Omaha daily bee., 1891-12-13
DREAMS OF FAIR WOMEN,
Mrs. Russell B. Harrison's Impressions of
European Life.
THROUGH THE BLACK FOREST IN SUMNER.
A Eusy Week in the Realms of Society
Brilliant Receptions and Mat
inees-Movements OF Well
Known People.


entire truthfulness say that it all made the
most profound impression, If such a thing
was possible"
1t was in the cosy library of Governor
Saunders residence on Sherman avenue,
with the morning light streaming in, light
ing up the pictures, tho bric-a brac,
the books that surrounded the room
on all sides, that Mrs. Russell
q. Harrison, lust arisen from the
breakfast table, received a representative OF
THE BEE aud with her came Marthcna, en-
crossed with the cares OF motherhood, carry
Ing a doll in each arm, almost as tall as nor
self.
With that charming modesty which has
ever been q trait OF her life, oven as n young
girl preparing for boarding school, Mrs. Har-
rison ui5claimod any desire to be inter-
viewed. In fact 1t was only with the assur-
ance that what she might saw would be con-
sidered IA talk that the wife of the presidents
son gave her Impressions Of a three months
tour on the continent.
''t'Or days and weeks I had looked for
ward to the trip with the ~livoliest possible
imagination. My fancy was kept constantly
busy picturing the cities | intended to visit
and wondering how near the reality would
come to the dream.
THE Pays d'Outre Mer, or the Land be-
yond the Sea, was a name by which the pill
grims and crusaders Of old designated the
Holy Land. | was about TO become a
pilgrim to Outre Mer, for to my Imagination
the old world was a kind of Holy Land lying
afar Off beyond the blue horizon of the
ocean, and you can have no idea how my
heart swelled when the shores of England
came In sight,
Having known the Lincolns when Mr..
Robert Lincoln was secretary of war, we
saw London under exceptionally pleasant cir
cumstances. Entertainments were given for
us and everything done to make our stay in
London delightful.
From London we went to Paris as the
guests Of Mr.. Whitelaw Reid, the American
minister TO the French republic, ana his
charming wife. And, there, as in London,
we saw the bright side of fashionable life as
1t exists in the capital of France, a city
which could never tire you, seemingly, no
matter how long you might be there.
"Of course, as our time was limited, Mrs.
Mckee and myself determined to see the
cities and leave the country for some more
opportune occasion, when time was not so
very essential to the contract.
From Paris we went to Brussels, where
We were met by Colonel Tirrell. the minister
to the court of Belgium, and a brother, | be-
lieve, OF a former army officer stationed ut
Fort Omaha. With him as our guide we
made the trip through the Black Forest in
phaetons, stopping at nights at the little inns
which are so much a feature of German life,
and today / recall that trip most wildly.
II wish could paint thcistrange and ever
varying beauty OF the ride. Pine trees, dark
and gloomy hem you in on all sides, and they
stand so close together that the forest de-
rives its name from the almost never ending
darkness. There are nurseries throughout
the forest and yearly a lumber company cuts
the trees that show signs of decay, while
shoots are planted in their place, thus the
forest goes on century after century showing
little the advance of civilization.
But the roads through the forest! Never
have | seen anything to compare with them on
this side OF the ocean. Even the driveways
In Central park are not to be compared TO
them. Peasants are seen oil through the
forest breaking up stones to about the size or
walnuts, which are used in macad imizing
the drives. In conseqLence of this work con-
stantly going on there could be no more per-
feet oouleVards anywhere.
"During our drive through the forest Col
onel Flrrell gave us Mark Twain's limo
cents Abroad to read, especially that portion
relating his experience ascending tho Rigi.
And Mark Twain was the only guide book
we had entour, for surely no description
could be more vivid than his. While we
didn't see the sunrise on the Alps, we got a
very excellent iGea of what those snow
mountains are like, and that is another very
delightful impression l have of my trip
abroad,
"As to the social life of the European
countries | can only speak in most euthusi-
astic terms. OF course there are differences
III the manne' OF entertaining, just as differ
ences exist between Omaha and Washing
ton. On the other side you have u position
which Is thoroughly well known. You rank
according to tho position you hold. In
Washington 1T is much the same, and that is
why the capital compares more fuvorably
with London and Paris than ally of tho
other American cities. or course it would
be hard to establish such a condition in our
own cities for we are free from that court
etiquette which is like the laws of the Modes
and Persians.
"People on the other side live slower than
we do here, they enjoy life more, 1T is longer
to them seemingly, and that | take it is a
very good reason to assign why so many
Americans go abroad every year. They want
to get away from the worry of business and
to live for n time among those who realize
that there are centuries still to come.
MY visit to Baden Baden was also thor
oughly delightful, but every body whom /
mot said stay away from Carlsbad If you do
not want 10 feel that you are again in Amer
lea, possibly for the reason that it is today
the great American watering place on the
European side.
"Whilo in London 1 had the pleasure of
seeing n familiar face, a face that | have
known for years, Mr.. Edward Rosewater, and
you can have no idea how much more at homo
it made me feel. | also saw Miss Dewey in
London and was again reminded how mall
the world is anyhow. In Paris 1 was right
on tho heels of Miss Orchard, but did not
succeed in seeing her. But we were both
busy sight seeing, shopping would he more
nearly the truth, and so missed each other in
the rush.
"And now you are not going to print all |
have said, for the readers OF THE BEE are not
interested, | am sure, in an American
woman's trip abroad ~
~
The quietness of post-Thanksgiving week
was somewhat disturbed during the days
just past and society shook out its fine foath-
ers and rushed madly TO several brilliant
matinee affairs, n swell reception or two, a
number OF card parties, to say nothing Of
high teas, musicales and literary evenings
innumcrable. Everywhere the members
of tho beau monde were In high
glee at the near approach OF the
Christmas tide, aud mall talk had for its
subject principally the woes and troublesome
incidents of shopping for friends in crowded
stores and emporiums.
No, shopping was not the only subject of
discussion, At an afternoon affair last week
tho inevitable servant girl question was
up for debate and what a Jolly
time the matrons did have airing
their views upon tins most annoying branch
OF household economies.
II Is a notable fact that servant girls grow
rarer every day and fewer intelligent Amer
lean girls show any interest IN domestic af-
fairs, mainly because tho majority O. fash
ionab.es and influential women take no inter
est in housekeeping themselves aud thus use
their influence 10 demean IL, whereas il was
and should yet be regarded the first and no