The critic., 1891-01-24
OVER In NEW YORK.
WHAT THE FOUR HUNDRED ARE DO.
ING TO AMUsE THEMSELVES.
Gossip About Entertainments Decorations,
Art aud Athlctics.

GOSSIP AbOut Enteftninmen'S, DECORATIONS,
Art aud Athletics.
Special Correspondence of The Critic.
NEW YoRK, Jan. 23.-The present New
York season is one of splendid entertain
ments, and never have expenditures for
decorations been more extravagant. The
leading function of the week was Mrs.
Cornelius Vanderbilts dance on Monday
at which $50 guests were present. The
house was decorated with Magma Charta,
American Beauty and Bride roses, mingled
with white lilacs. In the large drawing
room where the cotillion was danced, the
musicians were placed upon platform in
the great bay window and concealed from
view by pretty lattce-work of foliage and
| pink roses. Mr.. Ridgeway led the cotillion,
| dancing with Mrs. Vanderbilt. The favors
were unusually handsome, and included
many small objects of artistic beauty.
There was goodly array of beauty and
fashion at Mrs. William X. Vanderbilt's
| second musicale on Tuesday last. These
entertainments differ from most musicdics
| given at private houses, from the fact that
| music is the aim of the gathering and that
| il Is of the highest order, given by
trained orchestra selected from the Sym
| phony Society, who play to an audience
as quiet and absorbed as any TO be seen at
apublic concert. The guest, were all in
| their places at 1890 when Walter Dam
rosch waved his baton and the music be-
gan. The floral decorations in one of the
dining.rooms were very effective consist
ing entirely of spring blossoms. White
and pink tulips, jonquils, narciss, white
| lilacs and mignonette mingled their deli
cate odors and filled the air with perfume.
Il.n IN, har nd
occupied central position in the large
dining-room. The guests were placed in
the great hall, some of them occupying
chairs in the archways of the upper hall
from which good view was to be had Of
the orchestra. The numbers were SUI
perbly played and the occasion q most
| enjoyable one.
Another of Mrs. Whitney's Saturday
dances takes place tomorrow night and
bids fair to be as enjoyable as its predeces-
sors. There are few houses in New York
so admirably adapted to entertaining as
Mrs. Whitney's, and the rare tact of the
hostess, the absolute beauty of the sur
roundings and the perfect supper that
crowns her entertainments make them
events not to be easily forgotten.
Among the many clubs which have been
formed by society women to occupy their
time during Lent the favorite ones are
bowling, badminton and athletic associa-
tons. Badminton is delightful game,
and the players always find it fascinating.
II is cross between tennis and the old
fashioned game of battledore and shuttle
cock. The gowns worn for bowling and
badminton are plain skirts of flannel or
cachemire, with bright silk blouses of
India silk belted in. Tea, lemonade and
thin bread and butter are the only refresh
ments permitted by the rules of the club.
The athletic exercises which have become
| nnitp fhp fa linp found N hp IN
excellent means of recuperation from the
strain upon nerves and muscles which a
three months devotion to the demands of
society have occasioned These athletics
take various forms, marching, dumb.bell
exercises, swinging rings and Indian clubs
are the favorites, although many. young
women use the trapeze and vaulting bar
with the greatest ease. This is all done, of
course, in gymnastic dress, consisting of
n long pair of dark stockings, q divided
skirt somewhat like full Turkish trousers,
which fasten at the knee, low heeled pig
skin shoes, and blouse Of fine Jersey
webbing, with full sleeves and wide turn
over collar. Fencing is also a favorite
pastime, but one must first go through
gymnastic exercises before learning to
fence. Musical clubs, church clubs and
elocution clubs are to be organized, and so
the days of fasting and self-denial will go
on, with cheering visions, we suppose. OF
spring toilettes and Easter festivities.
A bazaar was organized by some society
women week or two ago, and was held
in the large ball room of the Brunswick
Hotel. No attempt at startling effects
was intended, and no new departure was
even thought of, and still the fair was as
full of picturesque effect and color as any
character costuming could have made it.
The long narrow tables were each finished
with a canopy frame work, on which was
draped pale pink, blue, lilac and yellow
net, tied up and festooned with ribbons Of
the same color. The saleswomen were al
pretty young girls, each set wearing the
color of its table. The articles upon the
tables wero arranged with the same view
, to color, and nothing could be more lovely
of the bazaar was the refreshment room
, where small tables, dantily set, wer,
served and waited upon by society girls
dressed in neat gowns of gingham, anC
, with white aprons and caps. They car
ried their trays back and forth, and looked
so demure and pretty that their depart
| ment alone realized quite large sum.
A charming musical tea was given som'
: weeks ago by a bachelor, who boasts O
| one room in his handsome apartment en-
D tirely dedicated to music. The walls ar
e hung with q japanese material in pal
: blue and silver. Below this are carvet
: panelings in stucco crowded with cherub
: | ana HOWerS ana HuSlCal lllstruIhentS, n
8 one end of the room is an organ, gran,
$ and stately in white and silver; "bab,
! grand" piano occupies the opposite end
Il draped In blue and silver brocade and ol
!. this occasion holds huge osier baske
o filled with mermet roses. Mandolins
= banjos, guitars and quaint japanese Tyre
3 hang upon the walls and over the doors
@ Music racks well-filled stand about, an
small marble busts of the great composer
d are upon the silver brackets ON the wall:
e There are also some fine engravngs reprt
s senting scenes familiar in musical history
Q The windows are of stained glass of cas'
e ment form, and are placed high up in til
J. walls just below the ceiling line.
# The room is large enough to allow q
% the guests to be comfortably seated, ther,
J. fore the music was thoroughly enjoyed
= The performers were all amateurs, an
T, the solos, duets and piano recitals weI
It more than commonly good Tea, chocS
a late and the usual afternoon tea refresl
l. ments were served in an adjoining room
ie OVER THE NUTS AND WINE.