The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-07
rHAr rs ooISe ON IN SOCIETY.

colony. II was an extremely dainty, refined, and
weli-arranged affair, and introduced into the
stereotyped wedding programme one or two nov
elites which succeeding brides will be only too
glad to adopt. These came In at the conclusion Of
the festivities, when the newly married pair were
pelted with thornless flowers, in place Of the
time-honored sbomination. rice. The idea is far
~prettler and more ~poetical. as what could be
more prosaic than the vegetable production Of
Southern swamps. and what more pain
fully Objectionable in practice than the
sharp little pellets, filling the hair. drop
ping down under the collar band. and
marking the bride and groom as distinctly
as II their marriage certificate had been printed
on their fureheads? Every bride. Of course,
cannot 20 sailing away In beautiful yacht, Ike
the happy pair In a Christmas p%antomime, but
OF those who could. very few have hitherto
thought Of this picturesque mode OF departure.
Another change from bridal conventionalities
was the suppression OF the brides bouquet, al
ways an awkward i~mpediment to the grace and
ease of her movements, and most difhcult for the
first bridesmaid 10 dispose of In addition to all her
own burdens during the progress Of the marriage
service. Prayer books such as were carried by
Miss H%unncwell and all her bridesmaids are far
more appropriate to the occasion.
The group in All saints Chapel was a very
pretty one. the costumes of the whole party be-
ing fresh, dainty, and simple, and the ushcrs a
strikingly good looking set OF young fellows,
reminding one of the remark made by an Amer
lean in the royal enclosure at Ascot on Cup day.
that "handsomer women could be seen at any
county fair In America, but that the men in
their ~faultless get-up and air Of birth and breed
ing were not TO be duplicated anywhere"
Very few of the old friends Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Frederic Bronson could believe that the stylish,
handsome girl who officiated Ms one of the
bridesmaids could be their daughter. Miss
Bronson has been brought up In retirement, and
has never a. yet made an appearance even at
"half-grOwn" dancing classes. She will. how
ever, be ready in a very few years for her first Pa
triarchs' ball and will probably come out at the
same time as Miss Katharine Duer, Miss May
Goelet, Miss Consuelo Vanderbilt, and several
other bellies and beauties OF the future.
Prince and Princess Ruspoli have been the
honored guests Mt Newport dinners during the
past week, and preceding them were Lord and
Lady Brassey and Sir Theodore Fry. None OF
these, however. have quite filled tho places Of
Count Bella Zlchy. Count Castellane. and NJ.
Hadik, who have gone East and West and left
pleasant memories behind them Of lavish and
beautiful entertainments and uniform good
temper. good manners and agreeability. IL was
fortunate, perhaps, for the foreigners who were
70 prominent in Newport this summer, that NJ.
Bourgeois criticisms upon society there saw the
light after they had departed. Newporters,
like all spoiled children Of fortune, do not take
adverse criticism kindly, although they submit
tamely to the most scathing remarks upon their
lives, interests, and personalities from the press
Of their own country. In point Of fact. NJ. Bour-
get is most moderate In his structures. touching
lightly upon surface blemishes and finding
points for commendation which even Amer
leans have failed to notice. He has nothing to
say OF individuals, not a breath Of gossip or
scandal darkens his pages. but he has q pene-
trating insight, and his opinions, whether COM
plimentary or otherwise, bear the mark Of truth.
Lenox is said to be very dull, and those who do
not believe In gayety without dancing declare
that rs yet there have been no dances at all to
speak of, Mrs. Sloane's cotillon a fortnight since
being the only notable one. As at Newport,
society diverts itself with outdoor pastimes only.
Golf and bicycles consume a great deal Of time,
four-in-hand driving, sailing, and rowing come
in for II change. while shooting parties, in which
there are more women than men. have been fire.
qucnt of late. The girls, among whom are the
Misses Stokes and the Misses Barnes, are many
of them capital shots, and follow the dogs
through the marshes, returning with very full
bags, rs woodcock and partridge have never
been so abundant rs they are this year.
The proficiency which women are acquiring
in athletics often sets the old fogy world TO
wondering whether there Is any one thing that
men do which women cannot do as well or bet
ter. Experts they are already at golf. tennis.
riding, driving, shooting, and hunting. Mrs. Jack
Aston, Mrs. Roche, Mrs. August Belmont, and
Mrs. Pierre Lorillard are star billiard players,
and at tenpins tho girls scored higher this sum-
mer at different watering places than most Of
the men. One good result to society In general
and to women In particular OF this devotion to
masculine sports is that they have ceased to
spend their lives In the pursuit OF accomplish
ments which they can never master, and the
cultivation Of talents $50 called which they do
not possess. Feeble attempts at singing are no
more heard in these days, and there is no more
punishment OF pianos and human ears by those
who cannot play. The walls are not dishgured
with hideous water colors or abortlve efforts In
oils. Artists must he artists, and even the
blindest parents no longer spend fortunes upon
daughters whom nature has not gifted.
In spite OF the dearth OF dances and the alb
sence of excitement in Ienox life, house parties
succeed each other very rapidly at the promi-
nent houses. Mrs. Sloane's guest chambers arc
never vacant, and Sir Roderick Cameron's cot
tage has always a number OF visitors under its
roof. Miss Eleanor Winslow is now there. and
Miss Caroline Duer and Mr.. Brockholst Cutting
have only recently gone. Mrs. Astor is with her
daughter, Mrs. Orme Wilson, and Mrs. Paran
Stevens 10 expected this week. Baron and Bar
oness Faya. NJ. lie CHAT. Count Sierstorpn,
Mavroyeni Bey, Mr.. w. Peel. and Mr.. Morris Of
England are all TO be seen daily on the golf
grounds, or driving over the grass-grown roads,
SO that the foreign element Is not lacking. and
the town which shelters 80 many distinctly en-
PERTAINING people cannot he said 10 be dead,
Mrs, Stevens being quite a host in herself.
But a few weeks now, however. remain to hll
IN with country pleasures, as November prom
Uses TO be q very busy month, and opens on the
first day with the exhibition of women's por-
traits at the Academy Of Design. which makes
the presence imperative OF all the Ladies Com
mittee. The first day, OF course, will be the dav.
As Mrs, LadenburG, Mrs. Gray. Mrs. Charles
DE Rhsm. and other patronesses are TO preside at
tea tables, and the admission price being set at
IS will secure the presence OF the smart set,
and probably Of no others. Il Is intended that
the beautiful gallery shall be fayorite lounginR
place, as tea Is TO be served every afternoon, and
there will be music I'm addition on every Thurs