Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-08-09

the shield-shaped fans, with bent, very long
handles and ssPatience~-1 hone Co. for II IL by
far the altogether-most 'stoo-too" -for-anything
idea which we have had In years, and Mr. Oscar
Wilde ought to be employed to give II the reaui-
site tone in society circles. Mr.. Oscar Wilde is
TO the aesthetic craze in London society what
.Duudreary" was to the DRAMA and what would
.Dundreary" be without Sothern2 Too-too
dreary.
MORE LoCALIsNs.
The Mother Hubbard cloak seems to be an
other localism coming to New York from Lon
don but unknown i'm Germany. Here the out
door garments are confined to the long doman
cloak. the paletot jacket the fichu. the mantle
and the close fitting ulster. Shawls are not
seen even i'm the stores. and the only use TO
which We have seen them put is for upholstery
in the house of an artist of eminence. Here
beautiful Persian shawls were used for portieres
and window drapery. and also for coverings Tor
sofas. easy chairs and low window seats. four
shawls TO one wide window. all as nearly as pos
sible of the same pattern and all having the
white irregular lines which illuminate them
like threads of water through a landscape.
regret very much that am obliged to send
this letter off, i'm order to he in anything like
time. before reaching Frankfort and Wildbad.
the latter watering place in the Black Forest.
where we may find something odd in the way OF
costume. But in these days of teegraphc COM
munication and railroad uniformity. one almost
dead level. even in the Black Forest. and the
occasional glimpses of local and characteristic
costume are a real boom. while the Oscar Wildes
are blessing to the human race.
One of the things common to us ALL to every
body, everywhere. is the unutterably gaudy
parasol. with its flowers and borders. its high
coiored lining and general yulgarity. The solid
black. with rich border of Spanish lace. and gen
ulne twisted and polished wood or ebony handle.
is the only redeemng model in the mass of
Mill rnfar n
ence TO their harmony with costume. If one of
TINS description cannot be afforded it is infinitely
better to fall back upon plain pongee or small.
simple sun umbrella of good quality than TO
carry any-coored fandanro over the head
for the purpose apparently of attracting atten-
tion rather than warding of sunshine.
THE DRESS OF CHILDREN
One thing that is good may be seen abroad
and that is the often pretty but uniformly COM
Portable and sensible dress of children Even
the poorest have their feet well covered with
stockings of their mothers Knitting and strong
shoes. and their blue checked pinafores tied be-
hind, are generally clean. and cover bodies as
plump and hardy as their faces are rosy. The
children OF the better class wear simple STYLES of
Gabrielle dresses. lace collars and hats-in short
costumes like our own. only. while i'm England
as with us solid black and very dark hose are
employed even with very light dresses here the
hose is nearly always light in color and solid
such as was worn i'm America 10y children ten or
fifteen years ago. But il is the comfortable.
uniform dress and we-covered feet of the chill
dren of the poor that peases me the most. and
it grows out of the thrift of the mothers In the
market selling her eggs or vegetable. i'm the door
way, on the narrow side walk. wherever and
whenever her hands are not otherwise employed
the German and Belgian woman of the peasant
class is always knitting-aHd to the somewhat
clumsy but warm and durable products of her
industry the children certainly owe much OF their
strength and look of health and hardihood. No
contrast can be more striking than this air of
comfort which the clear blue checked aprons
and the thick shoes and stockings gives as COM
pared with the bare feet, the rags. and general
deIapidation of the Irish poor in large cities.
The Germans complain that too many of their
people are being drawn off TO the United States.
but if they take with them their thrift and in
dustry their hand knit stockings. and blue
checked aprons, they will be heartily welcomed.
JENNIE JUNE.