Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-04


beauty in art and life-and one should be synony-
nous with the other-s equal to being born
again. 1t is. another new BIRTH 1t gives to
every object deeper meaning new signifi-
canoe 1t makes US know what there is in ''the
primrose by the rivers brim" besides the prim-
rose 1t discovers to Us the secret of the wild
grape vine and its tendrils. the dropping petals
OF the honeysuckle, and the purple glory Of the
roadside gorse. We may laugh at the sunflower,
and rightly, when its yellow face Is blazoned on
the narrow circuit of fan or the corner OF q
parasOl; but who cannot see its use and instinc-
tive appropriateness in the corner of an unat-
tractive Rrd, against the gray and brown of
| earth and air and sky and bare frame cottage
Its eye always turned toward the SUM- it's long
stalk holding its perfect disk and the wealth of
sunshine and color that unconscously warns
the hearts and lives of those who look upon it
The sunfiOwer is an emblem, not an ornament
except when used as an emblem.
THE RIVALRY OF STYLES.
Naturally, however, esthetic ideas take one
| direction. conventional ideas another, and a
sort of rivalry is engendered as positive, though
not so disastrous, as the wars of the roses The
esthets incline to the short belted waist. the
pulled sleeve, the straight skirt; the French con-
ventional modes to the very long tapering
waist, the panniered hips, and the bouffant
drapery at the back. Yet the latter do net dis
dain to borrow some ideas from the former in
the acquisition and arrangement Of details and
have quite adopted their head gear. Doubtless
it is well for the public and women particularly
that there are two schools of ideas and that one
Is essentially opposed to the other for it modi-
fies the eccentricities and cxtrayasances ofboth
besides offering a wider field for choice The
fact. too. that dress has been taken out of the
hands of mere mechanicans and irresponsible
manufacturers, and in a measure relegated to
the domain OF art, invests it with new interest
and affords promise Of better things in the
future. trlcr and more natural FORMS more di-
yersity, and more harmony.
SIGNS OF SPRING
Evidences of preparation for the coming spring
have probably been fastened BY the unusual
mildness of the winter and the prospect of the
early advent of the warm season. Already the
blue bird has returned to summer quarters and
with the blue bird comes invoices Of delicate
| lawns and percales, the pretty cambries and soft
satlny satines. There are spring suits in pre-
paration of fine twied sll-wool N bronze and
| olive and brown and bottle green, trimmed with
broad bands of open embroidery in the same
shade, or more simply finished with tailor stitch
ing, and artistic buttons, which means buttons
OF ivory or metal or porcelain. with figures
raised or etched or painted upon them. and most
carefully and daintily outlined.
Some dark straw bonnets have appeared with
an upright cap-crown peated into an almost up
right bIim-a brim open and suggestive of the
moOn-Shaped Kate Greenaway hats and bonnets.
The trimming consists of bands formed Of folds
of satin, velvet, or plush to match the bonnet
ufiu tHcc Ntll CuIIeu SHduCU the
brown or bronze of the bennet to the pale tints
Of saffron and salmon.
The poke bonnet. too, is well defined, and sure
to come to the front. for in the modified shape
1t Is very becoming to the majority of faces and
the pale, pink. blue. yellow or darker wine or
bronze of the lining can be made to suit ali COM
pleXions.
The styles for cotton fabrics. both dark and
light, naturally follow estietic models the
| fulness and simple forms lending themselves
fn loft Errlrf n:rrh{
materials. But very large number Of persons
nave been so long accustomed to stretching the
material plainly over Inning. and having no
responsibility beyond cutting from a paper
pattern, that it is difficult to make them under
take any departure from the methods of the last
| quarter OF a century. which have vibrated be-
tween little more and a little less but general
| ~ stuck to the basque and the coat sleeve with
exemplary constancy. 1t is an exceedingly diff
| ficult thing to adjust mechanism to a new
| departure. When It has been accomplished,
| the foundations, the essentials, must remain the
! same for considerable length Of time. and the
| changes restricted to details which are grated
| on the foundations, sometimes without the
least but only for the sakeof giving an
| appearance of novelty Thus the basque when
first introduced, twenty five or thirty years ago
as an improvement upon the polka" waist, with
It's short battIemented skirt. was grevotfs prob
lem 10 the average dressmaker, and a tailOr's
| cut was considered necessary to insure a per-
/, feet nit. But the difficulty once surrounded
| according to diversified light knowledge and
experience basauestt 0urised and have held their
| own ever since, only changing from long to
| short, from points to cuifasS from cuirass to
lapel or "cOat," and SO on ad inflnit am-fer
where would be the occupation Of fashion
makers and fashion writers if fashions did not
change with the moon? JENNIE JUNE.
Postmaster General Howe a Maine
| boy. r..
| From the Lawistown NE. } Joucnal,
''Did you know that Postmaster General
Howe vas native of this county," asked Mr.
| Daniel Lara, the genial ice-,Gan of a .yo.4,1s,a
scribe, this morning. 'Yes. the Postmaster
| General and used to carve notches in the
benches OF the same district schoOilOuse in
| Turner said Mr.. Lara. His fathers name
was Timothy Howe. His name is Timothy Otis
| Howe lie was smart. likely boy. as | re-
! member him. He went off TO Rnadield to
| school and was expelled from school for some
| boylsh misdemeanOr. He became mechanic
for little while, and then studied law He
| went into law partnership with Emery Bean
| in Readfeld. Bean used to say he was lazy.
remember! Howe finally went out to Green BaH
| Wisconsin, and las been in Wisconsin. ever
since. He must be near seventy years Of age.
He had two brothers, but they are both dead
| He has one sister now living in Turner-the
Widow Whitman. l expect Howe is wealthy
| man. He is a man of considerable dignity but
was very glad to see me- when l called on him
at washington, few years ago.
They Took Their Pens in Hand.
From the Lawrence Mass American.
Specimens of what the postal clerks have
been called upon to decpher are given below,
copied from envelopes sent from or to the Law
renee post Office the capitals being given as
found in the directions:
AS WRITTEN. AS MEANT.
llllnose DO Whighte Dwight, Illinois
14owistony NJ Lewiston Me-
NaSCai Nashua N. H.
La Wei Lowell. Mass.
S F.c CiafonoZy San Francisco, CAL
PlhiahdJdia Philadelphia.
Nowmarquette Co N H Newmarket, n. H.
Fawriore Furnace, Mass.
n. h. hill HILL n H.
Physpee Pacific CORPORATION,
East Obon East Auburn. Me-
Hamens Bury Amesbury. Mass.
fOllliyveur Mass Fall River Mass.
l0rnSe mass Lawrence
lorinse Mass Lawrence.
The letters directed as above are known to
have reached their proper destination simply
through the efficiency OF the postal clerks.
Kate
From the United Irishman.