The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-09
/ WEDDING PICTURE
THE Observation-Disclosures
SPECTACLE AS A MAN SAW II.
Julian Ralph, the Noted Descriptive
Writer. Pressed Into Service as q
Society Reporter.
New York Journal.

stood in relief against the tropic bower in
the chancel. when all the dainty women
four to a man-hlled the transcept. when
the laggard sun gloriied the gorgeous,
stained windows and the walls of greenery
and blossoms shone before the sparkling
dots and jets of electricity and gas-that
scene. floating before the eyes upon the
waves of quivering music, was a tableau
in fairyland.
The women, posed like gorgeous flowers
under the dark leaves and delicate bios
SONS. were in the main in morning dress.
But the women of taste who looked on
were surprised at the showiness of several
of the gowns. They were close to the
point of opera and ballroom display-not
In their fashioning. for. of course. none
were Of evening cut, but in the brilliance
and splendor of the materials. Such noted
women as the Astors. Belmonts, Mortons.
Duers, Jays and many others came in
black and white or sober colors, but i'm
the throng were silks and satins of the
gayest hues, and even in the case of two
young ladies, waists of chiffon, white in
one case. pink in the other. worn upon
silk. Tiny bonnets and toques were the
headgear, all crowned with plumes or aig-
rettes. 1t was good for Americans to note
that this gathering Of those who pose as
their leaders in society showed a very pre-
possessing lot. containing many beauties
and distinguished by robust, tall women
and fn~e-looking men. To study them was
to note the astonishing fact that in one
half the collection-in all those who occu-
pied forty of the pews-there was not a
single pure blonde. Indeed there were no
positive blondes in sight. The women's
heads and faces showed them to be of all
the brunette shades. Not so edifying was
the fact that so many of the men-even
many of the young ones-were more or less
bald. The matrons too often wore strained,
nervous expressions, but this was measur-
ably discounted by their fine heads and
flashing eyes and mobile faces. They call
themselves smart" in the English sense
OF the word. They certainly look smart in
the American use of it, The buds are
have al evident fondness for outdoors.
The musical features Of the service, or the
occasion, which were added to help pass
away une enough to give the AFFAIR dignity,
were brilliant and delightful. The concert
was, In fact superior to the wedding. for
the one was ducal. and the other was royal.
Warren, me orsanist. tucked away behind
a wall OF flowers. played his best. filling
the air with tbroSbing, pulsating, quivering
melody. and echoing his boldest executions
music. He led the concert programme and
Walter Damrosch followed, conducting his
orchestra through music so varied, SO well
executed and SO superior that 1t had its ac-
customed effect upon the Four Hundred,
who at once fell to chattering and hobnob-
bing. whispering and calling to one another.
tors, precisely as they always do on gala
nights At the opera house. This was not
without its good side on this occasion. Ev-
e ery o ml .no nad 5 Seen a ai solemn then a,s as . tine g s6sy
ing through the gaudy windows and setting
them flame with color, the peoples spirits
rev!vea. and from hat time on the joyous
hearts.
At soout noon the young Duke of Marl-
borough. entering by a side door, stood un-
der one of the green arches in the chancel
screen. with his friend. Ivor Guest. awaiting
the arrival of the bride. who, 1t was after
e wcor sdun, stherH N he. came twenty minu hes
late from his club. The Dukes slender fig
ure and boyish face excited surprise in those
who had not seen him: His vaunted Ameri,
and of dark gray cloth. His shoes were OF
patent leather and his gloves were, like his
hat, not upon his noble person. -
THE BRIDE COMES.
AT last. long after IL, there was a stir at
the street door. betokening the arrival of
the girlish bride. The clerical cortege, leav-
ing the vestry room and moving across the
chancel, appeared at about the same mo-
rnent. Bishop Potter led the procession,
then came Bishop Littlejohn. and then the
Rev. DIR. Rylance, rector Of the picturesque
colonial Church of st. Mark's-in-the-Bow-
cry. Two other divines, reported to be Drs.
Bridges of Islip and Barrett of Southboro,
Mass, brought up the end of the line. Our
own Bishop Potter's rank was set forth in
the claret-colored scarf he wore between
the upper folds of his white and black vest
ments. The robes OF Bishop Littlejohn
seemed, at a distance, deep wine-colored
where Bishop Potter's were black.
The ushers formed a body and walked
down the aisle to meet the bridal cortege.
Presently they returned, followed by the
bridesmaids in couples. These maids Gre
great black Gainesborough hats, the black
in which was all but hid beneath pale blue
plumes and pale blue satin ribbons. Zach
maid carried a vatican basket by a long
loop of cream satin ribbon hung upon her
arm, and of such length that the basket
was by her feet. Each young woman wore
a heavy gown Of cream-colored satin, and
over it, on her shoulders, a great collar of
lace. The reader will remember that this
Is a mans description, and will please take
did. Whatever they wore. Most particularly
was this the case with Miss Katherine
Duer. one of the most beautiful women in
the church., who carried a great, scattering,
shapeless bouquet Of orchids, said to be
worth their weight In money, from the
Dukes hothouses abroad. Miss Duer looked
a duke.
Finally came the bride. whom the Duke
joined in the aisle, and with whom he
walked to the chancel steps and up them,
taking her from her father, who followed
alone and sat down in the first pew close
to the aisle. Then the bridesmaids. who
had divided in two groups, took their places
on the chancel steps in such a way that
they were graduated, four on a side, and
each one four inches above the one before
her. They were the p~rettiest features of as
pretty a tableau as we New Workers ever
saw at a wedding.
The best view of the scene was at the
moment when the ceremony began. Then
YOU saw the bridesmaids in their great hats
and rich dresses against the dark green
screen: the bride in her cloud of lace: the
tropic vestibule behind. and the SNOWY fig
ures of the clergy. touched with red. among
the flowers and leaves. The picture, IL
painted. would stand for the glorifcation
of marriage-for an ideal of the genius Of
matrimony in its finest possible setting.
The bride, though a mere girl when her
face is seen, is a vigorous. hearty woman
in size. She is. perhaps, two inches taller
than the Duke. He is so slender, of such a
wholly hoyish figure. that ii was ludicrous
to imagine what her Grace the Duchess
might do with him II he ever became as
wild as many of his ancestors. or ever for
got himself and opposed her will. Her full.
swelling court dress, enveloped In a cloud
of lace. made her seem all the larger. His
well-ftting Yankee suit made him look the
smaller. Unfortunately. her face could not
be seen. She wore on the crown Of her
her veil fell all around her like a frozen
mist. That she had plenty Of dark hair
was all that your reporter could swear to
In a court of law.