Jula Ward Howe, Reminiscences: 1819-1899

[31] abroad in thin morocco slippers. Pelisses were worn in cold weather, often of some bright color, rose pink or blue. I have found in a family letter of that time the following description of a bride's toilet: ‘Miss E. was married in a frock of white merino, with a full suit of steel: comb, earrings, and so on.’ I once heard Mrs. William Astor, nee Armstrong, tell of a pair of brides, twin sisters, who appeared at church dressed in pelisses of white merino, trimmed with chinchilla, with caps of the same fur. They were much admired at the time.

Among the festivities of old New York, the observance of New Year's Day held an important place. In every house of any pretension, the ladies of the family sat in their drawing-rooms, arrayed in their best dresses, and the gentlemen of their acquaintance made short visits, during which wine and rich cakes were offered them. It was allowable to call as early as ten o'clock in the morning. The visitor sometimes did little more than appear and disappear, hastily muttering something about ‘the compliments of the season.’ The gentlemen prided themselves upon the number of visits paid, the ladies upon the number received. Girls at school vexed each other with emulative boasting: ‘We had fifty calls on New Year's Day.’ ‘Oh! but we had sixty-five.’ This perfunctory performance grew very tedious