The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-10-23 00:00:00

CARRYING A DEAD CHILD ABOUT
• IN A BOX.

An inquest was held at Paddington by Dr. Danford
Thomas on the body of a female child of Sarah Hunt.
Mary Duncan, of 19, John-street, Paddington, said
she let a room to Sarah Hunt. Witness was not
aware that the young woman had given birth to a
child in her house. The girl brought a box with her
when she took the lodgings, and took it away with
her when she left. Witness did not notice anything
peculiar in her condition. Jane Gregg, a cook, living
at 77, Star-street, said the young woman took lodgings
at the same house as witness, and witness noticed
that she looked rather ill. She brought her box. lathe
morning witness noticed a stench from the box, and
spoke to the young woman about it, when she said,
"It is only some butter that may be rancid." Sarah
Hunt then left the room, and as the foul odour ema-
nating from the box seemed to get worse, witness
called the landlady, her suspicions having been
aroused. The landlady said to Hunt, "Turn out what
is in the box." The young woman said there was nothing.
Eventually witness got hold of the parcel from the
box, and said to the girl, "It is nouse denying it.
You have a child here." The girl then said," It is
true. It was born at 19, John-street. I must get rid
of it." The girl further said that she had been advised
by another girl to dispose of the child when her
trouble was over. She could not do this, she said, as
she bad no paper. Witness said to her, "How could
you do it ? " when she said that she should not have
done it, but the child was born dead. Later on the
girl was going off, taking her box with her, when wit-
ness informed a constable, who followed and took her
into custody. Police-constable Oawbray, 120 A., proved
the arrest of the young woman. Dr. Schofield said
he had examined the body, and found that the child
had been stillborn. A verdict to • this effect was
returned.

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

Tim n Queen has the following: Owing to the
abnormal degree of heat with which October opened,
there is less indication than is usual at this time of
year of the fashions likely to be most widely adopted.
There can be little doubt, however, that in fabrics,
both for dresses and mantles, woollen is taking a con-
spicuous place, and that every means conducive to the
effect of a rough surface has been brought to bear
upon those cloths used for mantles. Some of the
latter display shaded stripes in subdued colours, which
are still more effaced by the long hairs with which
they are plentifully bestrewn. Both checks and
stripes are appearing on the long redingote style of
cloak, to which ladies are having recourse before don-
ning the plash and velvet, in which the richer and
warmer winter garments are represented. Many ol
the redingotes made of self-coloured cloths have bright
coloured satin linings, which become apprent at
the turned back sleeves and double fronts, and
are finished with braid, tassels, passementerie, or fur.
Wool is also entering largely into the fabrication of
the dresses of this season, and one sees embossed
woollens, woollens with velvet plaids on them, and
embroidered wool fabrics combining well with barred
velvets and plushes. Even into dresses designed for
ceremonious occasions, and in which faille velvet or
plush prevail, there is usually also some admixture
of fine vicuna or of lady's cloth or of cashmere. If,
however, the first place this winter is to be accorded
to wool, velvet may lay claim to the second, for there
are few toilettes upon which it does not make an ap-
pearance, although as regards dresses for morning
wear, it may often be in a minor proportion. On
many of the cloaks which sr' being adopted for full
toilette it reigns supreme, a- • tie backs, fronts, and
long panels visible upon . - t!es of this descrip-
tion are richly embroidered eiti in jot, bronze, or
gold.

Sum'. coats and jackets are r present the almost
universal wear of young ladies, a d, when not made
of the same fabric rd the dress, are seen in smooth
cloth in all the yank 1 tints of gr. brown, drab, and
fawn. They are often faced wit., velvet both at the
neck and sleeves, and show a degree of variety in the
buttons. Some close with a multitudinous supply
which are small r I smooth, while on others a single

button of a richer description in some fancy design- is
supplied at the throat, wrist, and cuffs. There are
signs of sealskin being about to take the place of these,
garments when the temperature sugLests the desira-
bility of such a Inge. The pattern on which these
latter are no:. cut is similar to that of the cloth
jackets. The edge no longer shows a bordering sup-
plied in fur of another colour or description, but is
simply finished in a series of vandykes, or points
effected in the sealskin itself. The muff and hat will
be worn to match, the former having an ornament of
seal acorns, corresponding with that with which the
high standing collar of the jacket closes, while the
head or wing of a bird is placed upon the toque to
give the touch of colour required.

NOTWITHSTANDING the efforts of the Selborne
Society, and the protests of the S.P.C.A. report
affirms, and there is no lack of evidence to strengthen
the assertion, that this year the demand for the
wings, heads, and plumage of birds is unusually
enormous. Egret and heron, tern, and sea swallows,
are, with the shorteared, little night, and tawny owl,
all pressed into tho millinery service. The feathers
of owls prove peculiarly adapted to provide the blend-
ing of brown and tan shades so ranch affected this
season, while the plumage of the green cormorant
possesses the peculiar green with metallic brilliancy
which is a combination at which fashion now aims.

No one colour can, however, be said to monopolise
pre-eminence. Heliotrope is still seen in many shades,
and keeps that name, even when it is darkening into
"lie de vin." Browns, greys, blues, greens, and poppy
are all being worn. Brown is showing varieties, from
a dull earth shade through mascotte and cuir, to cul-
minate in a tone tending so much towards gold as to
suggest for it the name of Pactolus. Then there are
leather and ecorce tints melting into greys, while the
latter merge horn lichen and soft dove colour to ac-
quire a tinge of slate so pronounced as to be almost a
blue. The greens are equally varied, and to be found
in all possible tones, from the velvety depth of colour
possessed by the wail moss to the delicate tint of the
picotee stalk.
•

THE drapery of costumes is exhibiting much less
complication than that seen upon evening gowns. In
the case of the former the underskirt, plastrons, and
cuffs are usually in material of greater richness than
that in which the folds and bodice are effected.
There are, however, instances of skirts carried out in
close knife pleatings, and a new material, called
Cotoline, bearing a strong resemblance to Ottoman
silk, and of singularly soft texture, is specially adapted
for this sort of ornamentation. When pleats are
shown upon the skirts of tailor-made dresses they are
usually large and.loose, and the drapery, either shawl-
shaped or square, allowed to fall over them in easy
folds. II; is by no means exceptional to find a self-
coloured skirt draped with cross-bars in shades of the
same colour, the bodice being then made to corre-
spond with the drapery, and the sleeves with the
skirt.

THERE appears to be no limit to the richness intro-
duced into the evening gowns now worn by matrons.
Pale] olive, old pink, salmon, mandarin, buttercup,
mousse, and pearl grey are to be seen with admixtures
of frise, of plush, of the new velours du Nord, as
well as with draperies of band run lace, on wliich are
apparent leaves and flowerti of velvet. The bead em-
broidered tulle dresses are still being widely adopted
by more youthful wearers. The latter are also be-
ginning to patronise and to experience the benefit of
the new closely spotted net of this season, which is
procurable in a variety of shades, is not expensive.
and has both the merit of durability and that of re-
taining its fresh appearance for a much longer period
than is the ease with dresses of tulle. The skirts of
this fabric often show panels formed by diagonal
folds of the net, alternating with bands of wide satin,
or watered ribbon, which are finished in vandykes that
fall over the plissé that borders the extreme edge of the
skirt. If, however, the drapery of skirts is showing a
tendency to greater simplicity, the trimming of bodices
—excepting those having a tailor-made style—are in-
clining towards elaboration. Plastrons are frequently
to be seen almost covering the upper part of the
bodice both back and front, bt.t tapering towards the
waist, and have epaulettes, cuffs, and high standing
collar, with in some instances basques to correspond.
On others appear from under the predominating
material, which is often supplied in bands, a series of
graduated panels in some rich fabric. When, as is
still usual, V's are described on the front of the bodice
in passementerie, they are filled in with plissés and
fullings of silk, lace, or rich embroideries. Revers,
and a double revers, showing a contrast either in
colour or material, is a mode that is also obtaining.

IT is not unusual to set in sleeves with rounded
pleats at the shoulder, suggestive of organ pipes, but
plain sleeves with epaulettes are equally popular, and
on afternoon and evening dresses the upper part of
the sleeves may be seen represented in one colour or
fabric, with the under half supplied in another.
* * *

THE trimmings of bonnets are showing a tendency
to be rather less high and less pointed in front. The
new fancy edged and cord-looped ribbons are, with an
admixture of velvet, supplying to them as much orna-
ment as is desired by many well-dressed women, but
such eccentricities as ornamental combs and bands of
silver filigree are proving attractive to others, while
the wings of birds form the sides, and their heads the
central decoration of not a few. White lace is also
popular, and, even as wi iter advances, will not
entirely disappear from the bonnets. It blends well
with all shades of heliotrope, and proves useful in
carrying out the prevalent taste for contrasting black
and white.

PLAITED felt and leather are being much affected
by the wearers of hats, and make a variety to the
plain felt and beaver, which are also being used. This
simple style of bat, with the addition of a skilfully
made bow or well-placed feather, proves a more fitting
completion to a tailor-made dress than would a
coiffure of greater elaboration. Fur is certainly to be
Been in less quantity upon the cloaks and mantles
now finding purchasers, yet at tele same time it appears
more generally; for even garments which are indebted
for their predominating ornamentation to braid, em-
broidery, passementerie, pendeloques, or even the
baby-muff trimmings, show e. band of fur either on
neck or cuffs. Although blue fox repeatedly asserts
itself, both on dresses and mantles, beaver, bear,
skunk, sable, and Astrakan are by no means unre-
presentrA and a silky imitation of the curls of the
latter shown in shades of pink and blue is occasionally
to be met with on evening dresses. In the present
combination of muff and collarette fur is supplied
round the neck, and in straps bordered with lace or
plush, to 'connect the collar with the dainty little
muff, while the pleatings of plush, satin, and lace,
which enter into the composition of the latter, are
sometimes divided by a stripe of the fur.

To which age do most girls wish to attain?—
Marriage.
..A.T the door of a provincial museum the janitor
stopped two visitors about to enter. "Leave your
canes in the anteroom, gentlemen.' "We have r,o
canes," said one. "That's none of my business. My
orders are to take charge of the canee." "But you
I can see very well we have none." "Very well," said
1 the janitor, "go and find some."
Ar.av : "Do you think, my love, your father wil
con Pent to our marriage." Angely : "Of course pap 3
will be very sorry to loose me, darling." Algy : "But
I will say to him that instead of losing a daughter be
will gain a son." Angely :"I wouldn't do that, love,
if you really want me. Papa has three such sons
boarding here now, and he's a little touchy on the
point."
j A winow in a town in the interior of this state made
her appearance at the office of the gas company the
other day and asked if it were true that electric lights
were to supersede gas in all the public lamps. When
answered in the affirmative she continued: "I own gas
stock, and I want to know if this move won't reduce
dividends ? " Most assuredly not, madame," replied
the secretary. "But it will be so much less gas con-
sumed." "Exactly, but what has the quantity of gas
consumed to do with a gas bill ? " She went away
without answering the query, but perfectly satisfied.