The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-04-26 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

THE almost universal adoption of mourning since
the death of the late Duke of Albany has not been
without its effect upon fashion and its votaries. The
principal shops have been showing scarcely anything
but mourning materials in every shade of grey, mauve,
and violet, as well as black goods. The sale of such
minor adjuncts as black gloves, Jcz., has been simply
enormous.

THE Queen has an article on "The Fashions of the
Day," from which we make the following extracts:
The black mantles are very pretty this season, trimmed
with a profusion of black lace, jet, and bead passe-
menterie. Brocaded and plain velvet, and also broad
stripes of velvet and grenadine, are to be most fashion-
able. One novelty in the latter style has epaulets
and brandebourgs of oxidised silver braid, laid on
black lace. It is caught up high at the back with
clusters of black velvet loops, and silver braid orna-
ments. Another and smaller mantle, in black or
cploured velvet, resembles a cape at the back, with
full ront and long ends of black Chantilly lace. The
aim sof all are still much puffed at the to_p. Very
large jet butterflies are placed on mantles. For
instance, a mantelet of velvet broche gauze, in black
or colour, would have the whole centre of the back of
black lace, drawn from the neck to the waist, where a
very I..rge jet butterfly would gather it in, and then
let it fall in graceful folds low on the skirt. Tigers'
claws re also used for the same purpose, and also in
front as clasps.
TH, black grenadine mantles, with black or coloured
chenille broche, will be very pretty, when the weather
admits of their being worn. The smartest mantles
are short and full at the back, with plenty of lace and
beads about them. A great many have long ends in
front. Some of the beaded balls that trim them arc as
large as small oranges, but being of cork are quite
light. The short basqued close-fitting jackets will be,
and are, much more general than mantelets. Several
are boned, to render them more close-fitting to the
curves of the figure, and some are padded under the
basque, to make them fit without a crease. The bro-
caded velvet, with full chenille fringe, the plain velvet,
with frills of black lace, and the stockingnette, with
frayed silk ruche vie with each other in popularity;
while the most dressy are those entirely of jetted lace,
fitting like a cuirass, with fall of plain lace, sprinkled
over with tassels of jet beads. Some have fronts of
full black lace, clasped at the throat with a cluster of
jet balls, or loops of ribbon velvet, gathered at the
waist, and then falling in a loop below. Others have
two large rosettes of cut velvet, one fixed on the left
shoulder anel the other just below the throat, con-
nected with straps A the ribbon.

MOST of the new bonnets are very small (says the
same authority). They are nearly all kept in place by
fancy pins passed through the turned-up hair. These
pins are endless in variety, and seem to prop the
bonnet up high on the head. Many ladies, evidently
considering this style of coiffure too flat to be be-
coming, put a frisette inside, and then turn up the
hair, so that in some cases the effect resembles that of
the once popular chignon. Irish crochet is now
adapted to bonnets, and is dyed black, red, or pale
fawn colour. It is mounted over a coloured crown,
and also mixed with the full z ache of cut silk round
the edge of the bonnet. Twine, in brown, dust, grey,
and other shades, is another novelty. The crown of
the bonnet is worked round and round, commencing
in the centre, and is encircled with a thick rope of
twisted twine. The front of the bonnet is composed
of frayed silk of two or more shades, and a flower,
harmonising perfectly, is placed deftly in the coils on
one side. Other twine bonnets have the crown of fine
netting, with small sprays of kid flowers appliquéd
on; the edge is ornamented with two or more
rows of cut beads, corresponding in colour.
Bonnets of gold twist have a large gilt
butterfly on the crown, smaller ones fastening
on thk strings at the sides, and the whole veiled in gold
spotted or shot tulle. This shot tulle is very new,
and may be compared to a spider's web thick with dew,
glistening with iridescent splendour, in the sunlight.
At present, only a few leading milliners are using this
tulle. The coloured tulle is very fashionable for
veils, but not so becoming as the spotted black. It is
often worn over the chin, drawn tightly back in folds
to the hat or bonnet, instead of across the tip of the
nose, or the mouth. Buttons of incrusted stones are
sewn on to straw bonnets, as flat as possible. Old
garnet buttons, which many people possess, can be
attached to a ruby straw bonnet, trimmed with the
same coloured velvet, and the edge ornamented with
beads matching as nearly as possible. The buttons
are scattered sparsely over the crown, and one is
mounted as a brooch to fasten the strings, while
another forms the head of a long pin, piercing the
wearer's hair. Steel, jet, or other fancy coronets,
intended originally for wearing on the hair, are now
to be seen mounted as the fronts of bonnets. Some-
times they are put below, and sometimes above, the
raised brims of Vonnets, according to the taste of the
wearer.

A FEIV new-shaped hats are beginning :to appear.
Some have the brim straight and projecting in front,
with a half-wreath of flowers resting on a plain layer
of coloured velvet. The back is turned sharply up
against the crown, apparently pinned back with a
fancy-headed pin and a small tuft of the flowers to
one side. Others have a large, wide bovi of velvet in
front, and a few feather tips fixed far hack at one
side, curling over the flattened edge. Ostrich feathers
droop over the back of the rather wide, turned-up
brims of the Cavalier hats; and groups of various
coloured wings in the front of the Henri 11. ones.
Coloured straw hats, matching costumes, are trimmed
with velvet or spotted gauze, and have a tuft of
flowers in shade. Green hats (reseda) have a half-
wreath of mignonette; grey ones have the wings of
pigeons, and the newest—" Mushroom "—are trimmed
with two shades of the colour, and have a few admir-
ably imitated artificial mushrooms slightly to one side.
But black hats are considered in the best taste, and,
as a rule, the most becoming.

LIGHT beads of cut jet are much used now for
edging the cuffs and collars of dresses next the skin.
Sometimes the front of the bodice is cut out in a large
diamond, edged with beads, and filled in with gathered
black or cream lace, or flowered net over colour. The
edges of parasols are also ornamented thus: A pretty
fashion, which has lately been adopted, is to pass a
black lace scarf loosely round the neck, fasten one
end under the left ear with a dainty spray of real
flowers, and the other on the right hip with a second
spray. Real flowers are occasionally seen at the
handle of parasols secured to a bow of ribbon. A
new way of using a pretty pocket handkerchief is to
divide it, and put half of it, in the shape of a bow;
on the handle of the en-tout-cas, and the other
half tucked into the bodice. The rage for
fancy bordered handkerchiefs is as great as ever,
ever, and at present those with plain bands of colour
are considered in better taste than the vandyked ones.
For half mourning, borders of delicate grey, with,
sometimes, dots of black on them, and the monogram
in black, are more used than black. Narrow bangles
of cut jet are worn, several together. When out of
mourning, a single gold bangle is considered better
style than a number of very narrow ones. Velvet
round the throat and wrists, fastened with any good-
sized rococo buttons, especially miniature, with roses
diamond setting, crystal, or pearls, is coming in again,
and also two or more strings of pearls, fastened on
to gold braid of about an inch wide,

A. LONDON contemporary has an article on "Layette
Basket and Bassinette," both articles most necessary
to the comfort of infant humanity. We quote the
following: "The basket is used more or less night
and day; its contents are continually required, and
never is a baby dressed or undressed by a thoughtful
nurse or mother without it being placed at a handy
distance, complete with all its small contents, includ-
ing the full suit of clothes about to be put on. The
most handy, practical, and useful description is that
standing on four legs, havin& two shelves and a handle
over tho top; it is lined—a dark-coloured material
keeping clean longer than light—and has two pockets,
a hard pincushion, and the powder-box secured into
the four corners. The contents of the basket consist
of a soft hair brush, a pot of cold cream, a pot of zinc
ointment, and perhaps a box of fullers' earth, a roll of
old linen, a piece of new flannel, and a suit of the
baby's clothes. In the powder-box is a puff and some
violet powder; in one pocket about two dozen holcl-
fast safety pins, of two sizes; in the other pocket a
reel of strong white cotton, a packet of large needles,
a thimble, and a bodkin. On the pincushion should
be two or three needles threaded; and on one side of
the basket, inserted in a loop, a pair of era dl round-
pointed scissors. The upper shelf is con, nient for
holding the squares; and the lower for the towels,
soft sponges, soap, and a piece of old flannel, until a
mo.,e convenient place is found for them. The flat
bask ets are lined and trimmed in a similar manner,
and contain the same articles. All baskets; for this
purpose should have a cover to protect their contents
from dust when not in use. _ _

The bassinettes of the present day are of such a
variety and have so many qualifications, it is merely a
question of taste and perhaps of chance what is pro-
vided. It is advisable to have one too long for a baby
at first, as he will soon grow, and when it is too small
requires a crib; also space is necessary for clothes.
The hood and curtains ought not to be too low or
near the child's face; there should be plenty of air
without a draught. If the cot is used in different
rooms, either night and day or during the day, it is
advisable to have one light in weight, particularly
where the staircase are passages are not wide. The
usual contents are a mattress or feather bolster, a
small square pillow, macintoshes, two upper blankets,
and one or two under ones, a coverlet or counterpane,
and often an eider-down quilt.

Tun' FIRST STAIN.—Did our young readers evei
think how little it take to stain their characters? A
single drop of ink is a very small thing, yet, dropped
into a tumbler of clear water, it blackens- the whole;
and so the first oath, the first lie, the first glass, they
seem very trivial, yet they leave a dark stain upon
your character. Look out for the first stain.
Tun PATIENT BOY.—lre went to a neighbour's
house fer a cup of sour milk. "I haven't anything
but sweet milk," said the woman, pettishly. "I'll
wait till it gets sour," said the obliging youth, sinking
into a chair.

MR. HERBERT GLADSTONE AT LEEDS.

On Saturday Mr. H. J'. Gladstone, M.P., opened a
Liberal club at Burmantofts in Leeds, and in the
evening addressed a public meeting. In reply to a
resolution expressing unabated confidence in the
Government, he remarked, with reference to the
speech of Mr. Gibson in that town on the previous
evening, that that gentleman had not thrown any
special light on a question exercising many of their
minds—viz., the leadership of the Conservattivc party.
Some outrageous statements made by Mr. Gibson in
his speech on the Egyptian question, left it to be
implied that General Gordon's mission had been
fruitless and had failed, and that Gordon
was in imminent and deadly peril, and the
British Government had the power to save
him. The mission of General Gordon was a
dangerous one, and all honour to him for having
undertaken it; but General Gordon was in Khar-
toum, and the dangers he had to encounter in
Khartoum at present were comparatively small when
compared with the dangers he had to face 'when
travelling through the desert on his way to Khartoum.
The Tories did not remonstrate when he went to face
those great perils. General Gordon, in both his
official and private communications, appears to be
confident that he himself and Khartoum are in no
immediate danger. Nothing that he said induced the
Government to think that, supposing it were possible
to send an army to Khartoum to rescue him, it
would be wise, or politic, or just to do so. Every
week which passed improved the general chances of
the success of Gordon. In the first place, it would
be difficult for the various tribes in the Soudan to
hold tot, ther. Dissensions must arise, and those
dissensions must inevitably weaken them as far as
their offensive power was concerned. In the second
place, in June the Nile would begin to rise, so that it
would be possible to send steamers up the whole way
to Khartoum, and that might afford a comparatively
easy method of withdrawing General Gordon from
Khartoum if it were necessary. Thirdly, as the
autumn approached the climate improved, and
became tolerable to Europeans; and according to
Gordon's own statement there was no reason to
doubt that he would be able to hold out in Khartoum
until the autumn. He had abundant supplies of
stores, ammunition, and grain, and there was no
reason for thinking there was any immediate danger
from Khartoum being carried by assault. Before the
autumn it was likely, it was even very probable that
he would succeed more or less in quieting the country
between Khartoum and Egypt proper. At the present a
military expedition would be disastrous and fruitless,
and yet every word Mr. Gibson uttered pointed
to the necessity of sending a military expedition to
Khartoum. He called upon the Government to with-
draw General Gordon it this time. Suppose they
weie tt do so, what would it prove? It would prove
that the Government were wrong in sendin, him to
Khartoum at all. If he failed now failiire was
certain from the first. Success was as probable now
as it was probable when Gordon was despatched to
the Soudan. They had sent one man to do a task
which an army could not perform. If they sent an
army now to Khartoum they would prevent that man
doing the task which an army could not perform.
He was there. He accepted a dangerous mission, an
heroic mission, a mission of peace, and a work
of mercy, and it was an insult to the Govern-
ment to say the Government were not anxious
about General Gordon. He was in danger,
and the Government knew it. He knew he would be
in danger, but he was there for a great work. In 1879
a British Envoy, Sir Louis Cavagnari sent there by a
Tory Government, was murdered is Cabul, and the
result was a second campaign in Afghanistan; and
yet Mr. Gibson charged it as a crime against the
present Liberal Government that Gordon was alone
and unsupported at Khartoum whither he had gone
for purposes of peace, and for the purpose of giving
back to the people the country which should never
have been taken from them, whereas a Tory Govern-
ment in 1879 did not hesitate to imperil the life of
a man in the interest of aggression and invasion.
Mr. H. Gladstone also criticized Mr Gibson's
remarks on the present County Franchise Bill.
Mr. Gibson had said the bifl would not pass this
session. Now that was a very serious matter, for
after the magnificent majority of 130 in the
popular chamber, the Government had every right
and reason to demand that that bill should pass into
law. After pointing out that the Government
rested their case for the inclusion of Ireland in the
Reform Bill on the solid foundation of justice, and
expressing the opinion that there would be no dis-
solution this year, he said the passing of the Reform
Bill sooner or later is assured. But suppose there
should be a dissolution this year, and the Tories had
a slight majority, the Liberals would bring in a Reform
Bill, and they would be joined by the eighty Irish
members. The Tories would be absolutely unable to
meet the Liberals on the question of a Reform Bill,
and they could not by any possibility carry on the
government of the country for six months without
supporting the Reform Bill brought in by the Oppo-
sition or brought in by themselves. He was, there-
fore, perfectly assured of the passing of a Reform
Bill. But whenever a dissolution came, the Liberals
would meet it with confidence, because they did not
fear the result of a general election.