Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-02-28
PORTALS new YORK LETTER.

OiVlil W ltbU lUltll ilIl LII
Special Correspondence OF Gazette and Journal
New York, Feb. %. There is some
thing charmingly theatrical. about this
town One can stand ON the corner oil
Broadway at almost any of the nross
streets. and In five minutes see as many
assorted types as would fill melo-
drama and farce comedy combined.
| For half an hour | have been looking
out OF window--a window high up,
for like it that way in this town OF
| towers and worlds above the ground
| over little corner of snaoe between
| Thirty fourth street and broadway.
| From my window | can see the Herald
| clock, not far oil is the Kniolserbocker
Theatre and the stable-like structure
| OF the Metropolitan Opera HOUSE.
Across the street are lows OF hou go
similar in structure, one wonders how
tle individuals remember just where
his or her niche is. In ono window
Sc poor woman sitting sewing.
stitching away TO earn that which will
keep life and soul togsther. In tho
window beneath this are myriads OF
girls printing photographs. At another
window is q happ} mother holding u
fat, laughing, little boy on her Jap
Each Of these little worlds is divided
from the other by few inches OF wood
and plaster, and yet as iar apart as
though they lived at the furthere9t enda
of the globe. Down the street comes
rushing fire engine, and yet it makes
as little sensation along the busy street
as the SLOW plo9diug horse CATS. tho last
relic OF provincialism in this great
mart. Then there comes an orchestra.
AT leRst it sounds like an orchestra,
and close my eyes and fancy that the
play, the great melodrama of life in
this gelt city has begun. The orchestra
comes into view. It's street piano
Tagging at the heels of the strest piano
is a crowd of gamins who kick up their
feet as if inspired by live wires. And
then comes the leading lady, one of
New fork's Vanity Fairies. OF the
-Four Hundred? Not necessarily SD, for
the woman | see is wonderfully we'll
gowned. A faot not always so appar-
ent among the women heading the list
OF smart doings So this leading lady
IS Just one of the Multitudinous Many.
She is holding her gown up after the
correct mode OF the hour, which Ia O
careless swirling of the back breadths
into bunchy knob on the left hip.
She carries a huge muff which looks
much like fur rug that belongs 10
'front.' OF the fireplace in one's drawing
room. This rug is generously decorated
with few dangling feet and several
Dnsny tails and is swung with spirit as
tne leading lady tramps along on the
military heels of her patent leather
boots. The scene is clear again and
the Rtfaaf -st,aa
with soul.cumpelling overture from
"Cavalleria Rusticana. Then a little
white-haired woman takes the stage
centre. Her sunRen shoulders covered
with wiop OF shawl and her snowy
hair bound tight and snug with a bit
OF dark cotton stuff. Her face is sad
and hard and her expressionlsss eyes
hiled with tears. just what part she
plays IN the drama / know not, only
kDow that she should be some baby;s
grandma; safe away from the noise
and turmoil Of the streets, humming
lullabies and coddling the precious
baby as only q grandmsmma oan. She
totters up the street muttering some
thing to each passsrby. who goes on
deaf to her pleadiugs. lean against
tho window far out to catch GLIMPSE
OF her as she turns the corner; aud
whew-- that radiator IL hot-I wonder
why these hotels vii put them right in
front Of the window.
But, dear me, | am. sure beth ia
asking why doesn't Portia tell US what
they are wearing in that big city? She
tells Inc repeatedly not to believe the |
fashion plates and the dresHmakers.
Surely do. The fashion plates are
suggestions for the dressmskers. Tho |
dressmakers put out the fashions for
the butterflies and the few butterflies |
who know decide which Of those |
fashions are really smart. So to know |
what is correct, one must wait to see |
what the leaders select. This only |
emphasizes the great need there is in /
this country that the stage, or some set \
of people shall serve as an object lesson
In really what is just the right thing
to wear. | feel truly sorry for the
woman who is f1oundering hopelessly
in the depths Of what is worn, +" SO / |
am going to chronicle for her benefit !
the little things seen on those who
now how and what! First comes the
color; you can't escape it; it IS red,
bright red. Red hats, red gowns, red
shoes and red stockings are displayed
in all the leading shops. The red
straws are particularly pretty and it is
a fad now to have the hats trimmed |
with fruits. | have noticed ON hats at |
the leading modistes, grapes, luscious
enough for Tantalus currants, cterrias,
plums and gooseherries, and quite as |
popular as these are hats made entirely
Of foliage, with just ona rose or
bunch OF violets, or poppy, or the
always stylish ragged robins for relief.
1t is pleasing 10 notice the revival of |
old fashioned patterns IN goods. Ma.
terial such us beige barege. embroidered |
muslins. glasse silks OF Persian nat.
terms, percales for shirtwaists, the old
fashioned peioHle without any gloss.
It's odd to see woman all done up |
in furs and fur hat rushing for her
milliner's and there ordering dainty
CONNECTION of flowers; for mark you, |!
the maid who will be Sin ito this
spring will have a hat entirely of some
Hover or other. The favorites seeming
to be peoples or g raniums. But the
most chic looking one, to my taste, WAS
q fiat toque OF luscious currants, our
rants so natural one looked with keen
hunger for tho ruddy duck. -.
Every dog has his day, they say, and
now the aristocratic canine is having
bis innings. At the Dog Show this
afternoon 1 had chance to see the
latest cachets, for the iashionables
were all out to see the wise st. Bernards
looking their wisest, the stately Dane,
their stateliest, tho noble Mnstiff their
noblest, ard ugly bulldogs thir ugliest.
A stunning woman standing by Richard
Croker's Rodney Stone had on one OF
Lha lateat hlousaa for tI,a hlo,,no as-l |