Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-29


st..; cut With polka tabs. contained in each one
a small conventiona!ized sunfiower One of
the artists in the cases mentioned recon-
mended salmOn-cOlOred silk with tabs
decorated with small scarlet peoples, and
further states it as an excellent plan in
using oil paints to squeeze the tubes out
on biotting paper. which absorbs the oil and
prevents much of the danger of spottng the
SILK ans are usually painted and trimmed to
match these waists and are then suspended f-yn
the sides by ribbon loops. Some ruunc ladies
also add pouches or paint pouches instead OF
fans ard sc::.c prefer embroidery to painting
emu put 1t upon velvet instead of silk. \ wine
colored velvet waist was recently made and EN-
brciGcred with feathery grass. upon which snail
yellow butterflies were alight and in which
were mingled tiny pink-tipped daisies. Square
cut velvet basques also look well without either
painting or embroidery when trimmed with
Irish point. which is laid flat and upright upon
the edge of the basque. Past certain age there
is a want of dignity and fitness in the somewhat
fancliul effect OF contrasting bodice. but for
young girls, and as means of utilizing half
worn skirts of light delicate materials. there is
10 1nOIe suitable or effective method. while they
also assist in providing the essential variety at
small expense.
CHRISTMAS AND TWELFTH NIGHT PARTIES.
There are to be many Christmas and Twelfth
Night entertainments this season. ostensiblv
for children but in which older people are quite
as much interested. for the children are simply
the principal medium of interest and entertain
ment-lay figures through Which to onyey pic
turesque ideas. The role of tie children nova
days is by no means to sit in o corner and say
nothing. They are made part and parcel of
social life. and they take to their parts as natur
ally as If they had been bred to them through
all the entureS- the girls with even more free
dom and grace and quickness than the bows
Their appearance has changed. ard instead OF
the costume OF the father and mother in miria-
ture hiding the tiElid ignorance ard simplicity
Oh the enid, we fad al exaggerated simplicity
ana QualntnesS OF costume covering the know
lug ways and assured sclf-possession of the little
man or woman.
Properly the entertainments projected should
De called costume parties. They are English in
Their origin, ard owe their growth and success
to the development Of the esthctic idea winch.
whether favored or not by men and women
blossoms out almost universally among the ciii-
dren. the mothers gladly arranging the tuurll-
tiers III the quaint cid fashions and curious con
trasts in color which they dare not ALWAYS as
sumo for themselves. Even the most co:iven-
ticnal are appealed to from the historical and
picturesque point of view. and find an assem-
hl&ge Of children, brightly Intelligent ard recall
inG memories or traditions of the past ard it's
ways. the most delightful of pastimes. il is
possible that the idea may take d more serious
form, Tor 1t is capable of useful development.
The whole history of dress-its growth its ne
Rods OF high refinement and decay of eXargar-
atici' eiiii iou-n8nE easily ana accurately
be traced in this Kramer. for dress. which is
characteristic or specially significant. never
Shows 70 such advantage as upon a child. and is
more readily ard much less eXpensycly pro-
GuCca in miniature
At present. however the PRINCIPAL motive is
the pleasure which every one feels in seeing
little Mother Hubbard sand other copies from the
numerous Kate GtcenaWay figures. taking their
cotIliion steps with COMES of Miais princess in
the Tower, orr young Eandyke or Raphael. In
T..
1t is no more difficult TO fix upon suitable ores
for boys than girls. The '.sInock frocll' of the
English rural male population half a century
ago Is almost unknown. and would have to be
accompanied by 'hob-na!led" shoes and cor
duioyS, which are difficult ard undesirable
unless undertaken from. more serious motive
than actuates their elders at present. One error
Oh habit. however. requires to be guarded
against. and that is the common one Of making
them vehicles for mere display. To simply hire
stare dresses or have conventional village cos |
turles made extensively. and the children
strangely arrayed in them. Is only to eXa9geTae
the defects of our ordinary method. The prnci- |
pal charm and merit OF the revival Of Old-iash- |
Tened ideas apart from any historical significance
which may be conveyed by it. is the getting rid !
of the costly pa;aphcrnalia with which it has
been the custom to crush out chiId-Ce ard hap F!
preS5. Prints and washing mat erals are the !
proper stuffs in which to dress up the Dame !
GOOdmanS. the small granGmOthers the sDccta- !
cled school mstresse;. who pinned naughty |
Children to her knee by their checkercd pima |
fOres. and in such inexpensive wee gowns they |
can romn and play much as they chose. after |
having enjoyed the pleasure and received the
benefit OF watching their making and develop |
ment.
CHRISTMAS CARDS
1t Is impossible to omit a mention, among the |
fashions OF the times of the Christmas cards and
other book and stationery fancies which have
made a permanent place and have become so
important a source of revenue. 1t is perhaps |
nve or SIX years ago since young woman. who
had already done some artistic work sat in a
publisher office trying in vain to get an idea OF
what he had in his mind as an attraction for the
holiday season. He had tried to explain to her
that he wanted picture children. not fashion
plate children. and she had hastily sketched
some conventional youngsters in conventional
fancy dress, but he shook his head and looked
perpleXcd. while she Idly drew a sort of little
Red Hiding Hood figure on the sheet OF paper
in her lap The publisher saw the large bonnet
and oag cloak. THAT is what | want" he said:
something like that, only more SON short,
the common dress the last century nut on the
pretty chubby babiss of to-day" II think /
understand, said the young lady and that was
the beginning of the chdren's renaissance the
revival Of cid ideas in this country in the book
and Christmas card world. The young
artist made a thousand dollars by her holiday
sketches. and went abroad with It fulfilling the
uIea!ii vi Hci lile ara since Then thousands OF
others have made still more by taking the same
idea and working it over in a thousand different
ways. We need only look at the card of to-day
and compare it with the first crude specimens
to discover how much art and skill have done to
develop its possibilities. and also what reward
it has brought to the workers Two thousand
dollars was received 10y Miss Dora Wheeler for
the first prize design OF The present season, and
there are many who do net take prizes most Of
them young women. who yet earn an honorable
livelihood The range, however is constantly
widening. andt efforts becoming more amb- |
ti"us- Individual designs etched or hand
painted and not duplicated, are now produced
upon ivory and satin, ard bring ali the way
from s. to $50. we'll known artists not disdain-
ing TO sign their names to them. Very interest
inc and important also are the excellent photo
graphic reproductions of the ctchinGs Of recent
masters, to be followed by those of the antique
school. This season. for the first time flowers
are photographed in the cOlOrs of life, and.
though there is little harshness or hardness
and unreality yet, still there is no doubt that
time Will perfect the process and render the
pictured sembance harmonious as well as true.
The most remarkable advance has been made
in figure drawing, which now shows exquisite
examples in what is known as Kensington. and
in XIV. XVI and XVII century costumes But