The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-23


New York, April 2e.--The summer girl
Of 90 will be calculated to "startle and
waylay."
To an ordinary observer the CONFLICTING
phases Of femininlty through which this
young person can pass In the course OF
few hours transcend the marvellous, be-
coming the impossible.
You meet her in the drawing room, clad
In angel garments OF softest silk or cling
ing, shadowy muslins. You adore the deep
set, weary eyes, like those OF (French)
medieval saint, the fluffy, Florentine head
and the long, intelligent hands. Mex,
morning in the park or on the cycle path,
when your name is called by a bluff ath-
lete who would scorn gauzy stuffs. and who
never heard of Worth, you need second
introduction.
Yet the summer girl on her athletic side
last year. Her tailor dresses for country
wear are relieved by huge scarfs OF gauze
or silk, her shirt waists are made OF finer
and more delicate materials, her cycle
toys are apt to be trlhe longer. and her
linen and pique dresses are lace-coyered.
Nevertheless, riding dress, i'm which the
exclusive girl who wishes to avoid the
cycling crowds, will appear even more
frequently than in the past goes to the
other extreme. The newest habits In all
their details are smartly and insistently
masculine. The short, safety skirt trlg,
immaculate, avoiding the sweeping lines
OF the old long skirts. where danger lurked
In every fold, is practically the only model
seen. The coat that accompanies II, when
most taut and business-like, lis a close
fitting cutaway, buttoning straight up the
front almost to the throat, the short re-
yors turning back just enough 10 give a
hint and no more of white linen chemi
settle and trim tie.
The coat may have a postillion back or
II may have very short basques or basque1
long enough to cover the saddle. The thing
certain about the habit is that with It's
turnover linen collar. its Derby or silk
hat and It's severely correct" cut in black
brown or gray, 1t will ape mans outfit SO
far as possible.
Though even the riding habit has rs
hours OF ease. On the level roads OF Long
Island when the dogwood hangs out III
white flags of blossom. and the long con
voys of linen covered carriages, like canal
boats in tow OF tugs. are vending theii
slow way from the city to the newly opened
country houses OF Hempstead and thu
Hamptons, you begin to meet young girl
in English pink coats, or In loose
fronted black coats with bright red waist
coats. which go flashing through the wood
like scarlet breasted blackbirds.
In the country colonies, white ptque hab
its, still Of tailor cut, are accepted rldin
dress. and sailor hats wound with gauz
scarfs or even barred heads will be al
lowed Last years fad indeed will be OK
tended, The summer girl OF 80 will ride
drive, cycle. play golf, even promenad
with her own sunny tresses for all hea
covering.
Halted or hatless, on city highways O
In country byways. 1t is when the sum
mer maid springs from her horse to noun
her wheel that her plot begins to thicker
Smarter than last seasons and about a
far from satisfactory must be the verde
on her bicycle toggery.
When the cycle girl first got wheels int
her head. she arrayed herself experiment
ally and SUCCESSFULLY. in circular skirt
and in skirts with saddle pockets and /
divided skirts and in skirts tho networ
OF whose inside harness could give card