Newspaper Page Text
THE MACON TELEGRAPH: SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 16, 1897.
A WOMAN’S LETTER
FROM WASHINGTON.
There Is 'one fact that the visitor to
Washington who knows the ropes al
ways rejoices In, and that is the num
ber of things to be had here without ex
pense. No matter how plethoric
purse, the. average individual Mellghts
most In what he gets for nothing, and
the wise stranger within our gates will
not disdain the feast of good things to
be had without money and without
price.
There are whole courses of lectures
on every subject under the sun, * for
which tickets- may be obtained for the
asking, given twice a week in the Na
tional museum, under the patronage of
the government, by the greatest ideh-
llsts in the country, as well as beauti
fully illustrated lectures on popular
topics, free to all, at Carroll Institute,
has been started by a prominent liter
ary woman here. I was spending an
evening lately with Coyne Fletcher, the
successful dramatist, in her “don,” as |
she familiarly -ch**: gnat.s'her Charm-"
Ingly characteristic quarters. Having
duly admired her art treasures, I'spied
a queer looking object on her writing
table, and. with natural feminine furi
osity, at once asked what It was. I
learned, that it was a paperweight pre
sented by a newspaper man who had
had it made from Miss Fletcher’s photo
graph to Illustrate his article-with her
portrait, and after the.plate had served
its-purpose as picturing the dramatist
it had been, presented to her as a me
mento. and she had at once given it the
place of honor on her desk. I believe
that In six weeks’ time there will not
THD PROMENADE, K STREET. WASHINGTON.
that vie with the tfitertalnments given
by professional lecturers at high prices
both In the range of subjects and the
beauty of the pictures, the work of the
amateur photographers bf the city. Few
who have studied art will fail to admit
the exquisite fidelity of the camera in
portraying nature as exemplified in the
lovely sunset effects secured by the art
ist photographer. ' •
One of the churches gives on Sunday
evenings, lectures on "The Life of
Christ”. Hlustrated.'by lantern pictures,
which have received the approval of
the public, who testify ; to their apprecia
tion of the innovation by crowding the
church to .the doors. Still another
church, of the Congregational de
nomination, has “Evenings With the
Choir,” that Is a veritable treat to mu
sic lovers. The choir is not only the
finest and largest in the city, but is
under the direction of Professor Blsch-
off, the celebrated blind musician, com
poser and teacher whose beautiful song,
“Oh, Star So Bright!” is deservedly
popular and has an added charm and
pathos when we know that the com
poser by his blindness dwells In per
petual night, without any star.
In the way of fads a brand new one
be a woman In town who will not be
willing and anxious to give her picture
to the society reporters in exchange
for the plate to have one of these
unique paperweights of her own. 1
The K street summer promenade has
begun, for already the long rows of old
trees have a thick canopy of green that
affords a cool and grateful shade, ea
gerly. sought by pedestrians. The other
morning I met two Washington holies
promenading.' Miss Fannie and Miss
Josephine Boardman arc both blonds
and loading social lights In the younger
set, so I particularly noted their spring
suits. One was of light tan goods, tai
lor cut skirt and bolero Jacket cut quite
short, at middle of. back, allowing a
glimpse of red and white striped silk
shirt waist, worn with a gorgeous red
and white ribbon, belt. A pretty pic
ture hat, with masses of very red flow
ers, completed the costume, with a white
chiffon parasol and white gloves. The
other'sister’s outfit was gray in-tone,
with a trimmed waist that lucked the
Jaunty, stylish air of the tailor made
gown.
The truth must be admitted that K
street ha3 recently lost its star attrac
tion, for the Vanderbilt mansion on the
corner of Vermont avenue und K street
is closed, and no longer the poor mil
lionaire will be met each*morning walk
ing unsteadily beside his nurse. To be
frank, Mr. Vanderbilt is not handsome.
He looks very like the ordinary Eng
lish coachman, with his full face clean
Shaven except for the Inch or two of
closely cropped side whiskers under his
Gprs,.! have, met him frequently taking
his morning stroll beside his handsome,
distinguished looking attendant, and
had I not known the truth I would
never have dreamed that the fine look
ing man was a nurse with nothing—
and the feeble, plain, plebeian looking
invalid & millionaire with everything—
but health.
The Vanderbilts.will spend the three
summer months abroad.* and as little
Gladys will accompany her parents
Mrs. McKinley will miss • one of her
most faithful visitors, for the .little
miss, who is but 9 years old, is a con
stant caller at the White House. Any
bright looming one could see the Van
derbilt pair go prancing up to the ex
ecutive mansion and from the carriage
little Miss Vanderbilt spring out and
quickly disappear within. It is said
that Mrs. McKinley is fond of all chil
dren, but that this little maiden has
particularly won her heart At a re
cent reception given to the Yale Glee
club at the president’s house the child
received sitting beside Mrs. McKinley
und holding her hand in one of her tiny
ones, with an air of dignity and deco
rum that many smiled to see. Notwith
standing her worldly-prospects, Miss
Gladys Vanderbilt has a frugal mind
and is nowise averse to earning a little
honest money. The.child and some of
her little girl friends at Easter time ed
ited a paper for which they asked and
received 30 cents a copy.
Fair baseball “fans” declare that no
club in the League draws as fashiona
ble crowds as the Washington band of
tall enders. Before the opening of the
season ali of the r>,000 tickets compli
mentary to the ladles were disposed of
to eager applicants, and now the oth
ers, who find themselves left out, are
deploring their procrastination, for the
foolish virgins will have to pay 75 cents
or stay away from the game on the
ever welcome ladles’ day, when all
Washington turns out to encourage
its team, for the managers announce
that no more complimentary tickets
will be given. I don’t know how i
the women’ of other cities patronize the
national gume, but certain it is that
Tuesdays and Fridays the grand stand
here Is Tilled to overflowing with a bevy
of fair “fans,” who enthusiastically ap
plaud "our boys” whenever the excuse
for applause occurs. ,
I Jotted down a few of the names of
tho grandees I saw at the last game,
and among them will be found Senator
James Smith of New Jersey, Congress
men Payne, Odell.and Heatwole, ex-
Mayor Emery of Washington, ex-Gov-
ernor Ordway of South Dakota and As
sistant Secretary Spaulding of the
treasury. Speaker Reed, accompanied
by Congressman Bennett,-was among
the last comei-s-'and was ushered into
one Of the private boxes In the right
wing of thp spacious pavilion, and the
crowd testified to their recognition of
the rotund form of Mr. Herd by a rip
ple of applause, to which the genftil
gentleman responded by politely rais
ing his hat. A youthful nyiidon occa
sioned a laugh by exolalmyig audibly,
“My goodness, how bald he Is!" after
which openly avowed truth Thomas
Iirackett Reed suddenly replaced his
hat, but Joined in the general smile.
ALICE LEE MOQUE.
A WOMAN’S LETTER
FROM NEW YORK.
Nature hides her diminished head at
sight of the products of the milliner’s
art displayed daily on Broadway. Red
is everywhere, not a rose tint or a gen
tle pink, but unadulterated, aggressive,
flaring red. Even more In evidence Is
the favorite combination of the year,
heliotrope and green—heliotrope straw
hats, with mixed heliotrope and green
ribbon, or even heliotrope feathers, with
green wings and flower sprays, are In
sight everywhere. I have never seen a
season when the license as to quantity
and admixture of color was so appar
ent. I saw a lady in a Broadway car
the other day with a hetlotropo and
black dress, a hat trftnmed with red
roses, a large turquoise brooch at her
neck and an emerald buckle at her
together In the elevated cars. “You see.
If I am only slightly Injured/1 am to bo
carried to my home, this address. If I
am fatally Injured, they are to tele
graph to this address, Jo my son In
Chicago. Then there are two or three
otln r things, directions as to tin; dispo
sition of my remains and all the rest,
you know. I shouldn’t fool quite happy
if I had not done this."
“I shouldn’t feel happy If I had.
Ugh!” said her friend, with a shiver.
An acquaintance of mine who lives In
a charming house on Riverside drive
will not boon bo able to divest herself
of'the Idea that General Grant Is re
sponsible for or at least implicated in a
loss of $2,000 pin money and the great
THE EVILS OF
waist. ’’{Wien I came to, Bhe was hold
ing a claret colored vinaigrette to my
nostrils I
When Marguerite Merlngton wrote her
now famous play of "Captain Lcttar-
blair,” she had the same doubts as to
its success, even qualms ns to. Its mer
its, that other writers have felt with
regard to leas notable works. Joe Jef
ferson was to act critic of the play-
“You siay In tho room, Miss Merirtg-
ton, rt he said. • “I am going to say Just
what I; think about this play, and I
would rather you were here. You must
not be hurt if I speak frankly.”
The play was read, Jefferson listen
ing Intently and the author looking
vainly to glean something from the
critic’s expression. When tho reader’s
voice ceased, Jefferson drew a long
breath.
“Would that I were B0 years youn
ger!” lie said. "I would give anything
to be able to play that.” , ,
”1 always carry these instructions
about with me,” said a well dressed
woman of about middle’age, drawing n
card from her pocketbook and handing
It to her friend as they rode down town
MOVING DAY.
satisfaction of having arranged and
carried out a financial enterprise of her
own. It had not beforo entered her
mind that her ample balcony might be
of monetary value on the occasion of
the Grant celebration, but one morn
ing, when a pleasant spoken man in
terviewed her and offered her $2,000 lor
the use of her b&lcony from which to
view the parade, she seized upon tho
Idea with all a woman’s delight In earn
ing a little money without much cor
responding labor.
“I cannot speak with absoluto cer
tainty,” she said. “You will havo to
call this evening when my husband is
at home.” But In her heart of hearts
she knew that tho transaction was al
ready accomplished. Beforo 7 o'clock
she had mentally expended tho entlro
amount.
Soon after her husband entered tho
house that evening and beforo sho had
had time or thought to broach*tho sub
ject to him ho said:
“Oh, by tho way, dear, I have invited
about B0 members of my club to come
up and sco tho parado from our bal
cony! Bee that there la a good lunch
for thorn." »
My friend sayB sho thinks It is too
mean for anything, the way she was
cheated out of that ermine opera cloak
she had promised herself.
Now.la that delightful time of year
when It In allowed to sing of tho joys
and privileges of housecleaning and
moving. I hold him a benefactor of
his raco who gives his experience to
aid others to avoid the pitfalls incident
to such functions. If you are moving
to the country, It is not wiao to bo over-
economical in making tho contract for
the carting of your goods. It la better
to pay a good prico for a reliable man
than to engage a cheap man whoso
wagon leaks tho goods on tho way out
and picks them up on tho way back.
Once I saw a cruel man drop an ln-
offenslvo grasshopper upon a populous
ant hill. Tho creature, conscious of his
danger, tried to straighten hla legs In
an upward spring, but tho symbol of
thrift and Industry was too quick for
him. In less than half a minute the
skeleton of that grasshopper loomed
baro and gaunt above those formteidoo
and I have ho doubt finally found its
way Into their museum under the head
ing, “Mastodon From Kentucky,” or
some other region which mastodons did
inhabit.
This Incident was recalled by an ex
perience. Of a friend of mine across tho
way who was moving to the country.
Sho went down town and bought a nice
new piano caso for moving her piano
In. A heedless expressman deposited
the box in a vacant lot near by and
went off to procure assistance In mov
ing It Into the bouse. A horde of small
boys were playing ball and other inno
cent games in tho lot. No sooner was
that unsuspecting expressman’s back
turned than theso gamins fell upon
that piano box, and in three short min
utes thero was left only a well articu
lated anatomical exhibit, through tho
spacen of which tho hopo of the raco
wriggled and sported with tho gleo and
carelessness of brownies in a corn
patch. Thus tho expressman discov
ered that it would havo been wiser to
have sat on that piano box until somo
one came along who could render tho
necessary assistance.
When you move, do not pack all your
tin palls without leaving a good big
ono looso on tho outside. If thero is
not a “growler” In the house, tho truck
men will have to go out and find one,
and this causes delay. I have known
It to take a truckman 1% hours ran
sacking the neighborhood beforo ho
came back with beer for his follows.
Finally, If it is at all possible and
you have any wish to preserve tho
youth and light heartedness with which
tho Almighty has endowed you, let
somo other member of your family su
perintend the loading and unloading of
tho vans. It Is not tho physical labor
Involved In moving that gives women
nervous prostration when tho work Is
over, but' tho witnessing of the jolting
and jarring, the rubbing and razing of
her moat cherished articles of furni
ture, tho being obliged to listen to ex
pressions of disgust and horror when
her boxes of books are "hefted” tenta
tively, tho agony of soul experienced
when her piano proves too largo to go
,do\yn-the staircase or she sees her new
sofa fastened on to tho back of tho van,
whero tho city dust may Bottle as U
will. All these things whiten the hair
and furrow tho forohead. As you lovo
life and happiness, O sisters, mako
your husband take a holiday and at
tend to theao matters, with the stolid
ity which Is characteristic of tho male
species at such trying times, and hlo
you to n matlneo or an afternoon tea
and drown thought and remembrance
therein. MRS. ALMON-IIEN8LEY.
THE PROBLEM OF
WHAT TO WEAR.
“When In doubt, buy blue serge,” la
the best solution to the problem of the
early summer costume, and blue serge
this year Is most popular under Its es
sentially navy aspect and In a bright,
shade of gendarme blue. Under the
latter condition it will look well braid
ed in black or quite plain. Worn with
mauve or plain green,glace shirts,, it
lends itself to the complement of the
flower toque or of the toque made of
glace ribbon, which Is also much pat
ronized. As well as the blue serge cos
tume, It Is well to be provided with one
of covert coating.
In grenadines a very stylish costume
Ik shown In tli« lllustiatlon. Tho hack
of the skirt is flounced. The front Width
is perfectly plain, bordered at either
sldo with a band of ecru guipure. Ecru
guipure also outlines ,thc shoulders,
whence hangs a plaited bolero of the
grenadine tied In the front with a lace
bow falling cascadJ fashion to tho
waist, which is encircled by a band of
In popularity and differs in some meas
ure from the cashmere of olden days by
reason of its firm texture, Tho back of
it indeed la almost as firm and solid as
faco cloth, and it is a fabric which can
be moat successfully manipulated by
the tailor, making coats and skirts of
singular charm. The dress is of pale
gray and has the bodice, epaulets and
basque covered with a design In narrow
braiding. The skirt Is plaited r solcil.
What becoming skirts these are! A
black satin band is tied round the waist
Into a bow to fall with long ends at the
hem, and the softest of lace ruflles are
inside the medlcl collar and fall with
double friflings to tho waist.
The hat pictured in the illustration
shows the return to the bonnet strings
this season. It Is to be hoped that no
fair reader will be so Inconsiderate as
to wear such a view obstructing hat as
this at any afternoon musical or theat
rical performance.
PLUMED HAT A LA MODE. 1|
black satin ribbon. Such a dress as
this might be worn at a wedding, and
it would look well In white silk and
black grenadine, with white silk used to
make the front, underbodice and
sleeve* The same style might be suc
cessfully adapted to cream silk musiin,
with th*» plain portions of buff colored
silk and the lace of ecru.
The combination of white and cream
and biscuit color Is very popular over
in Pans, and very effective it la when
properly used, lending Itself most ad
mirably to some of the new hats of
leghorn trimmed with white feathers
and draperies of cream tulle.
Another costume sketched Is of cash
mere, which, by the way, grows hourly
A PALE GRAY CASHMERE.
JOSIE COHAN AND
HER DOLL DANCE.
A few seasons ago Letty Lind, the
sprightly English dancer, packed a
London theater nightly with her clever
Chinese doll dances. Bhe even rose to
the dignity 'of being painted In that
character and exhibited at the Royal
academy. In our own land pretty, vi
vacious Josephine Cohan has made her
self famous In a similar performance.
Here Is an account of an Interesting In
terview with the clever young woman:
'Miss Cohan does a doll dance that Is
as clever an Imitation of wood and wax
as Is possible for flesh and bones to
achieve. But her eyes! It didn't seem
to me that a brain would have any
room at all In a head that held such
eyes as hors, und I wasn’t particularly
keen on going around behind the scenes
to meet her. I have had enough of in
terviews where I have to furnish ail
the Ideas myself, and I dreaded It not a
little ns I stumbled along down the lit
tle alley lined with whitewashed dress
ing rooms and knocked at her door. I
had in my mind a picture of her as sho
left the stage flvo minutes before.
“I waited until she had dressed, and
then we sat on a table among the prop
erties and exchanged confidences, for-
will you believe it?—she was from Bos
ton and had been to school on Bt. James
avenue! We got on famously after
that, for she was a very nice girl. The
Cohans do the ‘happy family' act very
charmingly Indeed. The brother writes
the acts and songs, and the mother
makes the costumes. The parents are
very quiet, and the children love each
other, etc. No! This wasn’t what I
was after, but what could you expect,
sitting behind the scenes with the rack
et of getting ready for the next act all
around and the applause swallowing
our voices? We went out into the cafe
and sat down ut a dry table, and thf.a
we really talked.
” ‘Tell me/ said I, *how long have you
been doing this?'
" ‘Eight years/ she said, and she was
only 20.
‘“Are you not real sick of It?* said I.
** *No/ she replied, ‘not when I can
hold the audience. It's funny how one
can feel the general average expression
of tho whole house, and how ono gets
to rely on It, and, too, how we will pick
out a single smiln and play llko mad to
keep that smile lighted up. One night
I was feeling particularly exuberant till
I noticed the disgusted face of a woman
In a box, and I lost my nervo and near
ly cried. I told my mother when she
came on how that face had spoiled ev
erything, and she laughed at me for It,
but she began noting tho hoodoo also,
and It worried her. Thon when my fa
ther came on wo told him In an aside,
and he gradually began playing to tho
same faco and grew more and more
desperate until finally. If It hadn’t been
for my brother, who never minds any
thing, wo would have been frozen Mtirf
on the stage. It makcH a lot of differ
ence!* Imagine a single smile making
a difference.
“And finally Miss Cohan and I stroll
ed homo to her hotel, chaperoned by
middle aged and very sedate parents
who had been romping on the stage
like 'I-ycar-olds a half hour before—
quite a family party.”
NOTES ABOUT WOMEN.'
On the postage stamps of Holland
Queen WMielmina. Is portrayed as a
t:hi!d of 12. with flowing hair and a
peculiarly infantile expression. It Is
'told, as Illustrating her little majesty's
character, that at a recent meeting of
the cabinet council she interrupted the
proceedings by Informing the assembled
ministers that she was no longer a
child and could not understand their
neglect In allowing the stamps to re
main unaltered. The Dutch stamps
will in consequence bo changed aa soon
as possible.
London claims the most celebrated
woman photographer In the world. Miss
Alice Hughes, the daughter of Edwin
Hughes, the famous portrait painter.
She not only rivals all women In her
profession, but there are very few men
who can compete with her. Miss
Hughes* prides are higher than those of
any photographer In London, and yet
she can scarcely attend to the orders
that crowd upon her.
Mme. Louise de Chapelaln de Surrc-
vllle de Crenay, Comtesse Doualrlere de
Bpan-e, who recently died at the Cha
teau de Brunette. Vaucluse, might pos
sibly have been empress of the French.
When she lived as a girl near Arenen-
berg, Queen Hortenoe tried to get up a
marriage between her and Prince Louis
Napoleon. .The young lady, luckily for
her, preferred the Danish Comte de
Bparre, a godson of the Comte de
Chambord.
Mrs. Charlotte Dewey Ross, the oldest
native realdent of the town of Pouit-
ney. Vt., who died recently at her home
In East Poultney, at the age of 93 years,
was the friend and associate of Horace
Greeley during bin four years* appren
ticeship In that village to the trade of
typesetting. Bhe wan also the school
mate and associate of George Jones, the
founder of the New York Times, and
of Jared Sparks, the historian.
Sarah Bernhardt has always had an
almost iqorbld dread of fire, and this
has led her to direct that all her gjtagg
dmaes shall he of fireproof material.