The times., 1899-09-24
MRS. TWOMBLEY'S FAD.
She Shares the Vanderbilt Passion
for Flowers.
Autumn House Parties Are Now Pop
uIar With Hostesses Who Can Af-
ford Them-AutOmobfIes an Indis-
pensabIe Feature of Rural Enter
tafnment-Dnme Fashions Diary.

beaufT-ioVlng rich women are giving the
most serious attention to gardens A book
recently published by a woman Elizabeth
and Her German Garden" is what set two
or three clever souls TO thinking that there
was more fun and picturesque effect to be
got out OF flowers than by cold-bloodedly
purchasing the scentIess phenomena our
florists produce. OF giving over the whole
horticultural business TO a capable gar
deneF-
This winter acres Of ribbon bed abomi-
nations are going to be plcwed up. q great
many expensive greenhouses are to be
closed, and the mistresses of big country
places are to have gardens laid out that ex-
press some special individuality or floral
passion Of their souls During the winter
season lectures on soils, fertilizers, SUBJ
soil drainage, and landscape viii be at
tended and the women are already deep in
books on French, Italian, English. and Ger
man gardens.
AS was TO be expected, some wonderfully
clever notions have already been evolved
and put into prosperous execution, and
Mrs. Mckay TwombeIy, sister Of the late
Cornelius Vanderbilt, leads with her ex-
Quisite wild-aower garden. This has been
made under her personal supervision at
her Morristown place. The wild flowers
have not been planted in ornate beds nor
subjected to a course Of cultivation, but
gathered ap from every part of the State
and set down in rich soil to flourish and
blossom in an entirely rustic environment
The whole season through scme cups OF
these wild plants are in flower, and be-
cause Of the good soil and abundant water
and weedless freedom they are given they
have produced large, gloriously tinted
blossoms that are never picked for house
adornment
Up on the Hudson Mrs. Schuyler Crosby
is perfecting the most admirable example
in this country Of an eighteenth century
garden. fair copy in size and plan of the
renowned Italian gardens at Newnham
Courtney on the Thames. Mrs. William
Rockefeller has nearly completed a beau
tifUl example Of sunken gardens at her
Hudson place, and among the young
women il is the fashion to not only pre-
side over but work in what are prettily
called Loves Acres. A Loves Acre is a
modest square OF ground enclosed by a
high grey stone wall. or thick. close
clipped evergreen hedge. out of which on
four sides low stone arches lead. In the
centre OF the square is a tiny stone or
white marble temple supposedly dedicated
10 Love In il are rugs and stone seats
covered with rugs and stone vases to hold
cut or growing flowers and a stone table
where books lie and a breakfast, or lunch,
or tea can be served.
The flowers IN this charming enclosure
grow in broad bed that runs at the bot
tom Of the wall, running all about the four
sides. and only the qaintest, most senti-
mental. old-fashioned plants ind foot
ing there. Wall flowers hollyhocks. paint
ed ladies. pretty maids, lady slippers blue
eyed Mary, loye-lies bleeding, sweet sui
tan. sweet William, forget-me-nots, etc.,
mingle their brightly colored faces in the
gay crowds that show to advantage sgainst
the grey stone or green cedar background
and one romantic phase OF Loves Acre is
that nobody save the owner is supposed
10 tend the wants Of these delicate pen
siOners
Every msdemoiseIle who sets up one
Of these gardens has box of pretty, light
tools for her OWN use, and in a vast pair of
gloves, a beribboned hat, and a hugely
becoming apron, on the warnest days,
while a maid or manservant holds an um-
brella ever her head. she digs and pats
and prunes and sprinkles her flowers She
gathers them when she desires in a dear
little osier basket fastened on the top of
a staff with a pointed end that runs into
the ground and holds the receptacle hand
ily, and she gives teas in the temple TO
celebrate the coming into bloom OF each
species OF flower.
Mrs. Potter Palmer. who is a feminine
Edison for inFenting new and captivating
ideas. has been the one to revive interest
In diary writing. To her active and orig
inal mind il became evident that if some
thing vas not done the women OF today
would leave Eene OF those intimate valu-
able, and amusing documents OF their lives
and thoughts and emotions to the genera
tons of the twentieth century. For is il
not by means Of their letters and diaries
We know SO much OF our aneestresses of
the eighteenth cycleg
Acting OF her own able initiative Mrs
Palmer has for years kept a diary Of life
as she has known IL Great people she
has met and entertained. great events as
they have touched her interests, com
ments on the changing fashions in dress,
scraps OF witty conversation, reflections on
manners. criticisms OF the popular books
all have found place In her diary which
faithfully reflects the days and thoughts
OF society woman OF 1900 and which can
not fail 70 deeply interest posterity. Her
example is now being generally followed
n society, and 10 keep up her diary Is one
OF the daily tasks OF the fashionable wom-
an, though not ali Of them exactly follow
Mrs. Palmer's plan.
For example. Mrs. Stuyvessant Fish
whose brilliant rogs are repeated at dinner
tables. is recording her experience in q
set OF letters dedicated 10 her great-g great
granddaughter. Mrs. Goelet is collecting IL
book an her most interesting CORE
spondence from all parts Of the world
copying down often her own clever Lewsy
replies 70 interesting epistles received
ana Miss Hewett is preparing the auto
biography o. a society woman from he,
Own varied and unfsiling interesting ex.
periences in society. n the arts in philan.
thropy, etc. Nobody but the authors o.
these compilations knows what is in then
and they are put together not 10 possibly
ever see the light in print nor come undei
public gaze. but to delight and edify pos
terity in these ladies' families and 10 b
cherished as precious heiriooms as We TO-
Gay hoard the diaries. letters and samp
lerS OF oEr grahdmothers.
Driving aad ''moting" are the choices
recreafions generous. popular hostess car
Lew offer her guests at her October huuss
parties. She s m intrepid woman wh,
VIII ask loze. persons 10 her big plaei
in the Berkshires. on Hudson Heights. or il
the Tuxedo sneiosure, and not provide he
forehand double as many horses as sh
has visitors and traps enough to carr,
every transient member Of her household
Should she fail 10 do this she will ,e ap
70 nd ner Invitations promptly regncrt I'd
and 50 thoroughly Go the majority Of fash