The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-12-26 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIPGE OBSERVER

ZOSMP c)INT DRESS.

a tall, black-haired woman, who said her name was
Keziah Faunce, told you so; and tell him, too, that
she did it to save him from a gaol. And as for you, I
madam, if you marry Mr. Ingestre, you will do him
the evilest thing that can be done in this life. The
Lord have mercy on you both, then, I say, for man I
will have none." _ _ _ _

Catherine's blanched face turned slowly from the
revealing light of the fire. She could not bear that
that strange woman should see her agony; for her fear
of sovoething nameless—a horror unguessed at—was
worse agony to bear than certainty.
She said so, in a husky voice.
"Speak plainer. Who and what are you, that you
should concern yourself about him and me?"
"I have told you my name before. lam nothing
now but a sour-hearted woman; but once upon• a
time, when I lived in this house as lady's-maid to the
mother of his children, I was something different.
And why I trouble myself about this marriage is,
because I don't care to think the harm that will corns
of it might have been prevented by my speaking a
word in time." _ _

.•
The woman was no impostor; the simple truth came
simply enough from her lips. Catherine owned it,
with a pang.
"Tell me," she said, "one other thing; tell me the
name of the woman I have called by yours."
Mrs. Faunce shook her head.
"I am afraid; the sound of it has not been heard
for many a day."
"Whisper it; I must know."
"Come here, then, and I'll tell you."
Catherine leant forward, and the woman whispered
a name in her ear.
"Truth?"
"Truth."

"Oh, mercy!"
She sank on her knees, and remained there, with
her hands clasped over her heart, and her wild eyes
fixed on the woman's face.

"God help me!" she sighed, presently, but no more.
Those few words sounded like the last and feeblest
vibration of a broken chord—a chord that would never
vibrate to music again.
"God help you, indeed, and punish Mm! But it
will be punishment enough to have the woman he has
set his wicked heart on taken from him. I will go
now, for I have done all the good it is in my power
to do, and I hope it will comfort me when I come to
die."
nere.she walked towards the door, and turning
round once before she laid her hand upon the handle,
said : "Forgive me, if I have said anything offensive.
I did not mean it, for I have no bad feeling towards
you, nor to him either. I only thought it my duty to
tell you what you did not know."
"Thank you, you have saved me. Wait; you will
stay and take food and rest."
Her husky lips could scarcely form the words; but
Ke,ziali heard them.

"Eat and rest in this houe ! No! "she cried fiercely.
"not here; the food would poison me. Thank you
at the same. Good night, madam."
She went out into the dark night, across the dark
plrk, and on to the same village, in the same path that
Cleland had gone before her. And there was a third
to follow yet. An hour after, Catherine took that
same little beaten trek through the wet grass, and de-
scended the village; but she walked on quickly, and
soon left its lights far behind.
(To be eosctinued.)

THE GROWTH OF "NaTIONALISM."

At the general eleAion of 1874, tha Irish eon-
fitnencies returned to Parliament 20 Liberals, 32
:onservatives, and 51 members who held Home Rule,
Repeal, or Nationalist opinions. The represantation
)f the country was divided as follows :
L C N
Ulster Counties 3 ... 13 ... 2
Ulster Boroughs
Munster Counties 4 ... 1 ... 7
Monster Boroughs
Connaught Counties 2 ... 2 ... 6
Connaught Boroughs 1 ... 1 ... 1
Leinster Countie 4
Lcinster Boroughs

20 32 51
Of the (34 county seats, the Liberals won 10, the Con-
servatives 21, and the Nationalists 33; and of the 3t)
borough and university seats, the Liberals carried 10
tiie Conservatives 11, and the Nationalists 18. Oi
the .29 Ulster seats, 7 fell to Liberals, 20 to Conserva-
tives, and 2 to Nationalists ; of the 26 Munster seats,
8 fell to Liberals, 1 to s Conservative, and 17 to
Nationalists; of the 13 Connaught seats, 3 fell to
Liber,tls, 3 to Conservatives, and 7 to Nationalists;
and of the 35 Leinster seats, 2 fell to Liberals, 8 to
Conservatives, and 25 to Nationalists. The general
representation of the country was therefore as nearly
as possible Itnlly divided between the advocates and
We opponents of Home Rule, thelatter having a bare
atajority of 1 vote.
At the General Election of 1880 Ireland returned
to Parliament 17 Liberals, 25 Conservatives, and 61
Nationalists. The representation of Ireland was then
13 follows :
Ulster Counties
Ulster Boroughs
Munster Counties 1 11
Monster Boroughs
Conna-aght Counties — 1 ... 9
Connaught Boroughs 1 ... 2
Leinster Counties — 2 ... 22
Leinster Boroughs

TUB month of Dee_ei.nber brought to the front a
great number of very warm and comfortable-looking
mantles, chiefly made of sealskin or of plush that re-
sembh,s the fur, and trim med--with otter, beaver, or
sable. The prevalence of tail- trimmings this season
might almost lead the simple-minded to believe that
each little furry creature has at least as many tails as
legs; but the secrets of the fur manufacturers might
possibly reveal the fact that everything that looks
like a tail need not neces,arily be one. Gold has no
monopoly of seeming without being. And there are
ways of sewing up pieces of fur and stuffing them to
the semblance of tails that are executed with suffi-
cient skill to deceive all but the original wearer of
the real tail. He could put a name at once to the
locality whence the piece of fur simulating the tail
was taken.

DESPITE the doctors who wrote. against the wearing
of fur, it is more largely adapted than ever this
season. From the crown of the head to the heels,
fashionably-dressed women are cosily enwrapped in
sable, seal, marten, fox, or bear. The bonnets are
trimmed with them—slightly enough, it is true, but
sufficiently to bring them into accord with the rest of
the toilet. Too much fur on a bonnet is apt to im-
part to the head a wild dishevelment of aspect. The
long round boas of our grandmothers' time are now
the very height of the mode. The ends reaea to the
very hem of the dress, and the fur is fas,ened to-
gether at the throat by a jewelled lace-pin. Diamonds
look particularly well when they gleam from a back-
ground of dark fur.

AT a recent fashionable wedding one of tho guests
wore a beautiful gown of emerald green velvet, the
jacket being trimmed with costly silver fox. A long
boa of the same beautiful fur was worn round the
neck, being clasped by an antique brooch of old silver,
which matched the rococo buttons of Vle green velvet
jacket. The silvery tones of the fur harmonised
admirably with these, while they contrasted effec-
tively with the warm, deep tones of the emerald
velvet.

LUIGI; old-fashioned muffs are said to be in
fashion, and it is true that a decided and vigorous
attempt was made to introduce them at the beginning
of the season. 1; was found, however, that their
size was no.;.t only inconvenient and clumsy but in-
artistic. A very large muff conveys naturally enough
the idea of very large hands. Who would willingly
be suspected of such an enormity as this? Is not a
small hand a sign of race ? Probably the "penniless
lass wi' the lang pedigree" wore fives when she could
afford to buy gloves at all. And why should people.
who wear fives hide the diminutive proportions of
their hands in a muff so large that it could shelter an
entire hotel full of chilly fingers feminine? So the
small ones are faithfully adhered to, and those that
combine bag and muff in one are particularly popular,
being found very convenient in these days of in-
scessible pockets.

A WORD on this distressing subject might not be out
of place. If men would ° but make an effort of
ima6nation, and endeavour to realise what life would
he to them with only one pocket, and that one
mysteriously hidden away beneath inscrutable folds
of drapery, they would make more allowance than
they do for the occasional slight shortness of temper
and sharpness of repartee of which the pocketless sex
is guilty, A man simply bristles with pockets. llis
only difficulty is to remember which of them holds
the letter or card which be knows be has somewhere
about him. The facility with which he dives into
one after the other of these receptacles is watched
with envious interest by the bereaved sex.
. *

WOMEN used to have pockets, and convenient ones,
too. Shcila, in "The Colleen Bawn," wears a good
old-fashioned pocket measuring about twenty inches
in length and perhaps a quarter of a yard across.
This was the kind that was patronised by our grand-
mothers. A convenient slit in the dress gave access
to this great bag, which was tied firmly round the
waist and was large enough to hold the keys of still-
room, wine-cellar, store room, and lordly sideboard,
in addition to various odds and ends, including the
inevitable bottle of salts, without which no lady felt
equipped for an hoot of life in an age when swoons
were in fashion. Surely a duodecimo edition of this
quarto pocket might be made available now. A slit
In the folds of Lhe tunic would be even less percep-
tible now than in the days of flowing skirts; and what
a delightful immunity might thus be enjoyed front
the tyranny of fashion in this one particular at least!
Let us hope that among the improvements just com-
pleted in the popular system of scientific dress-cutting
the question of available pockets may be taken into
account. The system has been simplified and brought
within the scope of the meanest intelligence. Would
that the whereabouts of the pocket (scald be equally
;Ruminated by the light of science!
*

AN Eastern potentate, having an only daughter,
chose twelve little girl companions for her among the
prettiest children that could be found. These have
now arrived at the early maturity of sunny Southern
climes, and one, a Greek by birth, is about to be
married. The description of her trousseau, as given
in a Paris paper, reads like a passlge out of the
"Thousand and One Nights." The dresses are
European, but the custom of the country where the
young bride is to live will necessitate the wearing of
the shapeless feridjeh, which veils Egyptian ladies
when out of doors from the gaze of the too curious.
This outer garment may, however, be doffed on the
occasion of exchanging those visits which form the
chief interest of fashionable life in the harems. For
this reason the visiting costumes of the beautiful
Greek have received a special share of attention.

17 25 Cl
These figures show a loss to the Liberals of 3 seats,
a loss to the Conservatives of 7 seats, and a gain to
the Natioaalists of 10 seats. Of the 64 county seats to
Liberals won 9, as against 10 at the previous General
Election; the Conservatives 11, as against 21; and
the Nationalists 44, as against 33. Of the 3:)
borough and university seats the Liberals carried 8,
as against 10 in 1874 ; the Conservatives 14, as
against 11 ; and the Nationalists 17, as against IS.
Of the 29 Ulster seats, 9 fell to Liberals, 18 to Con-
servatives, and 2to Nationalists; of the 26 Munster
seats, 3 fell to Liberals, 1 to a Conservative, and 22
to Nationalists; of the 13 Connaught seats, 1 fell to
a Liberal, 1 to a Conservative, and 11 to Nationalists,
and of the 85 L‘einster seats, 4 fell to Liberals, 5 to
Conservatives, and 26 to Nationalists, The Liberals
thus gained 2 seats in Ulster, lost 5 in Munster, and
2 in Connaught, and gained 2 in Leinster, their net
losses being 3 seats. The Conservatives lost 2 seats
in Ulster, 2 in Connaught, and 3 in Leinster; their
net losses being 7 seats. The Nationalists neither
gained nor lost in Ulster; but in Munster they won
5 seats, in Connaught 4, and in'Leinster 1; their net
gains being 10 seats. At the close of the election
Ireland returned to Parliament 61 advocates and .12
opponents of Home Rule; and the anti-Home Role
majority of 1 hal become a Nationalist majority of
19.
Up to 1885 the Irish counties returned 64, and the
Irish boroughs 39 members. Under the Redistribu-
tion of Seats Act, the counties now send 85, and the
boroughs 16 members to Parliament. Dublin Uni-
versity, as before, sends two members. At the
General Election which has just been held Ireland
has returned to Parliament 18 Conservatives and 85
Nationalists, the representation of the country being
:listributed as below:
.6 C
Ulster Counties
Ulster Boroughs
Munster Counties
. Munster Boroughs — ... • 4
Connaught Counties ... 14
Connaught Boroughs 1
Leinster Counties 23
Leinster Boroughs — ... 2 ... 5

ONB of these is made with a skirt of sapphire satin,
trimmed with several bands of turquoise cashmere
embroidered with cernflowers. The tunic is of this
embroidered cashmere, and the sapphire satin bodice
Is trimmed with the same. The sunshade accom-
panying this dress is made with eight points provided
by two souares of striped gauze placed over each
other at different angles. it is lined with blue silk,
and is trimmed with sapphire ribbons and white lace.
There is a blue gauze fan for this dress, and on it a
grotesque little Pierrot is delineated.
A SECOND visiting dress is made of shaded myrtle
green moire, the shades forming very wide stripes.
The front is of embroidered velvet, which is arranged
as a plastron upon the bodice, coming high enough to
hide beneath it the ends of the fichu folds of striped
moire. This bodice falls at the hack in long ends
much Duffed out below the waist, and is a reminis-
cence of the Directoire coat. A magnificent pelisse of
myrtle green plush is an adjunct of this dress. It is
trimmed with rich gold embroidery. Among other
corollaries are a fan of myrtle satin, supporting a
flight of birds issuing from a rose bush; a biscuit-
coloured silk sunshade embroidered with amber and
showing a flock of butterflies with emerald wings;
and a muff to match the pelisse, embroidered with
gold and trimmed with knots of moire ribbon.

THE third visiting dress, intended for summer wear,
is made of poppy-coloured surah, the skirt being veiled
with three deep flounces of ecru network. The
polonaise is composed of ecru bengaline with waist-
coat, coder, cuffs, and epaulettes embroidered in poppy-
colour. The satin fan has an ecru ground, with
bouquets of pink and red tulips skilfully painted upon
it. The sunshade is also ecru, lined with poppy-
coloured sill. With each dress are sent home stock.
ings embroidered to match, small kid or satin shoes,
gloves and handkerchief. The lingerie is made
entirely of silk trimmed with a profusion of ribbons
I and lace, some of the garments being pale pink em-
- 18 85 broidered with roses and forget-me-note, and others
These figures show a lass to the fLiberals of all their in sky-blue dotted over with designs in satin-stitch,
17 seats, a loss to the Conservatives of 7 seats, and a or in pale mauve embroidered in gold.
gain to the Nationalists of 24 seats. In 1880, the
Irir,ll counties were represented by 9 Liberals, 11 Con- Tun only travelling dress included in the trousseau
serimtives, and 44 Nationalists. They are now repro- is made of antelope cloth edged with a handsome
Fent ed by 11 Conservatives and 74 Nationalists. In passementerie. The polonaise has the largo shaded
1880, the Irish boroughs, including Dublin University, stripes which are among the latest novelties in dress
were represented by 8 Liberals, 14 Conservatives, and fabrics. The polonaise is turned back on the hips
17 Nationalists. They are now represented by 5 Con- showing lined revers. A sunshade matching the soft,
servatives and 11 Nationalists. Of the 33 Ulster brownish-grey of the dress is lined with pink and
seats, the Conservatives have won 16, and the ' edged with lace, made in many soft Oriental tints
Nationali3ts 17; and the Nationalists have skilfully blended. An immense fan, with a snow-
carried the whole of the remaining 70 Irish scene painted on gauze, and a small muff complete
leats, with the exception of the 2 seats for this costume. The fan to European ideas appears
the University. In Ulster, therefore, Nationalism irrelevant, but what could an Egyptian lady, even
has a majority of 1; and in thereat of Ireland it may when travelling, do without her fan?
be said to be the only party that is at present worthy
pf the name.
The annexed table shows the number of votes
polled by each party in each of the four provinces of
Ireland at the recent General Election. In those
cases in which there were no contests the successful
party is credited with 4000 votes in respect of each
seat:

Tim teagowns are lovely in colour andgraceful as to
form. One of these, in pink plush, is a long redingote
edged with Bruges lace, over whose snowy undula-
tions falls an embroidered flounce of Pompadour
embroidery in a design of roses forget-me-nots, and
golden foliage. The gown is tied with blue ribbons.
. A second is composed of white latnpas, with Louis
L C N Quinze vest edged with a wide band of ostrich fea-
Ulster 26,886 ... 89,898 ... 84,230 thers. The epaulettes, pockets, and cuffs are em,broi-
Munster dewed in gold, and knots of pale lilac ribb6n tie the
Connaught 310532 :::
37:465173 ::: 16026:026195
front together from the neck to the feet. A third
Leinster
' Bengal rose, almost covered with guipure in a pur-
plish tone of colour. Ihe guipure crosses shawl-wise
in front, and is fastened by rich passementerie,
matching the purple plum colour of the guipure. A
dog-collar of jet in a similar shade fastens in front,
with a knot of pink satin ribbon. With such a trolls-
seau, who would not be a Princess—even by adop-
tion?

30,089 ... 124,270 ... 372,986
The total number of votes polled by and thus credited
to the three parties is 527,345. The nntnber of seats
in dispute was 103. The average number of votes per
seat was therefore almost exactly 5120. Judged
strictly by this standard, the Nationalists ought to
have secured only 73 seats instead of 85; the Conser-
vatives ought to have carried 25 seats instead of only
18; and the Liberals ought to have won five seats.
But we cannot reasonably complain; for recent legis-
lation has gone as far as is perhaps possible at present
towards securing the fair representation of all parties.
Matters were much more anomalous than they are
now in 1880; when 140,303 votes returned 61
Nationalists, and when 184,547 anti-Home Rule votes
sent only 42 Liberals and Conservatives to St.
Stephen's.
The average number of inhabitants represented by
each Irish member in the present Parliament is
50,200; and we find that the 18 Conservative mem-
bers represent 879,554 people. Each of them, there-
fore, represents only 48,864 souls. The 85 Nationalist
members, on the other hand, represent 4,209,782
persons, the average population per member being
over 50,585. The Nationalist members, in a word,
hold very nearly five-sixths of the Irish seats, and
represent still more nearly five-sixths of the inhabi-
_tants of Ireland,

His Woßsurr : "Well, prisoner, the' case seems
very clear against you. Have you anything to say?"
W. Sikes, Esq. : Nuthin' partic'lar, y'r washup,
on'y I sho'd be much obleeged if yer'd send a watch-
maker to ray mansion to put my hormoloo clock on
the drori&-room manklepiece back about six munce,
'cos I dont wan't to lose no time while I'm away."—
Funny Folks' Annual.
PROFITABLE.- -Waiter: "Bill, sir—yes, sir; five
and six, sir. (Aside.) Best customer I've had tói
_clay. Went fast off to sleep arter his dinner; bin
waking 'im hup all the afternoon, and I'm blest if
he ain't paid me over again each time !" [Chuckles.
A DIVISION or LAnona.—Small Boy: "I say, Bill!
this ain't fair. We've gone shares for an hour of
these 'ere skates, and you've kep"em on all the time.
What am I to do ? " Big Boy (with contempt) ,
"You, you young stupid?—Why, you can do the
tumbles I "7
-Funny Folks' Annual.