The National tribune., 1882-11-09
HOME, SWEET HOME.
Something About WOman's Work Above
and Below Stairs.

The London Spectator says of the constantly
growing employment of women in the serious
work of the world $50 great change in the
circumstances of women can hardly fail to
work a corresponding change in their relations
with men. They must obviously be content to
forego the Difference real or assumed, which
men have hitherto paid to them. Any one
who has ever served on a mixed committee of
men and women knows that the women either
completely submit to the men, or that the men
press their opinions with quite as much eager
ness when their opponents happen to be women
as when they are of their own SEX The con-
ventional politcness which takes care to leave
a woman the victor in an argument disappears
as soon as the end Of the discussion is to decide
which of two opposite views shall be carried
out in action. BY the side of all this, the old
fashioned and almost instructive process of
love-making will occasionally be going on and
resulting from time to time in some unexpected
incidents and complications. Two points re-
main, which are more obscure and more i'm
portant than any others What will be the
effect Of labor, with its concomitant rivalries
! on the physical constitution of women, and
| what will be its effect on the children born and
brought up by them? If the employment of
women is accepted in its full significance, it
will not be possible to maintain the laws which
, now restrict their labor in their own supposed
| interest. If men and women are competing for
the same post, it will not be endurable that
women shall be handicapped by prohibition
to work more than a certain number of hours
day, while the man is free to work as many
h. Of
restrictions, the strain on women's energies
! will become very much greater, while the
danger of breakdown will grow in proper
ton. It remains to be seen whether the dis
tinctions of sex do not include peculiar nervous
! qualities, which will make sustained rivalry
| with man as impossible. in the long run, as it
seems inevitable for the moment"
An event of deep interest took place at Rouen
on October namely, the Inauguration of the
first of the colleges for girls, which are to be
instituted throughout the territories Of the Re-
public, in pursuance of the act passed in 1850
by the French Legislature. The institution is,
of course, exclusively for day scholars. The
Minister of Education delivered the opening
address. He gave an interesting sketch of the
history of female education in France, from the
time of Madame de Maintenon, who dsap-
proved of girls being taught history, lest tales
of female heroism should make them vain and
conceited, down to the present day, when the
enlightened views which had originated the
French female colleges have at length prevailed
against ignorance, prejudice and stupidity.
The great object of the new female colleges
was, he said, that French girls might be taught
how to think.
The Women's Silk Culture Association of
the United States offers to silk culturists
the sum of $500, TO be given on such condi
tons as the association deems most desirable to
forward the object they have in hand. The
association offers this sum in ten premiums
ranging from $40 to 800 each. These premi
ums extend all over the United States and will
be given to those who produce the ten largest
amounts of cocoons. From these quantities
one pound will be taken without selection and
the test of Keeling applied; the quantity and
quality will be conditions of the premium.
Excellent scrap baskets are now made of
japanese umbrellas. Rows of chenille are Topped
from spoke to spoke, and the point of the opened
umbrella fixed in a stand adding bright bow
and ends of satin ribbon. There is, in fact no
limit to decorative possibilities with japanese
productions. Two fans joined together at the
edges with narrow satin ribbon make an excel
lent wall pocket fora small parlor or bedroom.
English authorities state that youthful dam
sells make use of polar-blue paper, with a lily
thereon inscribed, for epistolary purposes. En-
gagged people adopt orange flowers as a fitting
emblem for their writing paper from the
moment of betrOthal to that of marriage.
Sporting characters are naturally lavish of
horseshoes and jockey-cap even where billet
doux are concerned.
Lady decorators are achieving great things
with the aid of common pottery paint, which
applied to white wood gives it an ebonized APP
pearance. Carved figures and bracket supports
can be bought very cheapIy in common wood,
and with their aid cabinets and mantels can be
made at homo which will prove highly decora-
tive.
A Milwaukee woman has kept a kettle of
boiling water on the stove for the last twenty
two years in order to scald burglars.
The latest popular craze in New York is on
genealogy and heraldry.
FASHION NOTES
Braiding is the furore.
Waist-coats grow in favor
The tournure petticoat is now the correct
thing
Numberless rows of ribbon trim evening
costumes.
Dull red shades are sought for in dress goods
and in millinery.
Pointed basques, with panier draperies, are
the favorite style for evening toilets.
The handsomest quilted satin petticoats have
elder down instead of cotton for wadding.
1t is difficult to imagine anything more
charming than the new fancy plush aprons.
Plush jackets, with hats to match are a
favorite walking costume when worn with any
stylish dark skirt.
The most costly, useless and adored append
age to the French lady is no longer her jewel
case, but her little dog.
New felt bonnets and hats are in colors to
correspond with the suit. The large hats with
broad brims are Of velvet, satin, or felt.
F1ounces and bands of embossed velvet are
among the costly novelties of the season. and
have at least the merit of being very rich and
expensive.
Jersey jackets of royal cardinal, olive-green,
marine blue, velvet or cashmere, are very
fashionably worn over skirts and tunics of |