The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-11-10

Nv NJ knty.
Metropolitan
mad the pleasure yesterday of ssa
slstlng that il to say, looking an ~,
helptng-at the toilet OF q French wor,, e.
genuine Parisian .zas = .,c..S -
surprised, that I adnait, and she 49, 50 :
good deal snrprissdsat my surprise. a.
imagined that the EXTREME cf ..,t;ss
claIlty arrived at In Paris--aa k;,,,,- !.
sort OF dual woman, az il were o,st IS
one--Were known to as; and she cons;5-
cred AS semi-barbarian since she d;soo,,
cred how nearer the natural STATE -.
are. - s."'o We
She began, my Franchise. by suhno;t-
ting herself to her maid, who On her IA #
began by snbjeeting her to a face friction
OF elder flower water. This aecorupIishad
the previOusl y sallow face of q .clearer
hue, aniVory yellow Every particle Of
lmparity in the pores had welded to tbe
influence of the elder flower water. with
which half goblet of warm water had
been mixed. The throat, neck and hands
partoOk of this refreshing glow. adding
Iustre to the freshness given by a tepid
bath OF twenty minutes and a shower
path OF twenty minutes and a shower
bath OF tive, gone through with a half
hour before the beginning Of the mysteries
OF dressing, or the .1geEting up.
Next came rubbing of q scented
Irris-poWder in the dark hair, which was
short-that Is to say, not more than a
loot and half long-and rather thick.
w hen the iris-powder was brushed out
and carefully removed at the temples and
the nape OF the neck, q delicate cream.
but without lard-the juice of lettuce
being the main ingredient--wa was laid over
the whole skin of neck, face and hands,
and allowed to remain ten minutes.-
This, was informed, was iintended to do
away with the contraction of the features
arising from want of sleep, which want
OF sleep had arisen from too much cafe /
nOir at dinner. had not observed anv |
contraction des traits, and thought
within myself how mulch fancy would
do. The Partisan informed me that
camphor and cream had a similar COM
posing effect upon the features, especially |
after the fatigues of ball.
The next thing done was the removal !
of every trace of the cream with an ex-
tremely fine linen cloth. This was q
skilltal operation, for while rubbing the
skin into satin-like smoothness the |
femme-de- chambre did not make it red
or in any way roughen its surface. She
seemed to polish, and in polishing to
whiten her mistress complexion.
The next process was the application !
of veloutine, q compound of bismuth and |
rice powder, having the fxative quality
of the FIRST and the delicacy of the last |
ingredient. But ah ! the care with which |
the maid applied the preparation. 1t |
was absolutely impossible, in being thus
laid on, to detect the presence of any
foreign aid. The skin had the firm,
clear whiteness of alabaster, with sug-
gestion of sunny lustre and creaminess to
subdue it.
Then came the grand affair of the eye |
brows. These were brushed with min
ute soft brush, with dark bristles and
handle inlaid with mother of pearl, and |
the least possible tracing of fard indien |
from frail stone jar laid upon them. |
Under the eyes-yery fine eyes, and
needing no aid from art-an estampe Of
leather, upon which the fard indien was
lightly rubbed, laid now dusky shadow,
which increased the brillisncy OF the eyes
to great, and, to my Tnind, unpleasant /
degree. What was to become of this /
appliance in case of emotion cannot say. !
Perhaps French woman only cries when
she chooses.
The neck and hands now partook of /
the bismuth powder whitening, and after
that the hair was dressed very low on the
neck, frizzled q little over the forehead.
and with less addition of false hair than
has been customary for years. A small
matte of permanently crlmped black hair, |
Iooped with a white ivory comb cut in
cameo medallions, make up this part of |
the toilet, Only one small riHglet being I
suffered to play about the neck.
But it was when the large peignoIr was
removed, and the under toilet began,
that establishment claimed me for its /
own.
First, q corset, of course, you will say. |
But, let me remark, there are corsets and |
-corsets. The one placed above the delicate
garment of hesh-colored raw silks, which /
takes place of linen with the elegancies |
of Paris, and -elings to the form so as, IN I
no way, to increase the size by bulk or
folds around the waist, was corset OF
gray silk, stitched with rose color and |
and with Valenciennes on the hiDs and |
about the shoulders. But in the make OF !
this s'article of female wear, there /
entered art that amounted to genius. For, |
set in at the hips and making the hustle, |
were curved bones that stood out IN
swell of several inches and formed an |
incorporate part of the corset itself, I'M
possible of detection when the skirt OF the /
dress was placed over it.
Then the hesh-colored silk stocking |
the short cambria skirt with myraid tueks, |
insertions. and fittings of lace; the |
delicate bottines of black satin; the |
white muslin dress, without the assistance |
of color, except.a rose at the throat, and |
made so extremely short In front as to |
display the entire foot; the one long hair
pin, with its head tErae crosse peTTe f'ae, ana
the careless drawing up of the draPing at
one side to display the undersklrt OF raw
silk this and the toilet were an accom-
plished feat and fact. - IS
Let me not omit to say that the muslin
sleeve was SO extremely tight 20 the arm
that it seemed like a second skin. II
terminated two inches above the we'll
rounded, vet delicate, wrist, where
Quaint bracelet of West Indian beetles,
the codedu of lady admirer from Cuba,
completed the ornamental on OF so much
studied simplicity.
It was really very pretty, and the lady
looked charming-let us say thirty years
old. Her agef Oh-wen hfty.
A lady writer in Parks Floral Gazette
tells Of 4 pretty ornament for the window,
winch anyone could avail themselves OF
thus: / selected an old earthen dish
which had been cracked, and filed 1t