The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1873-12-31
CLOTHES AND I N

CHEAP tOODS.-lne lATp9 ~feuUcLlOf
of prices advertised by merchants hal
been met with doubt by many, but it il
bona fde, and is compelled by the
scarcity Of money. Experienced shop
pers and lovers Of bargains are sOOr
convinced of this when shown excellent
c~alicOcs for nine or ten cents a yard, and
Wamsutta muslin Mt fifteen cents, while
other standard brands are at similar low
prices. The good result of simple
styles is also now evident, when twelve
or fourteen yards of double width wooden
goods will make a polonsise and skirt,
instead of the eighteen or twenty yards
formerly used. Among other season.
able bargains are felt balmoral skirts,
beginning as low as $50 for plain gray
untrimmed skirts. The prottiest bal
morals of the season are Of deep blue
or else crimson serge, cut very narrow,
and trimmed with three or four narrow
box-pleated RIFLES, scarcely more than
ruohos, bound each side with braid, and
set on quite far apart. Woven merino
petticoats, heavy and warm, though not
very fine, arc sold for $1.75 or S..
NEUTRAL CoLORs AND DECIDED Cor
oRs.-The changes in dyes are really
wonderful. The silk or satin of one
year it is literally impossible to find the
next. The hue is different the luster
is different tho surface of the material
is different. How it can still be silk,
and yet be so totally unlike every other
piece of its kind, is n mystery. One
season, the fabrics are all in positive
c%OIors, decided reds, u]nequivocal blues.
greens that are never doubtful, even by
gas-light puppies gthat are purple to
their utmost thread. Next season.
these have apparently passed out of the
manufacturers nina, and haIf-tints are
the only things to be had. Nothing can
be more unbecoming to most complex
ions than blues hat might as we'll be
green's grays that are hardly distin-
guishable from browns salmons so
closely allied to pink as to warrant their
m%lstaking for each other or lavenderg
wholly lost in a silvery shimmer-very
beautiful, but very trying withaI. The
~fairest, most unblemished skins alone
can endure these crucial tests and
though few may relish tho felicity of
wearing these colorless coIors with i'm
punity, yet it is II pity that the many
should be compelled to suffer the pangs
OF tortured vanity for the triumphs of
the few.
HARD TIMES OTIoNs The black silks
Of last year can be cleaned, and their
lusterrenewed, by ~gponging them on the
wrong side with ale greatly diluted with
warm water /; no given rule will answer
with various qualities of silk, but it is
well to mix equal quantities of each.
and experiment OF a sample of the silk,
adding more water if the silk is too
stiff when dry. Black alpaoas may also
be restored almost to their first beauty .
by using q thimbleful of borax dissolved
in n pint Of warm water, and put on
with a nail brush. If the dress skirt ia
much worn and sOiled around the bot
TOM add q fresh facing, cut off the
soiled parts of the dress material. and
piece it ont to the edge Of the facing
with one of the now superauous foun-
~ces-perhaps the upper part of the lower
hounce, which is also worn on the edge !
and cover the joining with a newer and ,
similar trimming made of the upper
hounces. The reaction in favor of
plainly trimmed skirts is making itself
evident daily. We do not mean that ]
dress skirts are most usually made en- ]
tirely plain, but, asian excellent French
authority says, bordered skirts, not i
bounced ones, are the fashion. Instead O
of being coverered with trimmings of
one kind in front, another sort on the !
sides, and a third behind, there is now f
straight around the skirt q border, per a
hops of %lounces, Or it may be of folds. c
but quite narrow, and giving a most ar u
tistic finish TO the costume. For this ]
border on silk dresses use a single g
hounce fully gathered and edged with s
y narrow pleating for heading, or else n
have two pleatings four or five inches il
wide, overlapping, and headed by q e
of very small folds. A single p
is also considered sufficient L
for cloth.snd heavy wool dresses. I
All this conduoes greatly to economy, ii
IS three or four yards of silk now G
Iorve for trimming, instead of the ten or il
'wolve formerly required. 4
The LATEST FROM PARIs.-The ma =,
ional assembly may prolong the pow. W
'rs of its soldier president, but the
yatoh-words Of fashion are change and
If any leaning is observable at
II No ,rot - e. k,u.r.l .-T III