Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-04-11

worn ny ulu consisted OF DlacK VelVeC,
which was ornamented in the old.
fashioned manner with frills and flow
ers of exquisite lace. Many of the other
costumes were remarkable for their
beauty, while, in some instances, the
poorest, almost vulgar, taste was dis
played. One girl think she was the
prettiest one present-wore Greek cos
tune of satin mervelliene, adorned with
borders of hand painted conventional
flowers Her figure was beautiful, and
her neck and arms were polished to re-
semble marble. Her hair was arranged
In Grecian coil, and the effect of her
costume was heighted by her. wearing
upon the upper portion of one arm a
| thick golden snake, with flashing dia.
mond eyes. This ornament (if it was
one. and If it was it was simply barba-
rous) was very thick, as 1 have. said,
and also quite long. Its tail was fas-
ten ed with a concealed stitch in the
small sleeve of the girls dress, and the
snake was then wound round the pretty
arm until it's head fell in the dimpled
elbow Some people admired the ar
rangement exceedingly, but it made me
shiver
Many of our leading dry goods houses
had their openings last week, and the
display of novel and lovely things fol-
spring. and summer-wear is absolutely
bewildering. The hat for ordinary
wear will, l believe, match the costume
in color, and the trimmings will be oil
soft faille silk, with plumes tipped with
a contrasting color or not, as the wearer
fancies, and sometimes .garniture of
| macrame lace or ivory white edelweiss
embroidery. Straw and trimmed hats
are shown III all tints of drah and gray.
which seem to me to be appropriate col
ors for spring, repeating. as they do,
the gray of the lichened bough, the un-
covered stone, the mist of the riy er, and
the colors of the faded grass left bare
by the winters snow. Many of the
small bonnets worn this spring are
made of pearl colored Grape, the most
delicate and refined of all fabrics, which
is known by the East Indians as woven
mist. A beauti ul little bonnet was
made of this material, with Grape
strings, and bunch of crushed roses at
the top. Another bonnet of lilac Grape
had close fitting brim formed of lilacs,
while the crown was veiled by Q dra
perry of edelweiss embroidery caught
down by pins of faceted pearls. A dark
Havana brown straw hat was trimmed
with band of straw caught by small
iridescent buckle. cluster of maroon
velvet flowers with gold centres, and a
long plume shading from Havana
brown to pink, Pokes are going to be
much worn. The jet bonnets this sea
son are distinguished by a combination
of color with the black jet. A close
fitting bonnet Of solid black jet has a
al. >f "a n IL,
Jacqueminot rose placed low at one
wreath of tiny golden bell flowers
and surah satiDs are to be the materials
cades and silks, am glad to say, will
not be fashionable The shades are new
some of them, and very lovely. One
dress for evening wear, made by Worth,
was of q new tint called 'Dlouds' 1t
was neither white, nor cream color, but
a most delicate silvery white, in some
| lights appearing tinged with palest blue,
pink. and green. 1t was, in truth, very
remark able in color. 1t had an im..
mense train OF satin of the same color,
and on it was embroidered the tiniest
of humming birds. This embroidery
alone, | believe, is valued at So 000 1t
| took one poor Wnman six months steady
| work to accomplish it. The front of
the skirt was ornamented with plisses
of pOinte, and the waist and sleeves
| were veiled with this same costly lace.
| The dress was sold the second day it
was exhibited to society belle here,
who will go forth this summer to some
gay watering place and make numerous
conquests in it For my own part, I
do not see why girls want to wear such
awfully e4psnslVe things. White tulle,
or null, or crepe, garnished with natu-
raj flowers, has always seemed to me
the most appropriate, dainty, and be-
coming toilet for girls, who are al
ways fresh and lovely. I always think
that the great German poet, Heine, must
have been thinking of girl attired in
white, garnished in flowers, when he
wrote:
Thou seemest like flower
| So p9ke. snq fair. snd brishf,
Amelancholy yearning 's'E
Steals DER nae at thy sight.
| fain would lay In blessing
My hand upon thy hair,
| Imploring God to keep thee,
| So young, and pure, and fair.
| Henry Ward Beecher's sermon al
Plymouth church on Sunday morning
| attracted ing usual imMsnss throng
His talk, for it could not be called a
sermon, was upon the government Oi
cities, New York and Brooklyn in par
ticular and he expressed very decided
pro Chinese sentiments. In these two
cities, said the great preacher, special
troubles were added to those encoun-
tered in other large cities. These two
cities Wars the gplfs into which tie
streams Of migration turned their
mightiest floods. Not more mud was
carried down the Mississippi than was
landed here. And mud was miasmatic.
| To be sure, it made the bet soil after a
time, but mud was unhealthy. Mr..
Beecher was not opposed to immigra-
tion. He wanted it. The Germans,
he saio, were paore allied " our lnsti.
tutiona. than ''apy other immigrants.
Next to them came -sOmething of ev
erything; and last and best of all came
the Chinese. II was said that German
could live on what an American threw
away, a Jew on what the German dis
carded, ana tha Chinese pn Ybat the
Jew threw away. '"ItF is Just' becatjse
the Chinese could live on less and do
more than the Irish," said Mr.. Beecher,
"that they have brought upon them
selves the TRADES of the present day
and the legislation of fool Congress.
Nations are constantly going up in the
scale of civilization, and men are needed
toiao the lower work thar nlust pc done.
The under work'is what this country is
absolutely hungry for Here is ma
tion ready to do this work for us-a
nation which, from the habits of CEN
turies, delights In doing it-and we shut
against it. God writes down asses
against all men who voted for it. That's
my opinion of it." Mr.. Beecher re-
oeived great applause for thns dlspesln :
of the Chinese question; why, T 90 mol
know, for I am quite positive that not
one half, of his congregation agreed
with him. But then, presume. he, as
is usual, 80 fascinated thea, tlat for the
minute they thoroughly believed in
him, and were willing to accept any
| thing he said as true. I hear that the
Chinese laundrymen over in Brooklyn
and in this city are highly delighted
and quite enthusiastic over Mr.. Beech
er's sermon, and have offered to wash
his linen and that of his family without
cost, in repayment for his services on
their behalf Sam Wing, the proprle-