The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-12-24
Our New York Letter.
Correspondence of the Democrat.

The first blast from Boreas has sent prelim.
mary shivers down the moral and mercantile
backbone of metropolitan communicates
yet no snow-pure and pleasant incident to
the season is conspicuous BY its absence; but
consolidated highways are, to say the least,
suggestive of the coming Christmas cheer.
TIL sceptres of gold, greatness and fame,
have each and all succombed to the sword of
Ozreal. Hero, statesman, and golden-crown-
ed creosus fall each and fall alike, despoiled
Heartily honor, at the suiting of this pale po-
%tentate of unappeasable power.
Of small value seem the conditions for which
we plan and toll and scheme, when in an hour
we see the s%toutest tabernacle swept to the
four winds. Yet the world moves on and the
smallest incidents of life are full of interest to
multitudes upon whose homes and hearts has
fallen no shadow of bereavement.
Streets and stores at the great centres at
test preparations for universal merry making;
for does not each recurrent coming of Christ
child Of legend and story bring joy to the
hearts of the hOnsehOld-and how comprehen-
sively. Commercial foresight has risen to
meet the demands; not even the wise men of
the East brought such treasures to the man
ger-cradle of the infant King, as our dealers
have brought to bear in meeting the vast and
varied demand.
There are leagues upon leagues of fabrics
from the looms of all lands. There are modes
fit to fashion the robes of a Queen. There are
wonders in wood and willow, curious in china
and crystal, lovely elininotions in lace and
leather, quaint conceits in curtains and car
pets, interspersed with such %triumphs in toys
and toggeries as cannot fail to try the souls
and bewilder the eyes Of beholders.
Never at any previous period were such
splendors apparent as are now shown at the
centres of style. Really it is cloth of gold
or nothing with the mid-winter modes; and
nothing could be more exquisite than the col
ors and combinations. The counters of the
| hast cforoc coyarad with pO0dS cut off in
pattern lengths of 8 or 10 yards, marked from
six dollars upward.
The latest Partisan manuel of methods
| Americanized by S. T. Taylor and published
in conjunction with their fancy system of dress
| cutting shows three kinds Of basques, which
share popular favor with the round waist, the
Princess and the Polonaise. These basQues
are adapted to all classes of material, and may
be varied to meet the requirements of any
physique. :,
over the hips, of medium length, even all
round, are most becoming to slight figures;
| though for we'll rounded shapes the short pos
tillion double pointed and sharply curved on
the hips to the waist line.
All basques are now cut with double side
forms. The high cut darts are larges and run
| close together at the central point, giving the
waist the effect Of length and slenderness.-
| Shoulder seams are short and directly on the
line of the shoulder, and the arm-size is ex-
ceptionally small. Sleeves retain the coat
| shape-following the outlines of the arm, are
fitted smooth and close. They appear half
deeply curved at the top without the high
| shouldered effect that was predicted. Many
m~odistes use welting cord or a binding of ST.
lesia to strengthen the armhole.
| MANY of the elegant dresses of thick cloth
made at Lord & Taylor's have the outside fit
ted to the wearer. The lining which is of serge
or s~ilesia, is made separate like a gentleman's
coat. If whalebones are used, they are placed
between the lining and the outside tape curv-
ed and stitched at intervals along the seams.
Combination dresses put up in boxes with
model showing just how to put them together,
make very attractive holiday gifts, provided
] the fabrics are suitable and the colors well
chosen. These imported robes cost from $500
| to $40 per pattern.
The p~rettiest bit of humor, reason and rhe-
toric on the Christmas taps, is the "Ball Of
the Vegetables" published by Harper Broth
ers, written and compiled by Margaret Ely
tinge. 1t is a compilation, OF rather repro
| duction in a new form of her contributions to
various prominent journals. The subject mat
ter is varied to suit the versatile requirements
of Juvenile taste, and the prowess of its world
renowned publishers. The dexterous hand
and ready brain of Mrs. Eytinge (Madge Eli
oft } likewise appears this year in the Christ
mas book issued by Baldwin, the clothier,
whose journal has long since risen to the first
rank of literature, even while it became a fix
ed fact in the annals of trade--always doing
credit to the maxims' ST the merchant pub
Usher, of whom Josh Billings once said-"Had
gone to the head of his line and staid thar"
which was the highest enconium our ortho-
graphical philosopher could have pronounced.
Of what concern are time or locale, when a
man has builded for himself such vantage
ground in the esteem of the great public which
he has so long and so ably served! This
fashion of trade journalism, of which Baldwin
was the successful pioneer, has long since be-
come a prominent feature in the progress of
the country. Every w%ell-known merchant has
his medium of manifestations; but among all
fashion quarterlies of this and sister cities
"Ridley's" is king. The press and the pub
lie tests its claims to a high place in the homes
of the land and the hearts of its people. The
cost fifty cents) per annum is of course, the
merest song, and the gain many-sided, as tbs
record clearly shows. Certainly not a small
proportion Of the immense profits of this pleas,
ant and popular house are those accrueing te
the mail order division, of which the maya
zine is the strong and effective acme OF nfor'
nation now. 1 am sure my readers out o
town will testify to the comfort and convent
encc of having the great city with its store:
set at ones feet, so to speak; and will join mt
in commencing the enterprise which SO clear
ly and effectively carries Mahomet to tn
mountain every time, with the compliments o
the season. To one and all of the readers APT
patrons of the DEMOCRAT, l lay aside my bus.
pen with promise of more anon.
, SIDNEY EAFLE.