and October, t
Tuxedo. for November, and then t
New York, where early this mont
mamma gave great reception to il
troduce me. And such good tine 8
: have had since! think. after all,
is a good plan to keep girls in the bacl
y ground until they are ready to com
= out. They enjoy it all the more b,
II cause every thing is so new"
$ Certainly, her education has been a
: unmitigated success. She asked mo ,
/ come and see her, which did tho ne,
L day. She lived in gorgeous hous
. on fifth avenue, away up by the parl
: and found her in IA lovely little ne
= -iitl pNu tptlAiH, IL uilniy CIluul VI
: all white and gold with silver brusht
l. and combs and glasses strewn all ov,
81 the toilet-table, costly favors, trophi,
q OF her many triumphant cotillol
: decking the wallis Then she had
e luxurious little boudoir besides. HI
u brisk, white-capped maid, quic
II witted Frenchwoman. anticipated y,
!, every want, She had but to ask fur
u thing. and presto! she had it. wha
y ever its price. and it really seemed
$ II she ought to have been a perfect
d happy being.
II But ah! The little rift within IL
> lutte! She had given her young hea
le to Philip van Fanderness, who h
50 only -, 900 a year To attempt matt
% mony on that meager pittance won
: be sheer madness, SO the fair debu
II ante's papa declares, and he utter
. scorns such parti The debutan
" herself knows it to be impossible. al
L while she tells her impecunious Low
that she can never marry any m;
u who hasn't at least an income t,
1 times as large as his she feels that 81
T. would rather be less fond OF the In
'e ury which has become necessity
" her and be happy in simple way. Tht
&c however. her education had made o
.,g