The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-22
DOROTHY Q'S LETTER.
The Opening of the Social Season
in New York.
Well-Kuown California People in the Empire
City and What They Are Doing-A Sue
cessful Oakland Girl.
Special to THE SUNDAY CALL.

| NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 1S91.-The great
horse-show, which began at Madison-square
| Garden November 10th, opened the social
| season in New York. The mansions that
have been closed and desolate in appearance
| for months are again brilliantly lighted and
sounds of merr iment and life proclaim the
| fact that the gay world has come to town.
| Parties have come from Philadelphia, Bos-
| ton and Baltimore to attend the show. The
| clatter Of hoofs, the whinny of horses and
the merry Jingle of brides are the pleasant
accompaniment to the badinage, social gos-
sip and general merrymaking of the brilliant
throng who coDCregate at the Madison-square
Garden to admire the fne thoroughbreds
that claim attention even in the presence OF
the fairest bellies of New York.
| Among the Californians who will attend
are Mr.. and Mrs. j. b. Haggin and Mr.. and
MIS-. Louis Haggin, who have lately returned
from abroad and who will spend the win ter
| In New York. Mrs. Richard P. Louns-
! berry (nee Haggin) is another bright Cali
| fornian, full of esprit and vivacity, who is
| among the brilliant assemblage to appre-
! ciate the fine points of the noble steeds and
to especially admire the equine representa-
tives OF California which are in the exhi-
biton.
| from long sojourn at her charming home
! at WestcheSter, and her handsome town
| residence at 65 Park avenue is again open.
| Miss Clara McChesney has returned from
| abroad, and her charming picture she has
at the Water Color Society. entitled Ma
| ternity," SHOWS that she has profited much
| by her study of color and atmosphere and
life in Holland.
Miss Annie Blakeslee. who is winning
| her way in New York with admirable cour-
| CT m
| charming water color, study In red. An
| interesting feature of it is that the sister of
| Mrs. Pemberton- Hincks, the society singer
| who made such hit in London, posed for
| the picture. Take the picture all in all it
is simple enough, lovely woman attired in
red gown, sitting in an easy comfortable
| pose. looking at you. The esprit debOnair
| grace and expression which Miss Blakeslee
| has given this same woman impels one to
| believe she would be quite brilliant, clever
| and char ming If she would only challenge
one with pretty speech. She looks as if she
| were going tos speak. Miss Blakeee Illus
trates for Puck and Munsey's Weekly and
| several other publications of note, all of
which Oakland may pridefully consider ana
wish this bright daughter of hers godspeed.
| 1t is such a real pleasure to tell of the
success of these brave girls-fur they are
brave. There is deal OF glamour about
the easy way to success In New York in art
| and literature and other things that EN-
thusiasts who like to adorn facts are re-
| spon sible for. 1t takes plucky. persistent
| spirit and a cheerful determination not to
be beaten to WOO fortune here. Unless one
| is weighted with letters of real power-per-
suasive power-or has deal of money, be-
lieve mo, there is not i city in the United
States where she could be so completely
desolate; unless she is alert, wide awake
and ready 10 be "lord of every moments
change and charge it with her SOUL"
This is not said to discourage the
young women who are yearning to
leave the sunny cline of California and to
live in the inspiring atmosphere Of New
York. 1t may, however, comfort those who
are doing such admirable work there Cali
fornia writer's are widely copied in the
papers in the East, and although seemingly
so far away from the center of art, music
and literature" | can testify that you have
the true art feeling that is not dependent
on place or climate. The much Wanted
chrysanthemum show, let me whisper conf
dentially, behind the Rockies, was woefully
lacking in artistic work and expression.
The flowers, of course, were gorgeous. They
were the pencilings of the divine, tenderly
preserved by man. The Nine. Hardy, with
the hirsute growth on the ragged white
petals, looked as if sprinkled with snow or
flecked with showdown. The gay lanterns
had the exquisite colorings of artistic Japan.
That was ALL
Right in San Francisco who could not
show as much? There was no intelligent
planning, no artistic conception to leave one
breathless with admirationi And think of
the possibilities The French would have
had an arch Of triumph made of the mag
niicent flowers, and would have made the
entrance a floral bower. At least so Thorley
would have conceived it. l must tell you q
bit about shis same Tborley window.
You remember, those of you familiar with
the Coleman House, where SO many Cali
fornians stop, the lovely floral window that
challenges the hurryng pedestrian to pause
and look moment at the rare orchids and
artistic combinations Of flowers that gladden.
the sight? II is Thorley's, where is the
most artistic floral display in New York. I
tell you this, so If you do not think this
basket beautiful and will hesitate to make
knowledge that it is the creation of the
floral artist of New York, who has done"
Paris. London and Venice. You can make
1t yourself, you who fashion bouquets with
such deft and artistic touch The roses
were Madame Cousin. you know their deli
cate pink flush. They were loosely punched
| in basket-wel, not unlike a chair. A
| gorgeous pink bow. debonair and easy in Its
| tie. made fine background near the top of
| the basket. Loops and streamers peeped
! out near the bottom, and little yellow
| birds were half revealed and half concealed
by the soft rose petals. 1t really was lovely!
| Many might object to yellow and pink, to
be sure! 1t Is rather daring-but there is
| petals crowned with yellow pistil and sta
mems. Then, another basket Of white and
yellow chrysanthemums combined with
| white and yellow satin ribbon, looked like a
| cloud edged with the gold of the setting sun
but. must tell you about the very latest
| veil and let the flowers go. Perhaps you do
| know that the very latest veil is of hand
somely figured black net really like a cur
| tains 1t is at least a yard wide and three
yards long. 1t is generally worn with big
| picturesque black hat. Three little pleats
| are made in front, as one must do with al
most any veil to make 1t sit nicely on the
hat, and then little distance down. saw
| near the shoulder, six peats are made;
| these are drawn up close at the back of the
! hat, and the rest of the veil falls like a
| jaDot of lace or a cascade in front of the
jacket or long coat. There is q thick mass
| around the neck that does in place of
strings and. if you please, hides the wrink-
| les there that are base revealers that old
Time is stealing ones youth.
But in this garrulous chat of flowers and
wells | have almost forgotten to tell you
that Miss Keith Wakeman OF East Oakland
| is having admirable success in Miss Gales
company, which is playing THE Hunch-
back" Miss Gale was with Barrett and
Booth, you remember, and is now brave
enough to star alone, and is doing well.
You all know, pc laps, that Divide Musin,
the famous vlolinist. who made himself
| such favorite in the musical world of San
| Francisco. married Miss Annie Louise Tan
ner not long ago. Miss Ada Lewis, the San
| Francisco girl who made such brilliant
| hit as 'the tough girl in Harrigan's CON-
pany, is to be married soon to San Fran
| cisco merchant. DOROTHY Q.
Labor Notes.