Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-08
IN A BORROWED GOWN.

Whether he still is blind, or If
His eyes are open too
IN A BORROWED GOWN.
cannot vouch for the truth of it. but
here is a story, told on tolerably good
authority, about one of the most promi-
nent society ladies of the land, whose
name is known to yerybody-Mrs. Willie
K. Vanderbilt. Soon after her father had
lost all his money by unfortunate specula-
tion, she went to Saratoga with some
friends. In day or two the announce
ment was made, which caused fiutter in
the breasts Of all the marriagable females
and their managing mammas-that the
wealthy son of William Vanderbilt would
arrive that very evening. OF gowns, the
girl in question had but few, and most of
them had been worn already; and now. if
never before in her life, she pined for an
appropriate frock-for what true daughter
of Eve can make an impression on anv
man, unless dressed to please herself, how
ever well her attire and appearance NAV
please the opposite sex? As well might
! one of us try to get up devout frame of
mind on Easter morning without that
primary essential of an Easter bonnet
The consultations of religion are all very
well, but they fall on stony ground in the
heart of the average woman, unless her
outer and visible form is appropriately
encased.
Well, friend-as friends go among the
butterflies of Society-told the lady who is
now Mrs. Willie K. not to worry her dear
little head at all, for she (the alleged
friend) would loan her for the momentous
occasion of her first meeting with the
young millionaire gorgeous yellow silk
out of her own splendid wardrobe Tableau
"a rush of generosity on one side and
profuse thanks on the other as the naughty
but reduced little Southern girl concluded
! to pocket her pride and accept the loan.
But for some unaccountable reason there
were delays and excuses about sending
around the dress, and it did not reach the
wearer until just time enough remained to
get herself within it for the evenings ball,
and then, with tears of disappointment,
she discovered that one side of the bodice
and nearly half the skirt was utterly
ruined by huge wine stain. But was
this to daunt Southern girl-and, besides,
how could she allow the false friend to
succeed in the mean design of keeping her
away from the ball, because it was now too
late to make other preparation? 1t hap
pened that big and beautiful black lace
shawl of her mother's-a relic of former
magnifcence before the failure-had been
put into her trunk by mistake of the
maid, and it was in the silken net of this
ICnt ,lo,-
was caught for life. She draped it over
the yellow silk in Spanish fashion, COM
pletely hiding the ugly wine stain, fasten-
ing it on her head and at one shoulder with
amber pins. An admirer had sent her a
bunch of yellow roses and with these and
her black feather fan, the most unique
and charming costume of the evening was
complete. She came, she saw, she con-
quered, and while the wicked friend looked
on with envy land has never, to this day, for
given her for thwarting her ungenerous
schemes), she presented the loveliest of
pictures when Mr.. Vanderbilt, with ad-
miration in his eyes, was introduced to
her. And so, Cinderella-like, the maid of
the nineteenth century found her Prince,
albeit in borrowed gown.
ANOTHER STORY
One likes to tell is about Mrs. Hicks-Lord,
whose name is also a household word
among the creme de la creme of American
society. She is among the ladies of the
old regime-those gentle-women who re-
member the time when gallantry was the
vogue and courtesy was counted of more
value than costumes. Wherever she goes
her dignifed manner and fine presence
would command universal attention with
out the millions at her back Her life
has been like romance, and her charities,
| though innumerable, are all carefully con-
sidered. She is not only liberality per-
sonifed to her church and in the usual
religious avenues through which money
flows, but she is also quietly generous to
many of her friends who suffer the woes of
genteel poverty, and, more than this
curiously enough for an fashionable
woman-she is perfectly au fat regarding
the joys and sorrows, the hopes, the needs
and the ambitions of every one of her de-
pendants. Every year, when the holiday
time comes around, she looks after all the
workers in her household, and at the great
dinner-table set in the servants dining
room every man servants wife and chill
dren are present. every maid and domestic
of kin to enjoy the feast. Even the guards
at the gate are not forgotten, and the
| weary nights when the Lord mansion is
watched are amply compensated for, with
| liberal gift to boot. And when the old
| butler stands up and drinks ''To the health
of the mistress-God bless herp at this
Thanksgiving dinner, l think she must
feel after all how good it is to have great
L -
mere possession it is to know how to use it.
WAIST NOT, WANT SOME.
IA Poem with MoralI
Ella had little waist,
And she could eat no dinner
For she was so tightly laced
Space was not within her.
Minnie had an appetite
And girth capacious,
| Temper and complexion bright,
Manners free and gracious.
Dog-day doggerel, to be sure, but no
doubt true as preaching.
| WOMEN IN GENERAL.
The other day at Ocean Grove an after
noon meeting was addressed by Mrs. Lydia
Sexton, of Kansas, an old lady in her
ninety-tirst year, who for more than two
decades has been preacher in the Church
of the United Brethren. She is verv
sprightly, and talked in clear, firm, earn
est voice, speaking without notes, and
apparently without fatigue. Her figure is
as straight as young girls, and she wore
a dress of trown satin and cashmere, with
a white handkerchief stuck between the
buttons of the bodice.
Sarah Orme Jewett, telling of a jaunt in
New England, says: "Now and then we
saw carefully-tended fiower-garden, al.
ways delightful to see and to think about
They are not made by merely looking