The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1889-11-22
THE BRIDES LIST.

Presents Can Be Avoided.
At State street jewelers.:
Mis Sailor Hat-Good morning! Lovely
day, isn't It'll
Miss Brown Bonnett-b lit
"Why, what's the matteri You look dis
consolateI"
II am. Here I've been for two mortal
hours trying to buy wedding present for
Gertrude T. with SIS, and positively the
only things can find that really like are .
SO fan and $500 miniaturel"
"Oh, but haven't you seen her listfn
'.No What listi'
eYou have evidently not been to call on her
lately. Why, she's adopted brand new
English fashion, and has list of all the
things she wants given her displayed on a
small table in the drawing room, so that all
her visitors can examine it for themselves
and mark of the articles they prefer to
give. It is strip Of satin paper about two
yards long, and a gold pencil lies beside it."
"Are all the articles mentioned expensive1n
"Oh, dear, mol Some Of them are. but
others are mere trifes It's like this: A gold
thimble, Steinway baby grand piano. q
writing case, pair Of sleeve links, glove
buttoner, a pearl necklace, a lace handker-
chief, silver forks and spoons, gold pen,
silver tea service, and so on. Gertrude told
me she's nearly sure her father intends to
give her the piano, and she examines the list
first thing every morning, hoping to see
cross against the baby grand but it's not
there yet, and she thinks he's just teasing
her. One of her uncles has put his cross and
initials opposite the tea service, and against
the pearl necklace noticed Co. which is
the bridegroom's initial. Lucky girl, isn't
sher'
II really think it's very good plan, this
present Isting,' as they call it," said little
North side woman, who is credited, rightly
or wrongly, with having married of" three
younger sisters.
II only wish it had been in fashion when
Jeanette was married last year. If we'd
been able to list her presents, the poor girl
wouldn't have five sets of salad forks and
spoons, all marked with her initials or three
cases Of after dinner coffee spoons. Yes, it's
an English fashion, and some Washington
girls were the first to follow it in this country
You know Washington brides, if they've any
social position at all, always get such quanti-
ties of presents. They say, and dare say it's
true, that the pretty daughter of Senator
O. received 2OS salt cellars on her mar
rage Another Washington bride land this
presents Of silver, ALI cases. She was marry
ing poor man, and what do you suppose
that girl did? Bought silver Chest and
packed all the things away in it, and then
sold the cases to the jewelers. from whom they
had been originally purchased. She has
dressed beautifully on the proceeds ever since,
and it's now really two years ago.
"There's always fashion in wedding pres
ents-I mean thing that's 'swelr-as gift
one year may be anything but swell the next.
Salt cellars, for instance. There was quite a
craze for salt cellars year or two ago, wit
ness the Washington bride was telling you
Of. Let me see, it happened in ~. Yes,
that was a salt cellar year. Away back in
'62 it was clocks remember, because l was
married myself that year, and we had one
for every room in the house. Last year was
lamp year.
land this year? Why, this year it's can
dlesticks. There is a food Of candlesticks Of
all kinds and sizes and values. Louis XIV
Renaissance Wedgewood, Leeds and Sevres,
they just pour in on the brides, at least on
those who don't follow the new fashion, and
there are lots Of girls who won't They say
it seems too much like asking for things.
And it's true one can't help having little
feeling of that sort. But it's foolish, because
if you announce your wedding at all there
are certain number of people who will give
you presents whether you want them to or
not, and how much better to let them have
the pleasure of giving something that they
know you will be glad to receive, to say moth
ing of your own satisfaction in the arrange
ment.
"Then the amount to be expended is still
left entirely to the giver. For instance, if
you put down "a paper knife on your list, the
friend who chooses to mark off that item
may send you Japanese knife costing SIS or
Sc, or may squander several hundreds on a
historic shell and silver affair like the one
given the Duchess of Fife, just as he pleases.
"A water color may be an amateur effort or
Corot; breakfast set may be translated
into Haviland or Wedgwood. Oh, think
there's so much in favor Of present listing
that it will surely gain ground
do you notice what fashionable gifts fit
ted travelling bags are nows A short time
ago a dressing case was considered the hand
soonest present bride could receive, but late
ly the travelling bag has come into favor.
They are immensely expensive, always fitted
with either silver or gold, and with the
brides initials on every box and bottle top.
Morocco lined with silk is the favorite kind.
Alligator has gone out OF fashion.
Hitherto it has always been thought that
the bridegroom's gift to the bride must con-
'sist of jewelry, but we've changed all that
now, and the young man is allowed to present
anything he pleases, the preference being
usually given to furs, from Russian sable
down. The brides gift to the groom is al
ways quite insignificant; anything costly
would be considered in bad taste. Did you
notice that princess Louise gave the Duke Of
Fife pair of opera glasses, with mono
gramp Sufficiently simple, wasn't it?
1.-THE gifts for the bridemaids and pages
grow more elaborate every year, and add
considerable to the unfortunate groom's ex-
penses Brooches, with the date of the year
set in precious stones, are used good deal
for the purpose, and they say lockets, with
monograms, are coming in again. Riding