The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-09-20
GOSSIP ON MANY TOPICS
WHAT ALICE FINDS TO WRITE
ABOUT THESE DAYS.

MY DEAR LOUISE: You are TO understand
that have ceased to make my apparition at
the resorts. The President has returned-and
why should one be ashamed of being in town
after the 18th of September l have ceased
airing tiny holiday clothes and my holiday
manners" With the cobwebs newly brushed
out OF my eyes, | am deeply susceptible to the
beauties of this now torn up city, and turn
deaf ear to the constant reiteration of the
complaint that the upturned streets are caus-
ing many cases OF fevers, for facts are stub
born things and the showing of the new
Health Officer is to the effect that September
OF '91, is healthier than September of 100.
And after all-the health of the city cannot be
gauged until the Mckee babies return and we
learn the status of the White House, which
has been ''swept and garnished" and let us
hope put in reasonably healthy state. In
spite of all the abuse heaped on the stately,
historic mansion in the last few days. the fact
stands out that not death has occurred in It
for more than generation, and, as a rule,
those who have had the honor to dwell under
It's roof, have lived out their allotted days.
The beautiful vacation time is certainly
over-the real holiday season of the year to
the masses, for the summer is the period when
the bread winners are allowed ''rest from
their labors." 1t has been said 'that the
Queen of Sheba was not circumstance to
some 'salesladies' on their vacation" think
the ssalesladies'' are perfectly right to indulge
their taste for pretty clothes during their one
yearly holiday period. They spend almost
twelve months selling beautiful things to-
hundreds of women-in many cases giving
valuable advice as to combination of colors,
effects, quality, ETC., and the girl with true
feminine instincts will account IL as one OF the
delights of her brief holiday to be able to
make herself look as elegant as possible.
Pretty goes without saying, for "the shop
girls outrival their more fortunate sisters in
beauty. 2
The evident signs of decay of many popular
and fashionable resorts is quite theme OF
conversation. Europe is becoming sort of
sanctuary now that the fight for entree and
precedence has grown so fierce at the swell
resorts. Frequently, season at one of these
places is nothing more than a continuous
struggle-the early martyrs of the Christian
church scarcely made greater sacrifices. Then
fashionable folks are somewhat given to say
ing right mean things about each other, and
"the stranger within their gates" is apt to be
annoyed by inquisitiveness as to who he or
she may be. With plenty of money, any
one may have glorious time over the water,
and so Europe is swallowing all the once big
profits OF the summer landlord. have read
that "Long Branch property would almost
seem to be on toboggan Slide" The blight
is on Bar Harbor, where the season developed
an unexpected crop of 'thigh rollers" Even
the establishment of the summer capital at
Cape May, failed to resurrect that ancient
town.
1t is estimated that at least fifty millions of
dollars are annually taken to Europe by
American tourists. The other side of the
outlook shows that q small contingent is
abroad to repair the winters extravaganza
and are content to live in Europe as they
would not live at home.
/ told you last week Of the indications of an
ending of the White Squadron's lark. l see
signs here that the dark brigade is about at
the end of its fun. During my several returns
to the city this summer, have noticed stylish
carts, buckboards and elegant victorias,
filed with colored women. These vehicles
were drawn by fine horses driven by swell
looking coachmen. The women evidently en-
joyed the stolen pleasure and gazed with un-
abashed front at the passers-by.
The return of the owners of these elegant
equipages ends the lark for the colored bri-
gade, though few are still in luck, for this
very morning, lovely September dawn, hap
pening to look from my window at an unusu-
ally early hour [ saw an elegant victoria roll
by, the occupants of which were two fancy
looking colored women in gala attire!
have just had letter from Mary l. In
London. She gossips in the most interesting
manner about the engagement of the Earl Of
Dudley and Miss Rachel Gurney. You know
the marriage took place during this week.
Mary L says Lady Dudley, herself pro-
fessional beauty in a certs in sense, seriously
opposed her sons marriage, looking upon it
as neSalliance The mother of Young
Gurney is sister of Val Princep, the artist
and first cousin of the Duchess of Bedford,
at whose house all the courting has been done,
Miss Gurney entering society as the protegee
of the Dutchess of Bedford. Mis-. Gurney
has been well-known to the world of London
for many years and not to the advantage OF
her daughter, for after the loss of Mr..
Gurney's fortune Mrs. Gurney entered the
ranks or trade, and is now the head of the
in Regent street Mr. Gurney very properly
got lost in the wilds of South America.
The Countess of Dudley, now the dowager,
belongs to a family of six sisters all of most
remarkable beauty. Like ''the fair Gun
nings," of the last century, they set London
wild when they descended from their highland
castle and showed themselves In town. They
were the daughters of Scotch baronet Mon
criff. They came to conquer, and great was
their success. One married the Duke of
Athole; another welded Lord Forbes, of
Nerve; one became Mrs. Arbuthbot, and one
Mrs. Murray; the fifth married the Earl OF
Dudley, and the last made match that placed
her on pinnacle, by giving her hand to Sir
Charles Mordaunt. The result of what seemed
SO fortunate marriage is told by the records
Of the divorce court in the ''cause celebre'
of Mordaunt against Mordaunt. The unfortu-
nate woman lives in Australia now, supported
by monthly allowance from her sisters.
The Countess of Dudley was greatly disap-
pointed in her sons choice, for 1t
was known that her ambition was that her son
should follow the example OF the Duke of
Fife and try for the hand of one of the Queens
granddaughter. But ''love will have its
way" and Miss Gurney's dark beauty hope
Ixr a6 fhn ri