Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-04-19
LEARNING THE TRICKS.


no" the Wife of a Congressman Rece,ved
Her First Lesson In Fashion.
mere Is nothing better for the culti-
va'ion OF taste than the atmosphere OF
Washington.
Members from the hay-seed districts
VINO look as il there old-fasbioned
long-tailed broadcloth coats were Of
nome manufacture, and there crayat a
piece OF "wifes best gown" and who
can not tell the difference when thew
take The seats in the halls of Congress
between dish of terrapin and stewed
turkey hvers, soon becomes fastidjous
enough to be enrolled among the fol-
lowers OF Berry Wall and John Cham
Berlin; while their wives burst the
chrysalis in which their taste for dress
mas lain dormant, and deveop into
butterflies OF fashion who set the stvles
for the district at home. A memher of
this description had spent his first winter
nere IN bachelor quarters, had been
converted to the ways OF polite society.
and tie second winter, when his wife
loined him, coached her. Among
other things which did not suit the now
tastidious husband was her bonnet. a
production Of the spinster milliner AT
home, which had the cold, snippyp
look OF its creator. Madame was bid
Ten to go to swell establishment and
supply herself with stylish covering.
The obedient wife studied the papers. and
selecting the firm which had the biggest
advertisement. promised all kinds OF
bargains, and announced itself as an
emporium OF fashion," went there for
her bonnet. When the production ar
rived at the hotel it did not suit the
taste OF the critical member, who said
he would be hanged if he knew what
the matter with it was, but he would
wager h s scat in Congress that there
was something the matter with it, and
advised her to consult some of the wo-
men folks in the hotel. Some of the
women folks" were ladies' old in offic al
life at the Capital, and there was a
struggle between amusement and breed
ing when they had their first gl.mpses
of the creation sent out by the En-
porium of Fashion," but with the dip
lomacy for which women OF the world
are celebrated, they suggested she
should go across the street to fashion
able mods.e, and have her make some
slight alterations in the poor despised
bonnet, which was of course very pref
ty, but did not suit madame's STYLE.
Sadly, because her purchase had not re-
ceived the Endorsement of her more ex-
| perienced sisters the ambitious mem
ber's wife wendell her way to the mil
liner who did not pretend to keep an
emporium Of fashion," but had for
years made all of Societv's bonnets.
Can you do any thing with it?n pa
tibet cally asked the disappointed wo-
man.
No." answered the madame, a car
not.
What can l do with it, then?' said
the members wife.
Il would advise, madame" respond
the fashionable milliner, after turning
4 the poor bonnet about in her hands
cycling it with much the same expires
sion that French chef would look at ;
corn-pone, II would advise that you
use the thing to decorate your Christ
mas tree and order a new bonnet
The new bonnet was ordered, the
member and the .'women folks" wert
harmed; and thus one of the best
dressed women in Washington received
her first lesson in fashion. Washing
ton Cor. n. Y. Tribune.