, 1890-10-02


blue and nickel gray will be mod
ish coiors for headgear. The vigor-
ous protests OF the Audubon society
only seems TO whet the taste for
birds on our hats, Even the wise
solemn owl has been pressed into
service and will glare from the
heads OF our women at such
men as may exceed the limits
OF discretion III their attentions to
ladies In public places. The owl
ought To become very great favor
ite with the Boston girl, being the
chosen bird OF Minerva, goddess of
wisdom, whereas the vain and frlv-
olous New York woman might adopt
the gaudy-plumed and self-suiiicient
orlole. fhc fighting sparrow would
naturally serve rs an emblem of the
rugged self-assertive English
maiden, while magpie might be
appropriately adjudged to the noisy
ana conceited Frenchman, and the
wise and contemplative crow he as
signed to the philosophical German.
Nor will 1t be- possible to do
without jet In the making
of these elegant aud refined bonnets,
not only in the shape of network,
but also as wired jet lace or jet orna-
meuts. Jet end chenille will also
be intermingled, but no novelty will
be strong enough to push the ostrich
feathers out of fashion. They will
be arrayed In pufis Of small tips and
tiower-like polnpons, set in front or
on either side. To sum up, al
though the bonnets of the coming
season are to be small, they will he
expensive, for never before were the
materials so artistically fashioned
and of such high order of excel
lence.
Moral Condition of Amerio loan Women.
Boston Journal.
Among many women who have
protested against Mrs. Elizabeth
Stuart Phelps.Ward views of the
decline Of modesty among Ameri-
can women, Marion Harland speaks
energetically ana clearly in favor of
the present age and its morals. Mrs.
Ward, 1t will be remembered, said
that ait Is doubtful if the sense of
personal modesty has kept pace with
the progress of the age" and she
made definite charges against the
loss of modesty among girls, against
the stage, decolleto dressing and
other social customs, including fash
ionable con versation and the mod
ern trashy novel. Marion Harland,
in answer, suggests that Mrs. Ward
has performed the injustice of
judging a great class by exceptional
individuals. She declares "that
the standard of morals has
never been held higher in the
history of civilization than
by the representative American
woman of to-day" and she says in
proof: "I therefore offer for just
what it is worth the belief of one
who has worked with and for all
ranks of women for nearly forty
years, that If men and women oc-
cupy q different attitude relatively
now than they held half n century
ago, 1t is upon u higher plane. No
longer regarding man as q hunter
and herself rs his quarry she may
well meet his respectful gaze with
one frank and fearless. Every hon
orable gentleman Is her friend, and
to this class belong the great ma
jority of those whose attentions are
sanctioned by pare and guardians
Why enact the role of frightened
fawn when his glance rests upon
her? True, pure aud lasting friend
ships between those of opposite sexes
are more common than of yore, aud
in their daily association they talk
and think of something beside love-
making
In this discussion of woInan's
moral attitude among prominent
literary women, it is quite evident
that Marion Harland understands
the spirit of the age much more ac-
curately than Mrs. Phelps Ward.
The desire for wholesome work in
life which causes women to enter
the professions and various business
occupations is sufficient indica-
tion of the fact that 'the decollete"
is of less Importance than the every
day dress, close buttoned to the
chin. Even the stage and trashy
novel are not less corrupting than
the dramatic and literary products
of former period. Although
Marion Harlands serene view of
American life Is more wholesome
and truthful than Mrs. Wards, it Is
not wise to disregard the facts in the
article of the latter, applying es-
pecially to those fashionable people
who live only for amusement and
excitement. A "little journey In
the world" is too apt to dull the
soul against pity for the poor and
weak, against brotherly feeling and
against the highest ways of life.
The comments of foreign papers
show that even the severe critics of
the older world do not believe that
the follies of IL few are the habits of
Americans.
the Type of Beauty.
fTheophile Gautier.
I have found the type of beauty
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