The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-02 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

rately to cut off the head of Balda to serve as evidence
for him on his arrival in New Mexico, he found him-
self debarred by the most positive injunctions of his
employer. But his grumbling submission was turned
into a cheerful acquiescence by a handsome gratuity
on the spot out of Howard's recovered gold, which
was also bestowed with prodigal hand upon his other
followers.
As there will be but little opportunity to speak
further of Mr. Belmont's varied experience in prairie
life, owing to the claim which other incidents in this
history have upon our attention, we may say suc-
cinctly of him here, that his highest aspirations as a
sportsman were subsequently attained. On the
prairies he brought down several buffaloes, and in
the Rocky Mountains, after killing much inferior
game, including a panther and a jaguar, he actually
vanquished and slaughtered one of the monarchs of
the wilds, a grizzly bear.
On his return from the far West he passed from
Detroit into Canada, whence he sailed for England
without revisiting New York, though not without dis-
patching his adieux in a long, cordial letter to his
friends in that city.

THE following are the fashion notes in the La(lies
Pictoral: Bead work is positively lavished not only
on mantles and millinery, but also on dresses. Raised,
cornflowers in jet glitter on the bark of a short silk
jacket, and grapes with silk leaves describe a running
pattern on a corded silk dolman. Each grape is
either reproduced by a bright or drill bead, or by
rows of small lead beads strung over a circular
padding. The half of the leaf is then worked in satin
stitch, and the other is filled in with French knots or
chain stitch. A quick mode is to stripe diagonally
the wrap with rows of beads alternating with detached
loops of the same beads. A splendid black satin
dress was noticeable for stole shape ornaments,
embroidered in round and long satin pearls, inter-
mingled with scrolls described in white floss silk. A
rich deep fringe of the mixed white beads dangled
from the widest part of the stole, and still rested on
the black ground.

CHAPTER XV.
PROSPERITY AND ADVERSITY.
Wn pass over an interval of about eighteen months,
during which some marked changes had taken place
in the positions of the individuals whose fortunes form
the topic of our narrative.
Ebenezer Mink had not only retained, but he had
increased, his great possessions, until there were few
in the city who transcended him in wealth, and none
in display and parade.
Yet his conscience was not altogether quiet. It
would not always " down " at his bidding.
Little Arthur Sibbald came to him sometimes, in
dreams, and stretched out appealing hands. Some-
times the pale, sweet face of Grace Sibbald haunted
his slumbers, and the sterner visage of her elder sister,
who seemed to be searching diligently for her lost
nephew through all the rooms and corridors of his
vast mansion. _ _ _

But these reproachful phantoms vanished with the I
night, and if they came back to him by day, as they
sometimes did, even in his festive hours, he had a
spell ever ready with which to propitiate and banish
the voiceless accusers. He would "do something"
for the Sibbald family—he would not see them want.
Such was his resolve, growing feebler, however, on
each repetition.
But all the objects of the rich man's ambition were
not yet attained. He had not secured that distin-
guished alliance for his daughter which he desired,
and which was the darling object of her mother's
aspirations.
"A President, or even a State Governor might do—
if he were young and fashionable," Mrs. Honora said;
"but they are mostly old fogies, and after their
term is out it's all up with them, and they are no
better than other folks. The truth is, we ought to
have a hereditary nobility in this country."
Eben assented to this view of the case, and in the
absence of the domestic article, the fond parents
turned their attention to such specimens of the im-
ported species as occasionally sought the American
shores. There was not a prince or a lord, of any
country or of any degree, who condescended to mingle
at all in New York society, whom Eben did not run
after, and manage by some device to get hold of.
On these occasioni the handsome Miranda was, of
course, exhibited tt, the best advantage: her accom-
plishments were displayed, and if she was not
actually ticketed with her dowry, there was enough
officious toadying friends ready, in some indirect
way, to blazon the high figures—high enough, indeed,
to be not always an object of indifference to dilapi-
dated lords.
But Miss Miranda Mink was really an attractive
young lady, handsome, graceful, and witty, and pos-
sessed, if not of much positive talent, yet, like her
father, of a vast store of tact. Her resources, indeed,
in this line were prodigious, so that everything which
she had not, including a heart, she could seem to have,
of the very best pattern, when the emergency de-
manded.

SKIRTS are now usually worn straight and plain,
but occasionally a box-pleat is introduced on one of
the sides. I first remarked this arrangement at a
wedding, where the bridesmaids had round green
satin skirts striped red, with a broad double box-
pleat extending on the right side from the waist to
the feet. Under this pleat in front was secured the
draped apron, in white nun's veiling, which continued
at the back as a bunched-up tunic. The cnly orna-
ment of this overskirt was a cluster of loops, without
ends, drooping over the right hip, and connected
with the opposite knot of loops and ends with a loose
torsade of white gauze ribbon, striped like the bows
with fine lines of green satin. In another instance a
treble box-pleat was arranged on the left side of a,
skirt in autumn leaf canvas cloth, which was orna-
mented with five circular sets of four rows of gold
braid, over which fell the shawl-pointed tablier, in
canvas cloth with open worked stripes, and brightened
up with six lines of gold stitching.

IN tea-gowns the choice is always great. I will
describe you three models, which will give you a fair
idea of the various styles now in vogue. Imagine a
straight Princess front in ruby surah silk arranged
in four perpendicular folds, each edged with half-
inch gold braid, which stripes the high-standing
collar and the turned-back revers of the nun's sleeves;
a yoke of coarse cotton guipure adorns the front
and back of the bodice, and is bordered with a lace
edging interwoven with gold, which partly covers the
collar. A piece of the same guipure is also placed on
the under part of the sleeves' facing. The flowing
back was merely edged with the gold braid. For an
elderly lady had been prepared a splendid robe in old
gold satin, bordered in front with a double row of
wavy black Chantilly lace. It opened on a full plas-
tron and puffed tablier, also in black lace. The ful-
ness of the back was arranged in a Watteau pleat,
which spreads as a demi-train, finished off with a soft
fan lace coquille. The third specimen was for mourn-
ing wear. Along the Princess fronts and round the
neck was embroidered a garland of flowers in white
chain-stitch, defined with black jet beads. It was
further ornamented with white lace frillings veiled
with black lace, and intermingled with tows and
rosettes of white ribbon, almost hidden, too, by the
black loops.

The satin squares or handkerchiefs that were intro
duced this winter for the decoration a bonnets are
now puckered over the newest parasols so as to fully
display the four loose angles—always of a contrast-
ing colour with the ground, and each generally em-
bellished with a different design. A red square has
its three-inch hem outlined with gold, and on the
delicate pink blue of the corners are printed showy
shields, coats-of-arms, flowers, beads, &c., whilst
butterflies, beetles, birds, and boats shine on the
white angles of a blue handkerchief outlined with
red.
At a fancy ball I especially noticed four lovely
sisters, representing the four seasons in rather a
novel way. The youngest girl had donned a bewitch-
ing Louis XV. costume, composed of lace and satin,
and quaintly trimmed, not with the flowers, but
with the vegetables of the dayouch as peas' carrots,
endive, asparagus; the becoming straw hat was
crowned with a bunch of radishes. Summer wore a
tunic of ivory crape over peach-coloured silk, which
was attached with a belt of plaited straw and
wreathed with tomatoes, cauliflowers, artichokes,
potatoes; a mushroom hat effectively sheltered the
pretty face from the scorching sun. Autumn
appeared in green and 'sulphur satin adorned with
parsley, turnips, beetroot, and vegetable marrow;
while the shape of the headgear was borrowed from
the melon. Mournful and cold Winter was robed in
black crape peculiarly decorated with onions, truffles,
haricot beans, and various kinds of salads. White
powder and glass dust covered the hair to represent
snow and frost.

An old lord, whose damaged estate was at nurse
while he lived abroad, grew sentimental over the
beautiful heiress, walked with her by moonlight, drove
out with her (with her father's horses), and escorted
her to the opera; but just as the delighted parents
awaited his declaration, he received news of an acces-
sion to his property by the death of an East Indian
brother, which relieved him of all embarrassment, and
so rapidly cooled the ardour of his passion that he em-
barked for home after the briefest and most formal
leave-taking.
Mr. and 'Mrs. Mink were still more chagrined than
their daughter; but they did not abate their silly am-
bition, which they believed would yet be gratified.
Leaving them to the prosecution of their darling
scheme, let us look after the fortunes of Eda Wal-
worth, for whom the preceding year and a half had
worked sad changes, involving real calamities and
distress. * * *
Her father's failing health and consequent loss of SiLic plush is still much used for bridesmaids'
business had reduced his family to a state of privation gowns. One example had the plain skirt, waistcoat,
in less than a year after the time when Mr. Belmont I collar, and cuffs in geranium red plush, thebodies and
had been his guest. With daily diminishing resources I tucked-up tunic being in ivory-coloured etamine.
and strength, Mr. Walworth had still fought "the I Sometimes the kiltings of skirts are caught up on the
battle of life" as best he could, cheerily hoping for hips in a large honeycomb pattern, alternately, maybe,
I better times. But while he waited and struggled, his I green and gold, according to the colours of the
striped material. Again, the kiltings can be cut on
disease increased, and assumed a more alarming type, I
until in the spring his physicians assured him that the cross as well as the bodices and the sleeves, a way
nothing but the quiet and repose of
which imparts a very different aspect to the striped
the country, and 1
an entire cessation of care, could afford him the
or checked fabrics, and require a very expert hand to
I
remotest chance of prolonging his life for even a manage the fit properly. A very original bodice was
divided slantwise in two parts by a shoulder sash,
single year.
But, alas for poor Walworth! such happiness was starting from the right sheulder to be knotted on the
unattainable by him, unless in one humiliating mode.! left hip; the lower part of the corsage was in mush-
Ifroom-coloured satin, whilst lace of the same tint
he could surrender his independence, and eat the ;
covered the upper part, and composed the sleeves,
bread of charity, there was a country home which he
1
believed would be grudgingly opened to him in his matching the lace skirt. A wide and long sash orna-
mented the back and corresponded with the ribbon
distress. His elder and only brother, a man of nearly 1
on the bodice, which was blue striped with the light
threescore years, was a prosperous farmer, and
shade. Tiny almonds in various tints of blue
resided about fifty miles from the city. He was a '
pow-
dered the satin ground of the tunic. Sweetly pretty
rough, churlish man, ignorant in the
iextreme, very '
I are the dresses made entirely of lace. One model in
crotchety in his opinions, and very obstinate n main-
taining cream was relieved with the fashionable but rather
them. I nnle-ffreen ribbon which appeared as a shaped
His wife, who was a dozen years or more his junior, trying ai ~ -
belt, from which depended a festoon adjusted on both
was a scolding, shrewish, and very penurious woman,
tall, gaunt, with a thin face, and very sharp features. sides with the inevitable loops and ends. A band of
this ribbon was sewn round the neck and along the
She had an only daughter of the same pattern, not
fronts, but merely to peep out from under the lace ;
much younger in appearance, who thought herself
a small ribbon knot was, besides, placed on the left
very handsome, and affected a special contempt for
all city ladies. i shoulder and on the elbow sleeves.
Nothing less than the emergency in which he was * * *
placed could have induced Mr. Walworth to seek a TAILORS continue to provide their customers with
refuge in such a home as thus. But the Ist of May hats quite distinct from those created by modists. A
was at hand, when he would be compelled to give up
jockey shape is covered with cream nun's veiling dis-
his 'souse, for want of means to pay the rent, even if posed in upstanding waves, and against the right side
rises a red peak wrought with white lawn-tennis
he had been willing to risk his life by remaining in
town. 1 rackets and balls. Over a sailor's hat is stretched a
He thought, too, that he saw a bright side to even woollen material printed with three blue stripes,
the dark picture before him. The proceeds of the framed with a white and a red stripe. For the brim
t
sale of his furniture, after satisfying a claim which the fabric is ctit on
__he cross.
rested upon it, would still amount to a few hundred
dollars; and with a portion of this he would obtain
some mollifying present for his vixenish sister-in-law,
retaining the remainder for medical and other ex-
penses. Then, although worn down with mental
work, he was sure he would be able to do a large
amount of physical labour on the farm, and that he
could thus partly pay his way, and, while escaping a
sense of utter dependence, win back that health
which should yet enable him to acquit himself of all
obligations.
The picture even grew roseate under his contem-
plation; and poor Eda, who saw the fallacy of such
hopes, simulated a belief in their fulfilment, and
cheered the heart of her father, while her own was
breaking.
When Walworth had overcome his scruples against
ma,kinc tire request of his brother, he began for the
first time to entertain fears that it might be denied.
But he could not believe that Archibald was bad
enough for this, however grudgingly he might accord
the bo-n; for his old farmhouse was very large, his
means were ample, and he was subject to no outlay
for provisions, where everything was so abundantly
and cheaply raised.
Theodore wrote and stated his case, and then
awaited the result with no little anxiety. When the
answei to his letter came, it was in every respect such
as in his calmer moments he had anticipated. The
request was accorded, but in no cordial or welcoming
terms.

I spose you mud Come (said the farmer), though the
times is hard, and my wife is complaining very much of
poor helth and hard work. I don't expeckt you can do
much on the farm, but Edy must be quite a big, girl now,
and Esther thinks she can help her a good deel, partiklarly
if she can learn to milk and make butter and cheeze, as we
have 18 cows, and of coarse there is plenty for the women
fokes to do.
Eda put up her hands in terror when this part of
the letter was read. She was really as much afraid
of a cow as she would have been of a bear; but she
recovered her equanimity, and, fully resolving to try
to overcome her fears, which her reason told her were
unfounded, she said she would do her best.
This charming epistle, after touching on sundry
ather topics, closed with the following soothing re-
flection for poor Theodore's wounded spirit:
I am sorry your so hard up, i shood think Presedinb
might give you an °ills after all you've done for him, and at
sutch a sackrifise of principal too, but the bible says put
Yours truly,
sot your trust in princes.—
ARCHIBALD WALWORTH.