Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-29

lifetime. An Antwerp LADY of
the middle or business class looks
forward to the acquisition ofsueh dress
as New York lady of the same couti lion
10 HE, might to the acquisition of seal
sAlh CLOAK but the Antwerp lady more
frequently gets the dress than her New
FORK sister the cloak; for the reason.
probably, that less money is spenti Ant
Merp on tribes and on the costly articles
| OF street attire, bonnets, parasols. and
ABOVE all, gloves, which are such an i'm
portant and costly item in America. Be-
sides, the men know that a lace dress
means something; it is equivalent to their
9ress-coat. 1t Will be worn at the great
FAMILY reunions and anniversaries, over
all black, over color, with silk sleeves
under the lace, with lace sleeves alone;
In short, with slight additional expense.
1T will make several dresses and be great
economy, as we'll as elegance.
WHERE ECONOMY Is ADVISABLE.
But great care is exercised in regard to
| over-dressing. The standing of business
men Is not helped by display, or an exhi-
Dltlon OF extravaganza on the part of
themselves or their wives. On the con-
trary, living In a house beyond their
means, or indulgence in unusual luxu-
rles, gaddlng wife, or idle, much-dressed
| daughters, would seriously compromise
them; while instant retrenchment, the
evident disposition to repair damages bv
lowering the expenditure, wins approval
and Is the only way by which the position
in society can be retained. To illustrates:
A lady In Antwerp whose husband was
In an apparently prosperous business,
ordered some carved furniture for her Sd-
lon and set of lace for herself. Before
either was paid for, and one only-thela
had been received, her husband was
nrTO 1tcIv orfs, lnI To-
the failure of house In Paris, and the
loss OF 50,0O0f. She Immediately wrote to
the furniture manufacturers, explaining
the circumstances and asking to be re-
lleVed OF the obligation to take the goods.
She received a most polite letter in reply.
acknowledging the necessity OF her posi-
ton and yielding in very courteous terms
to her request. A friend, who knew of
her EN- barrassment in regard to the lace
took it of her at the price and paid the
bill, and another made a pretense of visit
every two weeks to assist her with her
sewing and mending-the seamstress
Who is in the habit OF going for q day or
two once in two weeks to most Antwerp
families who do not keep one, having been
placed among the unessentials for time
by the thrifty mistress OF the house.
These seamstresses accomplish an
amazing amount of work, and receive
from "a to 3 francs per day, the latter
sum wnen they are dress-makers as well
as seamstresses. Fifty to 90 cents would
seem a very miserable pittance in addi-
ton to food in New York; but it is equi-
valent in purchasing poWer-or at least
In resources for living, including room
rent-to from 81 to 81 in New York, and
as class they seem much better off than
in Paris, and by no means TO be pitied.
An American lady abroad, to whom the
preceding incidents were related, re-
marked that such system might do in
Antwerp, but would not answer in New
ork, or in any other American city.
With the Antwerp man and with Ger
mans generally, their home, its mainten-
ance according to their means, and it's re-
spectability are the first objects in life.
They accept retrenchment Of expenditure
for the time only; when they can again
afford the 0utgOes proper to their position,
they are In haste to restore the usual
style Of living. The women are Industrious
and thrifty, but they are not depressed
or disconnected. They are employed
in the detail OF the household. or, if they
have no children, in painting or embroi-
derry or some sort of work-perhaps in the
cultivation of music during the day; in
the evening they 90 out with their hus
baRds to the theatre, garden or music hall,
so that the married life is more in COM
mon than with us-at least in our cities,
and the wife is much less frequently left
to wear out her heart on the click of the
latch-key.
THE WOES OF THE ANTWERP GIRL.
The young CIR, em ancipated from school,
but suppressed at home, seems to the
transient visitor the member Of the COM
munity most to be pitied in Antwerp and
all continental cities. Young men dare
not speak to them: the mothers eye is al
ways upon them-that is, it is supposed
to be-and they can only follow her lead.
To the New York woman who remembers
her own "goOd times" and the consolation
they afford, in the retrospect, for the
dreary loneliness Of her married days.
such a wear ng away Of youth seems
cruel; and to New York girls, who them
selves take the lead at home or abroad,
who ''OTderR the comings and gOings. and
consider their father and mother only as
mediums for getting what they want-2s
invented, in short, for their particular
purpose, and generally mercifuliy and
providentially removed when their money
becomes more useful and necessary than
their presence. To such girls OF the period
the habits and behavior of Continental
girls are simply 'ridiculous,' and they
"Oniy wish" they chad chance
to get at them alone, poor
things, and tell them what to
do" Still while they lose something OF
growth in their lack Of freedom and spon-
taneOus exercise OF faculty. they gain
much in seli-restraint aud knowledge Of
what a woman should know, knowledge
of which our girls are lamentably ignor-
ant, and which accounts for much of the
unhappiness and frequency OF divorce in
American married life The New York
girl has the ''best times" before marriage
the Antwerp girl after.
The distinction OF dress where age is
concerned is very marked in Antwerp,
and indeed in all cities on the continent.
Cotton dresses and straw hats or bonnets
are the rule, the former trimmed with
cream or cOlored embroidery 70 match.
The thin wool materials, printed in small
designs on cream grounds, are, as with
us, novelties, in common with canvas
cloths, OF the season, and much used for
simple dresses, with straight skirts and
waists gathered, back and front, and
belted in. Wide sashes are worn with
these pretty gowns, but not so commonly
rs velvet loops, belt and standing collar;
with lace above. the velvet and lace
matching that upon the hat, and all or a
dark colOr-green, garnet, brown, or blue
matching a color in the design. AT
somewhat formal afternoon reception IN
Antwerp. two young ladies, daughters OF
wealthy man, wore trnlcs, or sort OF
princess polonaise, very simply, but pref