The herald., 1897-03-21
CAIN GRACE AND STRENGTH
The Exercise Makes. Her Fair of Face
and Form
Supple Wrists and the Tread of Juno or
aPsyche Among the Results-The
Eyes Take on New Luster

swell New YORK society girls ioNdu .
Fencing at home has become fad, and
rooms especially devoted to exercise with
the foil are found in the residences of
all the young women who have vowed
fealty to Dame Fashion.
There is no exercise which more thor
oughly develops the muscles of the body
than fencing. In Germany wfbre the
women fence as much as they ride bf-
cycles over here, feminine strength and
health and grace are generally enjoyed,
although with us they are not to be
found as often as is desired. This is an
era of the practical in society and it is
likely in this fact will be found the rea-
son for the general adoption of this new
fad. II young woman is not too far
advanced upon the list of society's deVo-
tees, she may enjoy the privilege of ex-
ercising with the foils in the public
fencing academy If she be a little more
exclusive, she can HE herself to the
private academy. To be a real up -to-date
society girl, however, she must forswear
the academy and take her lessons at
home This is the absolute decree OF the
supreme court, from whlcn there is no
appeal.
If the seeker for information cares
about knowing just what swell girls
fence and who do not, he can find on the
roll of the list of fencers these names
First and foremost comes that of Mrs.
Jenette NJ. Thurber, who is a fencer OF
high degree. Then there is Miss Ives,
Brayton Ives daughter; Emily X. Hoff-
man, Anna NJ. Lapsley, Miss La Fargo,
Miss Marie Heye, Miss Ethel Davies,
Mrs. Raymond Ward, Miss Dorothea
Hammond, Miss Henrietta Macauley,
Miss Edith Herbert Mather Miss M. A
Stone, Miss Grace Scott, Miss F. A.
Westervelt, Miss l.. H. Barnard, Miss
Lucy Draper, Miss A. S. Barney, Miss
Bilda Drake, Miss M. Roe, Miss Isa-
bella Cammann, Miss E. Wotherspoon,
bella Cammann, Miss Z. Witherspoon.
Miss Nita Carriette, Miss Julia Leigh,
Miss Helen M. Graham, Miss Gertrude
O'Connor Miss G. Pomeroy, Miss Beat
rix Jones-daughter of Mrs. Rhinelander
Jones; Miss Blanche and Miss Dora
Havemeyer daughters of Theodore Hav.
emeyer; Miss Monta Pattee, Miss EN-
ma Pattee, Miss Helen Kelley, Mrs. c.
L. Wiltshire, Miss Rosalie Bloodgood
and Miss Mary Turnure.
Every dainty fencer must perfoce have
q master who will instruct her in the
fad that woes a graceful carriage and
muscles like the highest tempered steel
Unquestionably 1t is true that the in
PRODUCTION into the homes of aristocracy
Of these private fencing rooms has serv-
ed to awaken a renewed interest in the
art. So it is that where few months
ago the fencing clubs throughout the
country could be counted on ones fin
gers, such clubs now especially those
whose membership is entirely feminine,
have more than trebled in number.
Instead of arraying herself in fine linen
and often uncomfortable purple, and un-
dergoing for two hours a sort of social
martyrdom under the guise of an after
noon tea, the girl of the period who is
quite correct, receives a half dozen of
her friends in her fencing room, and
there many pleasant half hour is spent
in discussing and demonstrating the
latest forms of fence, guard, parry and
attack.
To hear these fair wielders of the foil
discuss the merits of some particular
form of attack, of the parry of sixte
parry of octave or counter of septime,
one would think they were all veteran
duelists, but in reality this knowledge
OF the phraseology of fencing is as mucn
part of the art as is the handling of the
foil itself, and no woman who has ever
undertaken to learn how to fence con-
siders herself competent until the ver-
nacular of the fencing room is as famil-
lar to her as the latest social event
My knowledge concerning these pri-
vate fencing rooms of society's favorites
came about in this wise. l happened
one recent afternoon to call at the home
of young lady we'll known in New
York society, and was amazed when the
maid told me that her mistress was in
the "armory."
THE armory, and, pray, what armory,
and what is Miss -, of all persons, do
ing in the armory at this hour of the
day.! was my very natural query. Be
fore the maid could give me an answer
the young lady herself appeared upon
the scene, evidently having overheard
my surprised question.
Although l am very we'll acquainted
with her as she ordinarily appears, l
scarcely recognized my friend until she
spoke. She was dressed in an odd look
Ing jacket, the front of which was pad
ded and quilted out of all shape and
form. She wore over what is a very
pretty face fine mesh wire mask, while
In her gauntlet-covered right hand she
carried slender fencing foil. A short
skirt reaching to the knee and a pair of
rubber shoes completed the young lady's
costume. She did not stop to explain
her odd dress but gave me a laughing
invitation to come in. and in | went, al
though in all honesty l must confess
that had no idea as to where l was 60
ing.
Following my friend I went up the
familiar way toward the billiard room,
but did not stop there. On the contrary.
l was uhered through the green-tabled
apartment and paused at a door open
ing into an adjoining room Queer
sounds came from the other side of the
door. There was a sound of stamping
feet, accompanied by such expressions
as, "On guard" Good parry" How
was that for counter of quarte?" and so
on, while all the time there was the un-
mistakable ring of steel against steel.
with even once in awhile pealof merry
laughter as clear as the click of metal.
In answer to my inquiring look. nv
fair hostess said, It's only two of the
girls fencing; we have our own fencing
room, you know and we are just having
a little practice for our own amuse
ment."
The room was large, square apart
ment, bare of furniture except 8 or 4
large, easy chairs pushed out of the way.
against the wall leaving the center Of
the apartment clear and unoccupied.
Upon the walls were hung fencing foils.
light Slender rapiers, masks, padded
fencing jackets and few pieces of ar
NOR and antiquated weapons of various
descriptions, such as befitted a room
where sword play was indulged in. The
unexpected floor was polished but not
waxed, and the lights instead of being
overhead were arranged around the