The morning news., 1897-01-03
lug forward tal. awkward Maypole Of 3

taller than their mothers nowadays, l
wonder? The latter look quite shrunken,
and l have to say something gracious and
endeavor to elicit a few monosyllables
from the daughter, who, after she has
made a deep courtesy expressive of her
reverence for my advanced age, after the
ridiculous American fashion of the day.
seems to think the duty of conversation
deVolveS upon me; and when she finally
turns aside to repeat the process with some
one else the mother proceeds to give me a
dissertation on the girls attractions and
successes until I beat retreat-and this
is not single experience; it is repeated
over and over again, until now 1 fairly run
when l see a mother and daughter bear
ing down upon me- as the sailor men say"
AS the first night is the crucial test of a
new star, and the manager awaits with
anxiety the verdict of the public, so it is
in way with the managing mother-her
public is Vanity Fair, and if her debutante
does not score what is called a social sue
cess the disappointment to both mother
and daughter is great, and in many in
stances it is to them, as to the impresario
and his star, matter of finance; the out
lay can be i'll afforded unless the desired
result is obtained in successful mar
riage.
In the nineteenth century, says the Cen
tlewoman, Tara has given place to TIA
-boOllI-ue-dys anu Il6 l0uSlCal glass;
es and the harp have been ousted by the
golf club and the bicycle But there are
signs that a reaction is at hand; that the
spirit of Jane Austen's herOines is not
dead, but only sleepeth-that we are up
on the eve of a strange upheaval in man
ners and mind. / hear on what l believe
to be good authority that the harp Is
once more coming in Time was when
to play the harp was the necessary part
of the education of a gentlewoman. Who
does not know the old picture of grand
danes planted on a settee beside a harp,
their taper fingers resting idly upon the
strings, their eyes round with sentiment
tality, a scarf floating carelessly upon
their ivory shoulder; while behind them
a marble column backed by a des-
over which lurid storm was raging?
pictures were human and natural
re they not? They set an amiable life
Jefore one with simplicity and directness
sentiment and harps opposed by thuu-
ders and by storm Clouds and the sweet
smile of a delicate imbecility gliding and
inspiring all.
Now one is confronted by photographs
of Amazons in divided skirts and undi
yided impUdeEcc, Bicycles IL hand, SO 10
say staring firmly at one with gaze
as direct, and almost as sentimental, as
that of foot baller or a putter. But the
harp is coming in This is the hope
in the boudoirs of fashion and murmured
upon the house-tops of those who are
ye gods!-"in the know" The instrument
forever associated with the angels and
with wandering minstrels, with the glor.-
flcation of Marguerite and with the down.
fall of operatic devils, is once more to
be the rage. l once read in an old eti-
quette book various instructions and d.
rections designed for the behoof of the
gentlewomen of past decade who de-
sired to do the right thing. One, and per-
haps the most important, of these were
the following: IF you are gifted with
fine arms and an elegant bust you will
do well to play upon the harp" This re-
mark has always struck me as the ut
terance of one who had the sacred cause
of womans vanity more at heart than
the sacred cause of music. Be that as
it may it was advice that must certainly
have been followed by many, judging
by my infantile recollections.
1 have certainly heard harpists whose
musical qualifications were confined to the
possession of fine arms and an elegant
bust" but who, nevertheless, twanged
the vibrating strings till the Apocalypse
seemed strangely true. If the harp is 10
become once more the fashion, let us
hope people will take it a little more Sc
riously and not regard it as merely the
adjunct of a pretty figure, and one of Mr..
..
bows" Fashions in music are seldom
creditable to those who follow them, and,
indeed, almost all intellectual fashions
are touched with charlatanry and with
pose There is too much of the elegant
bust' of the etiquette book about them.
Let the modern harpists harping with
their harps take care not merely to dis
play their beauties of person, but 20
twang the right notes. Then the revival
Of an old fashion may not be entirely de-
plorable.
1t is reported of the late Phillips Brooks,
saws the New York Tribune, that when
distinguished Engllshman spoke of writ
ing a book on his American impressions,
the great divine gave him this bit of ad-
vice: "Don't do IL. In the first place, you
haven't any impressions, and in the sec
ond they are all wrong
The Englishwoman who said to re-
Gently arrived American in London. did
YOU come all the way from America with
ont stopping?" was not more vague in her
ideas OF the geographical position of our
continent than is the average English
traveller in regard to the habits and tastes
of our women.
"I was told in Bermuda" said an En-
gllsh officer, with the credulity OF ms
class "that the New York ladies all
chewed gum. and that what is called the
reformed dress was universally worn on
the streets"
This. in spite Of the fact that he had met
azores of well-bred American women at
home and abroad, and yet he was quite
ready to believe any statement, however
exarrerated about their national habits
Most Of the so-called Americanisms that
come out in Punch and pass current as
such in society are coined for the EngIlsn
demand
"I shall be considered very dull" said
a Young English lord after several months
nagsed at Newport, III l come home with
out any new Amerlcanisms, and really
have not gathered any, he added regret
fully. - d,
''Why that Is easy enough!' answered
his hostess. eve will make up as many
MS you like we always furnish them 10
Engli,hmen when they leave US ana