The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-04-19
GOSSIP OF THE GIRLS.
Alice Confides TO Dear Louise the
Goings On in Washington.

My DEAR LOUISE The laggard spring is
with us at last and the girls have the long
wishedfor opportunity of displaying their
lovely spring toilets. There never was
better chance for getting beautiful aud at
tractive wardrobes than now, for there is not
only infinite variety of beauty to be had, but
all at so low figure as to place lovely things
within reach of very modestly filled purse.
In millinery there seems really to be a rose
craze, SO greatly are these queen flowers used.
On hats wreaths of roses with great deal of =.
foliage are going to be 'the thing'' for sum-
mer. In gowns everything is so tight, so plain,
and so fiat. These sheath-like costumes
afford no opportunity of conveying goods
from one place to another as the voluminous
draperies and bustles of past fashion per-
mitted. 1t is difficult now to dispose OF a
handkerchief, as not the slightest protuberance
is allowed in truly fashionable toilet. Float
ing ribbons, ,sashes, and streamers have had their
day. Cleopatra girdles and prime little bow
knots are to the fore. The Cleopatra girdles
come in cotton passementeries for washable
gowns. White toilets will be the rage when
the season is more advanced, and every girl
who wants to be truly fashionable must get
ready to appear as La Dame Blanche, which
means Saratoga trunk full of white gowns
and fixings to match. Flowcred patterns are
seen on all sorts of material, and it is such
relief to note the passing of the plaid. We
have been afflicted with 1t more or less ever
since the Fife marriage. Plaid in silks, woods,
and ginghams, plaid on long women, short
women, and broad women. And in such Won
derful combinations of colors never dreamt of
in the Highlands, but all going under the
a,fS nj o;1 o1x, have 1ol
surfeit of them this past winter.
The entertainments given here In honor of
Mrs. John Sherwood and the reception
recently rendered Mrs. Custer at the Parker
House, Boston, show that literary women are.
making their way straight through the ranks
| of society people. Indeed, l think there is
| very laudable desire on the part of fashona-
BILE women to keep up sort of s'post-gradu-
ate course" Kate tells me that in the ''Jane
Welsh Historical Glass; in New York Mrs
Grover Cleveland and Mrs. William G.
| Whitney are prominent members. The class
| consists of seventy-five members, and every
other Tuesday is the meeting day. Vino
| daughsis was set up here as an educational as
| well as social club, and moved in smooth
| waters until crossed by the color line. On
| what rock will the new Ladies' Club split
| 1t is to be composed entirely of the highest
| social element; but who is to decide of what
! the highest social element consists in this
city of transients? There are women floating
| here on top of the wave who are not recog-
nized on their own native heath-and not for
| any dereliction of moral virtues on their part
| in some instances the shadow lies on ''pater
familas.n Ladies' clubs are fil-de.siecle de-
velopments, and it is quite possible that they
| have come to stay. Charlie: 'Where's sis,
| pa?" CAT her club, my boy" ''What's
| club, pa? / thought there were none for
ladies'" '.Ihere are now my boy" "What
are they for, pa 90 ''Why, they are places
where women meet and imagine they are en-
| ioying themselves without men,
| The summer exodus will begin very soon,
| so for the present the Ladies' Club will have
| its home at the Richmond In the autumn
| permanent location will be decided upon.
| People beginning to fit Europeward.
| Among others who will cross for summer
trip are Minister and Madame Romero. The
! autocrat of the hour is the dress maker.
| Many are detained in the city weeks longer
than they wish, awaiting the pleasure and
| convenience of the naughty boss whose handi-
| work may make or mar summers campaign.
| To those to whom society means following
| in the rear of the rear column faultless
outfit is the one thing necessary
| Although his star pupil, Mrs. Harrison, is
| now "far a-feld' Mr.. Putzki's painting class
| tiourishes He has many pupils in his perma-
nent classes, among them Madame Lazcano,
| Henderson, and Mrs. Estes e. Rathbone. wife
Of the newly-apponted Fourth Assistant Post
master General.
| The White House never has chance to get
| lonesome bQeSe days. GranumOJner MCKEE
| and Grandfather Scott hold the fort in the alb
sence OF President and Mrs. Harrison, assisted
| by Lieutenant and Mrs. Parker the latter
| Mrs Harrison's niece.
| The Ginning of wedding bells has been
heard all week. The larger number of mar
| riages have been solemnized in the various
| churches. At two recent marriage ceremonies
| the bridal couples faced each other at the ex-
change of rings, thus giving the always curious
| audiences an opportunity OF having more than
han Win nj
''At homesn and ''five-oclock teas' are
| the season by her entertainment on Tuesday
ing. The Misses Mary and Pauline Letter
the tea-room. Although Miss Pauline cannot
but be interesting and attractive while in
/ possession of youth, which the French graph-
cally call the 'beaute' du diable,n she is
decidedly at disadvantage by the side of her
unusually handsome sister, Miss Letter.
There is great rejoicing at the Catholic Uni
Versity over the royal gift of Father Mcmahon,
| of New York, which sets Miss Caldwell's way
back in the shade. The lecture course at the
University last winter was remarkably inter
esting and drew large and fashionable crowds,
showing that there is an innate intellectual
craving in the midst of much frivolity. OF
this you may feel assured, when informed that
occasionally among the audiences was your
loving friend, ALICE.
A Designing Woman.
Evening World.
lady employed in the Tiffany jewelry