St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-26
A RIRD'S-NEST NIUE.

side. Contrast it to the lovely little TO-
SetteS of fur or silk, of lace or ribbon. which
are considered sufficient to cover the hands
of the bellies of to-day, and to carry their
little pocket handkerchiefs. card cases and
purses.
Some of them look almost like bright
butterflies, born out of season, and ready to
fly away with the snowfakeS on the wintry
wind. They are made of ribbons of two
or three cOlOrs. with ends cut in curves
and points. Then there are the stuffs of
white angora, pale yellow lynx and fox
that look like little dOwny nests, with
pretty swallows cuddling on the outside
and peeping up from the warmth into the
bright eyes above them. These little birds
tell no tales.
Sometimes half dozen little white Java
sparrows, as airy and beautiful as if poised
on lady fern, adorn muff of white satin
and point lace. lined with rose color and
tied up with white or pink ribbon. They
are put on spiral spring wires and they nod
and peck at each other while my lady goes
to the opera and sits in her coupe almost
covered with ermineS; but the little white
snowbirdS do not disturb her reveries OF her
conversation. if her nervous white hands
give them rather too hard pat as she set
ties them into the meshes OF point lace.
"A white rose muff p Yes a white rose
muff, made first in the form of a rose, with
perhaps fifty creamy white crush roses over
the front. The soft petals are not of that
understandable stuff of natural rose. but
look like it. and the natural blossoms have
died, and given all their sweet essences to
the artificial ones, so that they may please.
Then there are the muffs of pale pink
rho 10 v1T -ol
violets. And OH what a sweet, a passing
sweet fragrance they give as the lovely girl
hurries along to her velvet-cushioned opera
box. and how they become her complexion
and her snowy neck and arms and her
white gown as she raises the little muff to
her round cheek! But the warmth and the
light and the Wagnerian music are too
much for these modest blossoms, and when
she goes home they all lie limp and dead.
but still beautiful, against the soft silk and
cotton batting that keep her taper fingers
warm.
But these are not the genuine muffs. the
cold weather muffS. the sleighing muffs?
No; perhaps not. They are the t-house
m.uffs. some of them. The genuine muff
for brisk walk down the avenue against
the coolest wind is different. but similar,
because it is also pretty. 1t is of some soft,
long-haired fur. or perhaps of crinkly AS
trachan. and at the back is little opening.
where the purse is safely slowed. 1t must
be soft muff. because every now and then
when passing a very cold corner it is raised
to the little pink nose to keep it from get
ting beyond that bewitchingly shell-pink
tint.
Sometimes this is very deceitful muff
and is really bag. too; because it opens at
the touch of hidden spring and displays
such depth of room, all alligator skin or
Russian leather. And what is put in it?
Oh perhaps ones extra best handkerchief,
and surely bottle of smelling salts, and.
perhaps, little powder pouff. or a new
veil, or glove buttOner, or anything else
that is so bewitchingly necessary to the
comfort of the wearer.
The sleighing muff reminds one of the
prettiest kind of girl. who always looks the
best when the wind has played havoc with
her curly hair and set her hat awry, because
sleghing muff must be made of such ma
terial that buffalo robes. snOwflakes or un-
usual occupancy will not hurt it. so it is
crocheted out of soft wool and lined with
silk and made large and comfortable. 1t
may be of some kind of fur, but worsted
ones are counted the best. and if it matches
the little cap above it. all the better. 1t
must be a demure muff, and so birds and
flowers and everything but bow of ribbon
are left from it; but it is the jolliest mutf
after all