The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-30
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
YESTERDAY IND TO-DA y--SOCIAJ
HABITS AND CUSTOMS.
The Lsee-triiicd Gallant OF Monticello
The "Cerulean per.pirator" oftbs
BasebHli'st Innovations


Monticello. but, In the delightful days Of
my girlhood al the University OF Virginia,
two ancient spinsters who dwclt IN inc
vicinity often charmed me win rcminis-
cences OF those incompatible Times wh'n
they were frequent visitors at the home
OF Mr.. jefferson.
"Thcre ~ a decline in the manners ana
customs of social life here since We were
s,irls." they would say with a tremulOns
thrill of regret expressed In Tire very nut
ter OF their cap-friiis. 1.-The young people
have grown bold. end there IL little r'cog-
milton of their superlors I'm age. wisdom.
or position The young men pass a LADY,
hands In pockets. without salutatiCn. or
merely touch the cap brim Instead OF
uncoyering as a gallant OF Mr.. Jefferson
day Was expected TO do. When there was
a minuct or even a Nirginil reel, to be
danced IN the stately ballroom at Mon
fic,llo. any young woman on the hoo.
would have considered Il an anront had
her partner stood several PAGES distant
and bockonod 90 her TO come ana oancc
with him. as II not infrequcntly the case
jn the bathrooms of these times. lie
must approach her with Difference. una
she must appear not eager, only COM
PLEASANT"
NOT LIFr THE CAP.
speaking OF the dccadence Of men ana
rcspncrs In his times Homer SAID that
Ajax coald toss with ease n stone Wnicn
II would take ten men OF his day 10 llit
IL would seem that il requires al least
nine men meeting "A lady on our arcadss
to-day 10 lift the cap Of tenth passing
b., to take his pipe, or cigarette, from
his mouth. or TO stop the latest college
whistle on his lips Sallust wrote Of the
virtue. horror and integrity OF the oii
DE- 10. CHI ~ - p
istics of their descendants ia later age
when loyalty TO friends. ana fidelity to
state were supplanted by ignoble ambi-
lions. and so on.
Al of which goes TO prove, Of course.
that the people Of each age are too much
lrclined 10 view the past through glass g
that magnify possibly fancied contrast
between a yesterday of glory, and to-
day Of moral. mental. and physical de-
eoneracy. Like those old maid sisters
who had curtseyed low, ia the bloom OF
their youth. 10 the be-laced. and be-frilled
Virginian Cavalier in the salon Of Month
cello. we natrOns Of the present are
viewing with a critics eye the changes
apparent i'm the social circles I'm which we
move here. and doubtless elsewhere. in
our Southland
Is EICHMJND RESPONSIBLE
There are. we argue. innovations too
marked TO be ignored. The pretty Char
lottesyile. or University belle. certainly
did not in our day think II incumbent
upon her TO make an engagement with
a student friend 10 call % take him out
for an airing in her dog-cart. A buggy
drive was permissible when he called for
her but the buggies We're wide enough
for two. and could have accommodated a
company Of three-if three had ever been
considered company" is ii the electric
1T innovation that has necessiiated tDe
noticeable contraction Of the vehicles Tor
two" one sees spinning down Vinegar
I'M these lovely spring afternoons Or, Is
IL that a fashion popular I'm our capital
city has only been adopted by Char
lottesville and the University IN com
mon with other Nirginan communities?
Let Richmond answer.
Not ia our time did the football Center
Rush wallow in the red dust of Abe
marie, th,n stand unabashed before his
lady-love, little less disreputable In ap-
pcarancc than the tramp. soiled and long
haired. his contemporary. If not his rival,
in the regards of an womcn-kind.
The wearing of the "blue blazer" the
"cerulean- persplratOr. as the convict
garb in blue and yellow stripes is vari-
ously called. has not improved the looks
OF the student body Of this age of physl-
cal culture nor does the free and easy
attire seem appropriate to the theatre.
opera. lecture hall, or the drawing room
Of youth and beauty. An unwashed
Chsn.aman would doubtless adopt the
garb with aiacrity. The university belle
accepts Ii without protest. as she accepts
the deficiencies in the dress Of the pitch
ers" and "hatters" whose balls and bats
fIe the enthusiasm Of her afternoons
srf48I-1faHI whom Vale "a .4-
high or l.. Pas meet her adOred Viz
ginans upon the Diamond below; she ac-
cepts II with the easy grace with which
she tolerates. mcres the pity the whliis
OF cigarette smoke in her poach-blossom
face when sitting on her porch on the
moonlight with her loyerl And, as she
endures TO have her perspective cut short
by the latter's unnamed feathers eie-
waited upon the balustradc in front of her
chair or hammock.
GIRLS ARE INDEPENDENT.
The new order Of things courtenances.
Icrsibly necessitates. the afternoon
strolls, the phaeton drives. the horseback
rides of beVies of bright-faced girls in
con pany with each other; these also go
IN blooming professions to concerts, lee
tues. social clubs, and TO church, with
out ever the OFFER of some other girls
brother TO remind the 'looker-On in Ven
ice" OF the "times that are no more.
when tablets and pencil we're essential
to the girl at the University who must
record her overlapping engagements in
order that she might keep the peace
among her escorts
There are handsome matrons now in
Richmond. in Baltimore. I'm Norfolk,
Lynchburg, and other Southern cities
aye. and in Washington City and New
York. who could doubtless find among
their keepsakes such a record. possibly
with names growing dim on the yellowcd
ivory, names ineifacebiy written upon
the pages OF their memories. along with
other rccOllections OF certain happy visits
to Charlottesville. and the University Of
Virginia. With this falling OF In the sal
lantry OF young men to young women
(and II may be said IN passing that this
state of things does not pertain exclu-
sivcly 10 our locality there has come
not only change in the tone OF Uni
vtrsiiy social life but a certain, ii indie
Unable. alteration In the interiepcnGent
relations OF entertainers and the enter
tained.
THE BLAsr sTyDfNr
In the days when the hostess conferred
an honor In sending her delicately-scentcd
invitations for an evening reception at
her pavilion. there was the sparkle of
eager expectancy IN the faces Of the
guests who gathered az her bidding. 10
ensure attendance IL had not been deemed
essential to suggest the entertainments OF
Fun dress german" nor was there
found need for a program OF amusement
to help the biase society man through the
tagging hours. and suggested topics of
conversation" were not at all necessary
for the maiden. whose saucy speech kept
her adorers ON the defensive. besides gath
erlng about llr q dozen. or q scols. OF