The Washington weekly post., 1899-05-30
SOUTHERN WOMEN IN GOTHAM.
Leaders of the Smart Set Who Hail from
Dsxt- Land

New York May 1.-THE influence Of
Southern women upon New York society
has been very marked A large number
or gentlsWOmen from the South have
married New York men OF wealth and
position. and the result Of these alliances
is shown in numerous ways. Perhaps IN
none has II been more observable than
in the spread OF the love for outdoor
Sports The women OF the South. as a
rule, are smart hOrsewOmen and daring
croSs-cOuutry riders, and when hey took
I'D their residence at the North they
brought with them their love OF the horse
and the sports with which 1t is associated
Some OF the best riders in and around
New York are women of the South
Probably the most conspicuous woman
of Southern birth in New York society Is
Mrs. Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont She
was Miss Alva E. Smith. Of Mobile, Ala,
and is connected by ties of blood with
some Of the most historic Southern fam
lilies Mrs. Belmont is the leader of the
smart set in New York society. She is
woman OF distinguished appearance and
broad culture She is as thoroughly well
read in literature as she is knOwledgeous
OF the good points OF d thoroughbred
horse She is interested in all outdoor
sports, as is her husband, Ar. Belmont
by the way, is connected With famous
Southern family. being a cousin of Sena-
tor Marion Butler. of North Carolina.
Mrs. John : Wise. wife O. John s
Wise, of Virginia, now one Of the leaders
Of the New York bar, is a Southern wo-
man She was Miss Douglas, OF Tennes-
see, and the Douglases of Tennessee are
one OF the most prominent families OF
that State.
The leader Of the literary set in New
York society is Mrs. Burton y. Harr,-
son. She is the wife of Burton y. Harri-
son, a noted New York lawyer, who Was
Jefferson Davis private secretary. Mrs.
Harrison is a Virginian. Her novels and
short stories are unusually clever, and
the critics say that some of them contain
work that approximates almost TO genius.
Mrs. Harrison entertains frequently, and
all the literary lions Of Europe and Amer
lea have been her guests.
Another notable New York woman of
Southern birth is Mrs. John II. Girdner,
the wife of one of New York's foremost
physicians. Mrs. Girdner was Miss Pratt,
daughter of Gen. Pratt. of the COnfeder-
ate Army, one of the most gallant sol
diers that fought under the banner of the
Confederacy.
Mrs Henry Morgan. widow of the New
York banker, is also a SOutherner, and is
prominent in the Southern society of the
metropolis. She is a daughter of one of
the most distinguished jUrists of Louis
lara, Judge OvertOn. Mrs. Roger Pryor,
wife of ex-Judge Pryor. who retired from
the New York bench last winter, is the
daughter of a famous Virginia house.
Miss Eleanor Johnson, who is prominent
in society, is a Baltimorean. as is also
Mrs. Clarence Halstead. who was Miss
De Ford. of Baltimore. one of the most
ancient OF the Eastern Shore families
of Maryland.
The wife Of ex-Secretary Carlisle, of
the Treasury Department. who is now
practicing law in New York is a thorough
SCutherner. She was Miss Queen, of the
famous Queen family of Kentucky, which
produced many noted lawyers and SOL
diers.
Miss Elizabeth G. Jordan. whose recent
book of short stories places her high on
the roll of writers of distinctly American |
fiction, comes of noted Virginia family |
as does also Ruth McEnery Stuart, whose |
short stories of Southern life and char |
acter are the best of that class
The South may well feel proud of its |
gentlewomen who are now living at the |
North. They are thoroughly representa- |
tive of the culture which has always made |
the Southern woman one of the most at |
tractiYe of her sex.