Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-13
Dinner-Table Novelties,


reached its ultimatum in the delicate refine
ments of dinner giving, but each dinner table
reveals the fact that this is an inexhaustible
subject. The floral world is capable of an in
fnity Of surprises, and the last one is a cameo
OF flowers on door, shaped like four-leaved
clover. The guests are this assured of good
luck. The horseshoe having been SO much
used that 1t is now almost obsolete, except in
jewelry, the clover leaf has come in. A very
beautiful dinner far up 5th avenue had this
winter an entirely new idea, inasmuch rs the
flowers were put overhead. The delicate vine,
resembling green asparagus in its fragility, was
suspended from the chandelier to the four cor
ners of the room, and on it were hung delicate
roses, Hies-Of-the-valley, pnks and fragrant
jasmine, which sent down their odors, and oc-
cstSfonafty dropped themselves into a lady'S
lap. This Is an exquisite bit of luxury.
Then the arrival, two months before Easter,
a magnificent and stately effect to the central
bouquets. 1t has been found that the island of
Bermuda is great reservoir of these bulbs,
which are sent up, like their unfragrant rivals
the onions, by the barrelful. Even piece of a
bulb will produce from three to five lilies, so
that these fine flowers are more cheap and
plenty in January than usually in April. A
dlnlng-room. square in shape, hung with richly
embroidered old-gold tapestry, with round
great bunch of lilies and green ferns in the
middle, and 'crazy quilt" of flowers over
dreamland which modern luxury is trying to
follow.
Truly we live in the days Of Aladdin. Six
tary Whitneys garden in Washington for his
ballroom, the company assembled in a mag
nificent apartment with f1uted gold ceiling and
crimson brocade hangings, bronZes, statues and
Dresden candlesticks. and q large wood fire at
one end, in which logs six feet long were burn
baronial castle Of the Middle Ages.
The florists will furnish you red clovers in
a
mixed with any other color, are very fashiona-
BILE, and the effect in softly lighted room is
most startling and beautiful.
The Lighting of rooms by means of lamps and
candles is giving hostesses great annoyance
There das t is scarcely dinner party but the cam
migration ensues. Then the new lamps, which
give such respondent light, have been known
sequences have been disastrous. The next move
will probably be the dipping of the paper In
some asbestos or other anti-infammabie. sub
stance, SO that there will be no danger OF fire at
the dinner table. The screens put over the can.
dies should not have this paper fringe it is very
dangerous. But if a candle screen takes fire.
rave the GOODNESS to let it burn itself np with,
out touching it, thus it will be entirely innOc-
uous, although rather appalling to look at
ments, and no harm will be done; but a we'll
intentioned effort to blow it out or to remove it
generally results In very much more wide
China and glass go on improving; and there
are jewelled goblets and center pieces of yellow
glass covered with gold and what looks like
Jewels Knives and forks are now TO be had
with crystal handles set in silver, very orna-
mental and clean-looking; these come from
Bohemia. The endless succession OF beautiful
plates are more and more Japanese in Tone
Satsuma vases and jugs are often sent to a
lasting souvenir of what would be perishabie
gift. These Satsuma jugs are excellent things
IN in, which to plant hyacinths, and they look
we'll in the center of the dinner table with these
flowers growing in them.
Faded flowers can be entirely restored to
freshness by clipping the stems and putting
then he
from the gas and furnace heat, and they come
on the dinner table fresh for several days after
their disappeatance In disgrace as faded or
1aded bouquets. Flowers thus restored have
been put in a cold library, where the water.
these TWO na extreas SUI nf ana YET nave borne
loss OF beauty-in fact, have lasted presumably
from Monday morning to Saturday night.
ln-at what cost to our freshness we find out in
the spring-the overheated furnace and gas
laden air OF the modern dining-Tom. The Sc
cret of the hot water treatment is said to be
TINS: The sap Is sent up into the flower instead
OF lingering In the stems. Roses respond to
this treatment wonderfully.
Inc fashion OF wearing low-necked dresses at
dinner has become SD pronounced that the
this revival as II 1t had never been done before
Our virtuous grandmOthers would be as.
tonished to hear that their ball dresses never
cut nlgh) were SO immoral and indecent The
iact remains that a sleeveless gown, cut in q
Pompadour form, is tar more of q revelation of
inquire than a lOw-necked dinner dress properly
made. There is no line OF the figure so dear to
the artist as that one revealed from the nape Of
The neck to the shoulder. A beautiful back is
the delight OF the sculptor. No lady who nm
oerstanos the dne art OF dress would ever have
ner gown cut too low; it is ugly besides being
lmmodest. The persons who bring dfscretiit on
FASHION are those who mfsinterpret it. The truly
artistic modiste cuts q lOw-necked dress to re.
veal the nne lines Of the back but 1t is ne YER i'm
france cut too low in 'front.' The excessive
neat OF an American dining-rOom makes this
Dress very much more comfortable than the
nlgh dresses which were brought in several
years ago, because princess had q poitre
wnlcn she wished to disguise.
NO nominations against fashion have over
eHected reforms. We must take fashion as we
hn0 IL, and strive to mould dress to orr o,vr
EYE, not siavisnly adhering tobut respectfully
ioiloWlng, the reigning mode rememberiny
tnat al writings and edicts against this snhS
ruler OF the world are like sunbeams failinv ~,
stone wall. The sunbeams yanish hmte thu
stone wall remains ~"s VAC
Inc modern married belle at a dinner fs ont
" pc oIesseo IN White, with much crystal trim
ming with feathers in her hair. and with dia-
monds on her neck and arms and nair nf ,o u,
Drown Swedish gloves drawn mp to her shoai1i,
GERS; q leather fan of ostrich feathers han.S ~
ner sue Dy ribbon or q chain of diamonds ana
pears. Inc long brown Swedish cloves are M,
amos3miaiy. they DO not suit the rest of this ex
, uress, but fashion DEGREES that they SHAH
Inc nne stately fashion OF wearing faatbo..
IA Tue haif has turned, and it ia becomfn~ to
nloutecaged women. 1t gives them q oneeniU
Ar. 1ouhg girls look better for the simnlast
tueao-geari they wear their hair high or low ~
tney consider becoming,
Monstr0us and inconyenient honnuot.
again tue fashion, and q very ugly fasaion ~ r.
iauy does not know what to do with her two
OF three bouquets at musical or 4 DINNER -,
s shey are iaid away on table. The only thing