The morning news., 1889-04-25

a
the binder and the bottom cover being left
wholly plain. The work, when completed,
attracted 80 much attention that it would
not be the uniikeliest thing in the world if
it started a fashion. Dozens of young
women are trying to copy it, and they do
not find it difficult if only they are eau
tiously modest and choose simple patterns
suited to the limitations of the space at
command. Now and then fine volume is
worth the pains of the quaint old ecclesias-
Ieor embroidery but it would be labor
wasted on books to be tossed one side in
a month and a day.
Sometimes one wonders where all the dress
designs which the host of pattern books
send out month after month are obtained
This is a point on which Mrs. Chaplin, the
handsome wife of the Brooklyn mayor, got
a little light while on shopping tour the
other day. Mrs. Chaplin always dresses
well, and on this occasion she wore a par
ticularIy well-fitting and deftly draped
cloth gown. The cash girl responded very
slowly to the tap which summoned her to
take the purchases for wrapping, and when
she had passed out Of sight with the bundle
she might have gone home for luncheon for
ary sign there was of the reappearance of
her blue eyes and yellow braids. The sales
woman apologized for the delay very
sweetly and the delinquent had contrite
sure of Easter shoppers when the brown
paper parcel was finally returned
There was trouble too at the cashiers
desk The change was q good many min
utes in the making and when the little cash
carrier whizzed along the electric railway
into the depot just above the saleswomans
bangs the money which should have been
forthcoming was short half a dollar. $50
sorry to detain you" said the lips below the
bangs.
At the other end of the counter young
girl was sketching. She had drawing pad
in her hand, her eyes studied Mrs. Chaplin
and her fingers flew. She had tue right
side of the pretty gown on paper, then she
made an errand to the counter opposite and
filled in the left panel. In moment or two
she lifted her finger. The spell was broken.
The f1oorwalker himself was bringing the
change to farthing aid escorting The GUS
toner to the door. Did Mrs. Chaplin pene-
trate the little mystery! Well, | am in-
clined to believe that before the by-play
was ended she had an inkling. Did the
copying of her dress annoy hert Most
women under such circumstances feel them
selves a little flattered.
The house in question sends out huge
quarterly catalogue. The girl who stole
tho dress pattern earns large salary sup
plying the designs. She originates them,
she picks them up on the streets, she com
imported gowns. Dresses to be useful for
such a catalogue must possess two merits,
they must be simple enough to be within
the reach of the home dressmaker and they
must be good form, in the prevailing mode.
To be responsible for them is no sinecure,
but bright girl can hardly find more
profitable business; it nets this one who
gives her whole time to it ", 500 year.
The prevalence of the Directory and EN-
pire fashions revives the fancy for fine,
hand-wrought braiding and embroidery.
Why is it that we are able to get so little
of such work done in this country? All the
best of it is imported and must be imported
until skill is greatly increased among
American needlewomen. Knowing the
wretched wages paid for slop sewing done
on contract, some practical women are try
ing to discover what stands in the way OF
our workingwomen, that they cannot put
thought and intelligence into such dainty
stitches as are taken by the French and
Belgians, and so get the finer and better
paid grades into their hands. Mrs. Annie
Jenness Miller has Directory gown III her
Easter wardrobe, which she shows with
some pride as an example of American
braiding, but specimens Of work as good as
the imported are rare.
1t is the same with the costly underwear
Yesterday one of the Easter brdes-elect
was choosing her trOusSeau. For single
set of undergarments in 1lmy linen, hand
embroidered till each article was little more
than lily sprays held together by lace ten
drills, she paid 1920. Would you suppose a
woman would purchase a suit of that sort
ready made! But she couldn't get it made
to order unless she allowed months of time
for the firm to get the work put out to
needlewomen In Bordeaux or Marseilles.
We can't humOr extravagant fancies in
America. Our needlewomen would fare
better if they could minister to luxury, even
Of such a senseless description.
Now and then one comes across a woman
who rauks with the shrewest speculators
and dealers in city real estate One of
these recently bought a house in Harlem
$26, 900. Another woman who keeps her
eyes we'll open to what is doing has been
picking up quietly few nice little bits on
the wonderful west side. If she were to
realize on her investment tomorrow she
would find that she hal acquired in four or
five years tidy little fortune. If she holds
on she may find the little fortune expa lding
into a big one. A widow recently put her
husbands life insurance into three story
fiat, lived on the top floor and rented the
other two. AS land rose in value she sold
out and bought elsewhere. She has turned
her money over three times in all and will
shortly be Independent, E. z. Fl.
Flannel over Shirts and Silk Shirts.
Variety Of New patterns, at LaFar's.