The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-07

heart OF each fower, and something
over 500 worth of gems Is used in its
| decoration. The poll tical economist, who
| is always elevating his troublesome
| eyebrows, would find more justification
| for this, to him, extravagant within OF
| luxurious women If fashions in fans
did not change with every season, and
II q maid could use one long enough fol
her gallant to know the minu test tracery
of its pattern, as in the good old days
when all the ladies at an evening party
threw down their fans on table and
all the gentlemen chose partners by
picking up each the fan of the fair
dame he loved best, recognizing the
pretty trine that hid her bushes as he
would have done her eyes or the tips OF
her white fingers. Unhappy would be
the knight or esquire nowadays If put
to such test Of his chivalrY.
1t was fan that saw seasons enough
10 be famous of which it was written:
Loves in riot of light,
Roses and vapoG GUS blue,
Hark to the dainty frou-frou!
Picture above IL you can,
Eyes that could mel: as the dewy
This was the fompadour's fan "
Yes, and it had lace mount that
cost $780, 900. Each of its sections was
nine years in tho making and the med
allions that adorned it were master
pieces OF miniature painting. is not
recorded that any New York belle has
spent such sum on q fan, but many Of
those which are now being ordered for
Christmas gifts are almost rich and
elaborate enough to become like the
Pompadour's, historical.
OF these none could DO more havoc
making and bewild ering in effect than
pale blue gauze fan covered with
yellow chrysanthemums tipped with
reddish gold which tho one young lady
who wore full evening dress on the first
night Of Aunt Jack" welded with
composure, as she sat in a box and
thought, perhaps. that she was the only
properly dressed woman in the theater.
Evening dress is not common even
among the society portion of first
nighters, and this dark-eyed blonde
beauty attracted much attention. The
chrysanthemums on her fan matched a
bunch at her bosom, and when she
lifted the amber sticks 1T could be seen
that the gold and red wore copied from
the lights in her hair. But the most
fetching thing about tho chrysanthe-
mum fan was the fact that the pretty
and fragile gauze mount was arranged
as a mask, after the clever ideas evolved
by Mrs Kendall, and when it was lifted
to the hower-like face It's owner might
be powdering perish the thought-or
nibbling sweetmeats this too. is I'M
sentimental-or surveying good-looking
Bobby \. three or four rows away-how
he felt the blood rush to his face ana
his finger tips at the possibility-from
among the posies and through the peep
holes.
This new fashion of the mask fan is
worthy of the days of good Queen Anne,
in whose reign society was more frank
in its speech than del cate. and the
maiden who was too innocent or too dis
Greet to listen found her fan screen
behind which 1t was often convenient
to retire.
THE modest fan was used no more,
Ana virgins smiled AZ what they blushed be-
fore"
says Pope, in talking of what seemed
to him degenerate days.
Another novel fan of the season which
Is certain to do execution If it falls into
skillful hands is of delicate blush
gauze set in a frame of curling goose or
swans plumes. The gause is fine and
transparent and is painted with witch
hazel twigs starred with small yellow
flowers The painting, which is won
derfully done on the airy material, runs
off on the feathers which are mounted
on half a dozen of the sticks on either
side, their smooth stiff surface afford
ing an equally good background for
brush and colors All about the top is
set q wavy edge of the blue feathers.