Life — November 28, 1895 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

LITTLE BRIDES. HERE seems to be danger that if the competition in fash- ionable weddings should continue, the side-shows may become so elaborate as to detract from the in- p terest in the main spectacle. The central figure at a wedding is the bride. A proper setting for her is very desirable, but to provide such alot of supplementary fixtures that people are in danger of overlook- ing the bride, is mistaken policy and defeats the ends of justice. At the Vanderbilt wedding there was exhibited a duke, a family quarrel, a symphony orchestra, the greatest flower show ever seen in a New York church, the governor of the state, the British ambassador, and a collection of the finest people in New York. Certainly that was an extraordinary outfit of attractions for a bride, however charming, to hold their own against. At the Whitney wedding two famous opera singers and a distinguished fiddler contributed to the entertainment, and the spectacle downstairs included nearly everyone who went to the other wedding, and the President, two cabinet ministers and all the Vanderbilt family besides. If ;there was another great wedding to follow, we should look for skirt dancing and fireworks. It is a relief to know that as yet no other distinguished British gentleman has matured his plans for carrying off a daughter of America, and that the competition in nuptial display is over for the present. « A™ did he say he remembered me when I was agirl?” “No; he said he remembered you when he was a boy.” BY the time the Duke of Marlborough and Miss Vanderbilt were mar- ried, a certain form of American vulgarity had been pretty thor- oughly aired. Advertising could go no further. Pictures of the bride's trousseau were in the daily papers. Nothing was kept back, It was nauseating, but the future mother-in-law drained her cup of glory to the dregs. But since then another citizen, also of dazzling opulence, has stepped triumphantly to the front. When Mr, William C. Whitney gave his daughter in marviage the other day, he drew no bushel over his light. A complete list of the wedding gifts, with the names of the givers, was printed in the daily papers. It was not stated whether Mr. Whitney himself gave out this list for publication. The presents were expen- sive and there were many of them. Everything relating to the wedding was freely aired in the public journals before and after the event. Both the ducal mother-in-law and Mr. Whitney achieved their wealth by honest matrimony, and Lire congratulates them on their hearty appreciation of the opportunities at their command. They have both learned the easy lesson that “ money talks.” And a few days before these quiet, unassuming unions, the daughter of Mr. Anson Phelps Stokes was wedded in bucolic Lenox. There may have been disappointed friends who were not invited, but report- ers were freely admitted. We saw in our daily paper, among other details innumerable and impressive, that ‘over two hundred and seventy gifts were displayed. Mr. Stokes gave his daughter a chest of silver, containing four hundred and seventy-five pieces.” ANOTHER CASE OF VIVISECTION. OCTOR: Ow—wow—ouch—get away, you nasty brute. Help! This bull-dog’s killing me. BuLL-DoG: Not at all, doctor, Don’t get excited. You only think I'm hurting you. I'm a committee of one ap- pointed by the Associated Canines of Purpville to conduct a few experiments in the cause of science. We're interested in watching the mental operations of a living man while having his calf chewed off. Z Zp Le WAY re Qs THANKSGIVING OBSERVANCES UNDERGROUND.