The age-herald., 1898-04-10
Copyright, 1S9S.l


 There is only one day in the year when Dame Fashion permits her fol- lowers to appear on Fifth avenue on Sunday, and that is when the bells are ringing in the story of the Easter joy and all the world seems happy and bright. Then Miss Fuss-and- Feathers, whose father numbers his dollars by the millions, and Miss Blue Blood, whose father has fewer dollars and more ancestors, with Mrs. Velvet, are seen in the most wonderful process sion of the year. It starts just after church, and it is all over about o'clock. In it are all sorts and condi- tions of gowns, and of it are all sorts and conditions of souls. Then the avenue looks like a flower bed. The most dignified old lady is radiant in z. bonnet covered with violets, while any body under 70 - and nowadays 70 Is only counted elder1y-wears head dress whereon the flowers of the field and those of the conservatory meet Tn great masses and reckless abandon.
 The gowns are not so gay. There is distinct liking among the matrons for heavy black satin made rich with ruff fes edged with fine French lace, while the younger women are in perfectly fit- ted frocks of some soft wool that is either the new blue, a silver gray, a jet black or one of the popular shades of purple.
 Purple reigns supreme. The milliner tells you that there are 45 different shades of it, so that it may be adapted to any type of woman from an ashen blond to the darkest brunette.
 The men in the Easter parade look as only New York men do look-smart, not only to their finger but to their boot tips. Their frock coats are made of English cloth, but are cut and fitted so exactly that one is certain no English tailor ever had his scissors in them.
 As you are a popular man, you have been to church. A popular man always goes to church. You are walking up the avenue with the intention of lunch ing at your club and watching from it's window the parade of living flowers that will pass by. Your hand is on your hat every minute. First you bow to a dignified, rather fair woman whose face is more intellectual than beauti- ful, whose costume is decidedly English and who has the reputation-and you remind yourself of it-of being one of the best women writers in this coun- try and belonging to one of its most aristocfatic families, Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer, jolly Frank Griswold's sis- ter.
 A minute later and you are lowing to stately, richly dressed woman whose gown hints of Felix in its superb black satin, with It's jet trimmings and queer, quaint, coarse white 1ace-a dark hair ed, dark eyed woman with that air of having been descended from the few families who swam around in a special ark of their own during the flood. Her air is peculiar to Philadelphia women. You say peculiar to Philadelphia wo- men? You mean peculiar to Philadei- phia women of the exclusive set and surely as you greet with extreme defer ence Mrs. Cadwallader Jones you con- fess her charms and her intellect, but most of all her blue blood.
 Another Philadelphian! How Phila- delphia women do marry New Workers. But this is younger woman, pretty woman, though a dark woman, wo- man who is beautiful-yes-but then
  ly Marion Langdon, with her patrician air and her finely cut features, was the beauty of New York. and you look again and think, "Yes, Mrs. John Jacob Astor is a beautiful woman, but her beauty is little too intense for per- fection." Her hair and eyes are too black, and her color is too high.
 Here is another dark beauty, one who has gained the catch of the season. the one to whom the greater number of the Mackay dollars will go-Miss Katherine Duer, a gay, dashing girl who is very popular. Her friends call her Kitty T and she has been credited with having had more proposals than any other of the lovely girls who were the brides maids of the Duchess of Marlborough.
 You wonder if in this procession all the beauties are dark. It has only been a little while since the golden haired girl did not need to be searched for, but could be found everywhere. Here Is one of the beauties of the season, and o1 course she has been to church-dark oi eyes, fair of skin and with hair of tht lovely mahogany shade that you see se often in New Orleans and so seldom 1T any other place. Is 1t strange that Mis- Eff Potter should have it? No; comes direct in the maternal line. Thel there is another fair haired girl, Mis- Ruth Hoe, fair in that delicate wa, that suggests German fraulein ant which tells that not very far bacl there is English blood. One of this sea sons debutantes, the daughter of al immensely rich man, society is wonder ing who will get the desired answe from the dainty maiden.
 You raise your hat to dashing wom an-that is the word you use-a woman who looks as if fear were unknown t her and as if she had determined to ge as much enjoyment out of life as pos sible. With her is a we'll dressed man
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