The news & observer., 1897-02-07

ny bdFlu, recllnlng on COUCH Oh tudt
period. | should like to see a picture of
Lillian Russell in the Recamier costume,
posed as was the famous beauty in that
most famous of all her pictures. History
repeats herself even in our beauties. At
ter all, beauty is as exact a something as
for measurements and color
must be correct to achieve beauty.
Lift up the hand of Lillian Russell. The
hand of the average singer is inclined to
be slightly square at the finger tips. This
hand is pointed; the fingers are those of
writer or an artist. After looking at
them you are not surprised to hear that
Lillian Russell herself draws the design
of every gown she wears. Look in the
center of the hand. The muscles do not
gather themselves up as if to hoard mon
ey; they are generous looking. So you
are not surprised to hear from some one
entirely outside of her own household
that the singer and the beauty provides
well for those of her own blood who need
her assistance.
What is most interesting'to you among
a great singers belongings? You are n
woman, and so you answer, as | knew
you would: Her jewel box" Here is
one in which there are not only many jew
els, but many artistic jewels, and many
Jewels that have interesting stories. at
tached to them. Here are strigs of milk.
white pearls-one with a ruby, one with a
diamond clasp. Here is a ring with su-
perb pink pear, set between two diamonds
that match it in size; here is a ring with a
black pearl set in diamonds. There are
many pearls, for the singer loves them.
and, being an artist, she knows how well
suited they are to beautiful woman.
Here is superb sapphire, set in dia-
monds, and this is it's history: At one
time when Lillian Russell was singing in
San Francisco, Russian man-of-war
was there, and as the Russians all love
music, many of them came to hear her
sing. The night before the vessel was to
leave, number of Russian gentlemen
were at the theatre, among them prince
whose name is known all over the world.
but who, personally. was a stranger to
the singer. He threw on the stage, when
she had finished her best song, a small
bunch of yiolets. After the curtains drop
ped the singer picked it up, and after she
got in her dressing room took off the soft
paper that was around the stems before
putting the flowers in water. Under the
soft paper was card. On it was written:
I'VE sail early tomorrow morning. This
is to show that even Russian bear can
appreciate talent" And, further up, hay
ing been slipped we'll over the stems,
was this sujerb ring. Another ring, one
set with large, clear white diamond.
came in the same way; gentleman took
gardenia from his button-hole and
threw it at the feet of the singer
Loving all blossoms, she couldn't bear
10 see it trodden upon, and although
some of the company laughed, she picked
up the single flower, only to find it was
encircled with this superb ring, and tha.
no name whatever accompanied it. Here
are two strange jewels. They look as if
they were meant for childs bracelet. A
gold chain, n finger-length long, forms
the basis of each one. On one side of
the chain hang tiny golu pendants elab-
orately engraved, on the other mother
of-pearl pendants. What are they? Ear
rings. And they We're taken from the
ears OF dead princess. One of those At
rican women killed in the war in Mata-
beleland just a little while ago.
Then there is wonderful gold chate-
laine; on it is a cigarette case of gold set
with diamonds that form a star so large
well, as large as the evening star looks
to us earth worms. There's matchbox
with a diamond crescent on it; scent
bottle with a star sapphire framed m
diamonds on the top; a pencil; a glove
buttoner; a purse, and a gold key set
with rubies and sapphires. This is not
the key that tells how Miss Russell gain
ed her beauty, nor is it the key to her
heart, but it is the key to her writing
desk. In the casket are innumerable
brooches, the oldest and newest Of which
is little bonnet Of gold, with tiny tur-
quoises to represent flowers upon It, And,
as we all have our supersttions, there is
kept always in this jewel box brooch in
the shape of four-leaf clover to bring
the requisite good luck.
The woman who is having her face
wonders what a beauty like Miss
Russell does for her complexion. The
woman who is being massaged every day
and eating special food that she may
grow fat, wonders what she does to keep
ner arms so round and white and plump.
The woman who is taking little cologne
on lump DI sugar 10 DTlSuLeu ueT eyes.
wonders what beauty does to cause her
eyes to glitter so. And the woman who
is putting all sorts of stuff on her hair
to make it glossy or wavy, or thick, or
long, wonders what beautny uses on her
hair. Ah, my friend, beauty is like
poet. She is born, not made.
We who are not beauties may improve
ourselves by special treatments, special
diets, special exercise, and special and
constant good temper, but one must be
born beautiful. 1t is a great gift to
no woman can be blamed for
wishing to be beautiful. People who are
not good-looking are prone to talk about
the fatal gift Of beauty, but l doubt its
fatality in any but pleasant way. 1t is
q fine thing to be beautiful woman. In
history we love the beautiful women,
while we accord only rather cold admi-
ration to the great women. There is
about beautiful woman that
appeals to men and women in every state
Dr. condition of life, and in every country
but our own, there is felt a proprietary
right in the beauty who is born to it and
I'll. I'll - DIT