The Helena independent., 1893-08-17
CLARA BELLE IN TOWN.
She Tells fasteners What She
Thinks Of the Broadwater and
the People.
In Her Opinion tho Helena Girl
Cannot Be Excelled Any
where.
Tho Ladies' of tho City Arc Up to Date in
Everything That Goes to Make Up
Good Society.

''Clara Belle" the we'll known newspape
correspondent, spent two weeks at th'
Broadwater in July. In an illustrated arti
sle in the Cincinnati Enquirer OF July 23 ii
an interesting letter from her pen telling
of her impressions OF Montana's favoritt
resort and her opinion OF some people she
met. Among the illustrations is one en-
tied q Montana Mountainse )" REL resent
ing a young lady u essed for trip into the
hills and another called "Montans
Belle showing a fashionably attired d
young lady standing in font of the nata-
ioriun. Among other things Clara Belle
Jays: Secretary Hoke Smith and l are
astonished. amazed astoundsd by what we
havea's seen here in Montana. He from
Georgia and from New York, happened to
get here about the same time. and We ex-
pected to find wild and woollv things at
Helena. Well. We didn't. Just, by tho
way, look at my camera shot. The
two pictures in this letter are en-
Rraved faithfully from actual photo
graphs. The first shows a Helena,
Mont. belle. Mr.. Hoks Smith stood
beside me when / pressed the button. He
had come to tho northwes to see Indians
on the reservation aud the wonders of the
Yellowstone National ark, but 1'il bet a
silver plunk that nothing in the way Of
human sRvagery or human phenomena
made him open his eyes wider than did shis
native Montana belle. A search OF sara
tega Long Branch and Newport in mid
summer wouldn't discover a daintier or
desrer girl. She was dressed in the very
extreme of fashionable good taste. Her
manners we're those of polished rolteness.
Her beauty was of the mos. exquisite type.
She was an embodiment of all that is high
bred and gentle blooded. Yet she was bo n
and bred IA Helena. city which l had
thought of as q rough and tough mining
town, where women wore red flannel
ohemises. under cover If not outside.
There's nothing rrettier that has ever
come under my notice than Broadwater
girl swimmer with her coiffured hair and
merry face lifted just above the water. and
her white arms cloaniinG full length into
view at every overland stroke. and her
little feet delicate ankles and. yes, shapely
calves kicking into ocoasional sight. The |
Drawer ones dive from the flying rings. or
the high rocks. Less plucky ones take a
toboRgan slide and plunge. Others paddle
in the canoes, float with lfs-pressrye,s
unGer their breasts, or try the impossible
Seat Of riding n hollow eea-horse that is
atioat for that comic purpose. The men |
wen the conventional bath dress in a |
single pt ce. exposing their arms wholly.
their legs almost as much. and their OH sts
somewhat alarningly. but who cares about
tho men? The 81 Ia are too sweet for any
thing. l asked Mr. Hoke Smith if it
wasn't so.
'Thev are not human creatures" he "a
sponded. Gallantli; they are beautiful
Twice in day had my eyes opened to
the fact that wealthy Helenn society is as
modish and refined as can be found in any
caste n CITY. In the afternoon the wife of
Hon. W. F. Sanders gave a rece, tion. !
suppose that nobody, accustomed to such
affairs at Montana's capital was at ali as
tonished by the up-to-date elegance of the
house and its appointments; but how could
! be prepared to see. in Rocky mountain
mining town of 10000 reople. function as
ultra fashionable in every detail as though
1t were given in the Fifth avenue resid rnce {
Of nation OF the four hundred. No I
must the reader jump to the conclusion ,
Ehat the hostess was merely duplicating 7
what she had done in Washington.
% the instructive amazsmant of hsr :
Montana neighbo,s. No; the Ruests =
we're quite as good as ths entertainment, /
md never seen & better dressed assemblage. :
lot only were the gowns fne and fnshiona- -
lie. but they wers of the very latest Paris
an desiRns-in advance of their use by
stylish women. They had r
ONE freshly and directly from Paris. or
lse from tho several New York establish
tents. which promptly import the newest s
eiQn inventions of costume. Moreove~, s
lose who wore these lovely gowns were v
ne. hammered as we'll as fine Rarbed, G
rudlty3 On, no. All was polish.
That same evening the fashionable folks 3
Helena paid their respects to Sec etery
NTH, and again there was display OF
1quisite toilets, polite der ortment and
ther thlngs belonging to high social cul-
are. The reception assembled the swells
Helena, and the ball, although informal,
AS brilliant in dasz ing degree. And the IL
ude was abssnt Il