New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-02
IN THE SOCIAL WORLD.
THE JOLLY DAYS OF LONG AGo-.INDI-
vIpUALITY OF AMERICAN ART.
NETWORK GIRL TELLS HER EXPERIENCES
WHILE ATTENDING THE QUEENS
DRAwING-RooM' - PREPARATIONS

DRAWlNI-kOoM - f'i@rsi ANAL io.>"
FOR THE PRESENTATION.
''Do you remember" said middle aged fashion
able woman retrospectively those lovely days
after the war when every one seemed to/have so
much money?-when Wall Street had APP
parently the purse OF Forturatus and We all got
gowns from Paris as matter OF course'
Financial magnates In those good old times were
genial men of the world good fellows. always
ready TO do a friendly TO any of their lady
friends Many a time Mr.. A. has said TO me: wen,
Mrs n do you feel inclined for little gamble in
Wall Street next week? Give me s25 OF your pocket
money and will bring you back enough to buy
new gown and few days afterward would
receive check from his broker for hundred or
more.
Now business is business. and the men would
never dream of taking the trouble to turn over
our small savings.
How gay It used TO be- too! All fzz and sparkle.
like champagne And what stupid times the young
people seem to have compared with ours!
How different those gay spring days TWEEN
ty-hye years ago. The frequent dinners out to the
four-in-hsnd club. when wore our prettiest
frocks and drove out on coaches or breaks IN the
late afternoon up the avenue and through the
Park and came back in the mConiign And op al
other Informal affairs. there was no end to them
MEN undoubtedly either poorer or vastly
not nearly lavish, and New-York is a dull place
in the spring contrasted with the jolly Gays OF my
youth!
AMERICAN ART.
II is apparent that the typical American with
all his angularty, his Gradgrnd fashion OF demon
s;rating facts and his practical hard. keen every
day busnesslike view of life has a soft spot for
art That there has been a slow but sure growth
in this direction for the last fifteen or twenty years
is apparent. 1t may be that the effect of riches
and consequent culture has somewhat helped this
development but probably not 10 any great extern.
The real growth has come from the people Tho
students IN art schools come from all over the
rural parts of the United States-the children OF
farmers, who make sacrifices to send them 10 the
cities where they may receive instruction Ameri-
can art is the struggling exponent OF da"hins
sense OF the beautiful and true, which Is graoua"y
resulting in a National schoo-individual. forcefni
realstic-showng tho impression OF the french
school with which it IS particularly in sympathy.
but as distinctly indigenous as the literature or
our day. which can deny has its own Pc
culiar individuality.
/, is only for the last twenty-five years that
there has 0ecn any instruction in this country
that could rank with that Of Europe
Twenty years ago young artist would be-
gin composition before he had mastered the
rud,rents That he should now voluntarily devote
himself to long years Of study before ventur!ng
10 paint shows what an advance has been mace
in true artistic feeling. Herkomer asserts that
men" and then Creative artists. Another ceie-
brated artist has put IT, the painter must come
iecbn,rai part must be mastered before the pict
is Sn, II IS one Of
the most difficult truths TO realize People who v;h
give their children TPpo abs TO pa nj pcues in
short time, whereas in music they recognize the
fact that it takes years of study 10 produce any
ie But While it is delightful to this newly awak
Suits s1ts from the great number Of pupils who
pet help suggesting Itself: It is hardly probable
that one in a hundred OF these young people VIII
n nereSp and nine? Would not have been better
if some of these young women had stayed on their
fathers farms and attended to the poultry and but
ter--naking?
PREPARING FOR PRESENTATION.
TO attend the Queens drawing-r oom," which to
an English maiden seems only second in impor-
lance 10 her marriage, is simply an episooe OF
travel 20 most American girls, many OF wnom 90
not even the privilege as an open sesame 10
English society. merely taking II en- route as an
experience which il is desirable to have. Even 10
them. however. the preparation for such an event
involves great deal of time and attention. for the
occasion is of sufficient importance 10 wish 10 ap-
pear at ones best and do credit to ones country
LAS soon az the date of my presentation was ar
ranged for" said New-York young woman, re-
lating her experience, mother and went over TO
Paris to get court dresses. Mother chose
Worth as being more 'grande dame. but elected
10 nave mine from Doucet. who made me the most
ethereal dream OF oveiness II Is possible TO imagine
Il simply fell In love with H. ana Wnen We "CNl
back TO our rooms in London l could hardly bear
20 have IL hung up of my sight in its paper
muslin bag Then came the rehearsals! A grand
parsonage was recommended TO mamma who had
coached no end of Lady Marys and Lady Emmas
and the Honorable Miss This and THAI, according
10 her account. and for a week preceding our
presentation we had a lesson every morning
would be the Queen for mamma and mamma would
be Queen for ne, while Elise, maid would
manage our trains, which were made OF calico,
tor the practice.
Finally the day arrived. II was one Of those
soft spring days that seen: lovelier somehow In
grimy old London than anywhere else-when .he
Hower girls are calling sweet vi-ets in the streets
ard the air comes in through the haf-opened win
dows deliciously fragrant.
we we're not 10 De received until o'clock, bu:
the only hour we could secure the services OF the
fashionable hsirdre sscv al a m. the conse-
ouence being the longest and mos, tiresome morn
ing | have ever spent. My spirits revived, how
ever. when put oil my court garments and found
them perfect: and with trains over our
we sailed through The corridors or hote. be-
tween a line of admring chambermaids and walt
ers and entered our carriage. which for hired
affair was exceedingly smart Two in
correct livery the box, each with a large nose
gay in his bu;tonhoie. felt grand at first. but
soon realized my lnsisnifcGnCe Joined the
splendid procession going through the park. Never
have | seen anything half grand as the tptop
coachrnen and equally tiptop funkles with pow
dered heads wonderfully developed calves and huge
bouquets fastened 10 the lapels OF thei! gorgeous
coats.
'"rhe duchesses and countesscs and other fine
danes of quality could not hold candle to them.
although the finest Jewels in England flashed in
the bright sunshine. for shades left up and
windows were open that the admiring mob
might gaze their fill. the block being great that
the carriages moved like sna!ls.
entering the palace gates had at least
an hours wait In the park. where we felt rather
out Of Il as The fine ladies in their carriages held
regular receptions. GsyIy attred officers. diplomats
In their splendid court dresses. and the numberless