Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/72

74 Southern belles. One was Miss H., from New Orleans, the only daughter of a wealthy gentleman; the other, Miss C., was from Georgia. Mrs. H.'s dress was silver-gray silk, with flounces of very costly black lace, a full set of pearls. She and her protegees were the light of the evening. Mrs. O., who is known throughout the United States for her elegance and her husband's talents, was dressed in a rose de chenie silk, with flounces edged with blond. Her ornaments were rubies and diamonds. She used her fan with more grace than any lady I have ever seen. Mrs. D., of Boston, had on a white silk dress, with over-dress of elegant Swiss, flounced; each flounce fluted and edged with costly lace. She looked really elegant.

The most beautiful dress in the ball-room that season was worn by Miss D. It was a very handsome India muslin. She was not called the belle of the evening, but belle of the season. She was not only beautiful and graceful, but so winning and attractive in her manners, so amiable and lovely, that the belle-pickers, who picked all to pieces, could not find anything to say against her. As to her mother and father, whenever they came to Saratoga they were sought after by every one. It was like mother, like daughter. She was different from the most of New Yorkers, for they generally think the Western people wild until they happen by chance to visit our Queen City of the West, and many of them are then thrown in the back ground. My readers all know every city has a belle, but we have one that is not only a city belle, but a United States belle—Miss G. From her girlhood until now I have never seen any change in her. Not only is she beautiful, but always mild,