The times., 1899-08-13
DO NOT CROSS Your LUCK
Fashionable Folk Who Carry Mas
cots and Charms.
story of an Italian Nobleman Who
Kissed the Lnce on, N Lady's Skirt
When He Learned 1t TO BE the
Relic OF 81 Great CardinaI-Society
Danes Who Are Famous Waitzers.

New York Aug. 12.--To say that only
the unlettered and vulgar are superstitious
is to show ignorance CT the wide-reachng
power of this mysterious force. Supersti-
tion is. for example, mildly rampant in
our politest society, and a fair amount of
very genuine credepce is held by the
maids and matrons of fashionable society.
This is proven first by the fact that a
goodly proportion of debutantes and their
mammas wear various comforting little
amulets, carry luck pieces, put their we'd
ding rings on with wish, and take certain
precautions against the ill-wiil of any pos
sible enemies.
The Neapolitan charm against the evil
eye was first worn as pretty ornament
by Mrs. BHrkard, who ordered one of gold.
1t is in the form of a tiny human hand,
the left hand, and has the first and fourth
fingers pointing like a pair OF horns, while
the second and third are folded into the
| palm. Mrs. Burkard's golden charm is
| bound by a wee bracelet of brilliants at
the wrist. and those who saw the trinket
and heard of its supposed virtues bought
copies of her watch charm more for hard
every day service, hoI syer, than orna-
ment
! One of the most uniformly luck bringing
charms is highly valued by Miss Richard
| a bit of mosaic jewelry that has been
/ blessed by the Pope; and the young Ouch
esss of Marlborough attributes no small
amount of her married content to a little
! heart of gold she ordered made and cut
in two. The day before her wedding ene-
| half of the heart was given her iance.
II 4. Ir Il L
1 by fine gold chain, and from that day
the young couple have worn their por-
/ tions Of the gold emblem in the belief
| that to lose or mislay one of the parts
| would bring them dire distress. But wear
! ing efieaeious talismans is not the whole
| OF the fashionable wonan's superstitious
creed. Her sharp eyes look out for acci-
dents that might cross her luck. She will
put herself to Infinite pains not to let any
of her hate turn upside down, to thereby
indicate that she will never walk aboard
again; If she dreams OF fishes she Will re-
fuse to cross the water for a twelve
| month; but most carefully does she guard
against the common blunder of turning
back after her foot has crossed the thresh-
old. If on her way to a ball, she finds
she has forgotten a fan or gloves, or
whatnot, she will either go boldly on with
out the desired articles. Or on turing
ately remove her toilet, or sit awhile in
the hall, in order to pretend to the Fates
that she never really started out at all.
1t is not uncommon in New York for an
elaborate dinner to slowly burn to crisp
while some unlucky guest sits solemnly
whole precious fifteen minutes in q
distant hallway, doing penance for the
crime of turing back in her tracks
Whoever loves to see exquisite dancing
| fjcfv hal az oyy nf he
cottage colonies where New York women
eongregate. or in New York itself during
the winter There is, in fact. not another
city in the world, except Vienna, perhaps
where so many faultless walters can bs
found. and the peculiar long. gliding steT
of the fashionable woman from the big
| city on the Hudson can be identified al
once in a crowded room at Hamburg, New
,, port, or in London.
The smart New Yorker waltzes with hel
, delicate feet and supple ankles, holds hel
body erect, with gracious stateliness. hel
head Is SO carried that her eyes glance
freely around the room her left hand IL
, poised, not leaning on her companion!
shoulder and one OF her peculiarities Il
that when she dances she never talks. ant
when her dance is over she is no more
flushed or breathless than IL she had slow.
ly crossed the room.
The very finest art of the New Yorl
rules of good waltzing are displayed b.
Mrs Oakley Rhinelander. In her set sh,
is famous for her beautiful poise, and
, | swan gliding down stream moves no les
majestically than this TALL slim youni
woman, whose expression when she dance
} is one of a dreamily content, like that of
5 musician listening to perfect harmonies
] She is somewhat less languorous than Mrs
| | Tomney Taller a trifie more stately thai
2 Mrs. Grenville Kane, and her closest riva
is Mrs. Jack Astor. who. however Is no
: fond of this form of exercise.
4 To waltz with divine deliberation
: what the New York woman chiefly prefer
D at bali, but she has taken kindly enoug
t | to the balmoral schottische because tn
b men like it, and the most elaborate cotil
e lion is invariably concluded by yigorou
: Virginia reel. That. too, is because tn
men like it. and though the New Yor
: man does not dance so well as the womeI
there are those, like Alexander Hadder
s Langden Irving, and Harry Lehr. who d
h this gay exercise with wonderful fnist
: They are the men who have made il a rul
n for their set and sex to carry two pair c
e white gloves 10 a ball and never approac
1 a delicately arrayed woman save in kid
n as immaculate as new fallen snow. The!
o too, have introduced the new and yer
greatly improved method In dancing
taking woman by her right wrist instea
# of her right hand, and invariably hoidin
9 her arm at length, but only few inche
y | away from her body. With her hand thu
}, left free to carry any small belongings {
= her train. a woman is comfortable and y,
g feels quite secure as she moves.
:, To walk in silk attire is not wholly sal
Il isfactory any longer to the woman who's
: husband has siller to spare, and one of th
- feminine ambitions, old as the hills an
never fully satisfied. is TO possess ric
lace. Mrs. John Jacob Astor made th
| first great collection Of valuable laces
America, and for many years the Astt
e. laces. now an heirloom in that famil.
lie were unrivaled. Mrs, William H. Wander
hilt made the next best collection that c
u her death was divided among her children
but since Mrs. Astor's and Mrs. Wander
bits day, New York society has becon
20 possessed of some much more yaluab
g and beautiful examples of rare and antiql
y needlework.
lg Not very many years ago Mrs. Wolf SUI
10 prised her lace loving friends by payiI
IN 81 600 in Florence for one antique flounc
he and then she willingly paid prices in pr
Pr portion for any rare antique piece 81
so could find. Old lace was her gentle mani
I'd but her limit has been easily overtoppf
l. by Mrs. Victor Newcomb, who cares not
l. lace be old or new provided it is the mo
perfect point d'Aiensen in the market.
one purchase she secured the whole S
of marvellous laces owned by the Prince
Clotilde, and under that princess mattel
less Alenson wedding veil Miss Newcon
!, | was married.
as The hearty admiration Of all the la
lovers goes out to remarkable set of thr
ais deep founces of the richest Venice poi
owned by Mrs. Thorne. When in Ita
Mrs. Thorne found and paid big price
the lovely pieces, draped them over a 81
gown and wore 1t all triumphantly TO