New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-02
BITS or TALK.
SOME FEMININE OBSERVATIONS.

SOME FEMININE OBSERVATIONS
The fckencss of American taste has almost passea
into a proyerb in older countries. There seems ia
be restless desire for change IN this country, no,
alone in the legitimate realm of fashion, but In every
department of art and industry The pattern Of tina
table-syer which yesterday was declared beautiful
called old fashioned to-day. The of massive
table service will often turn TO il with a sigh in
few years, rcgrcttng that she cannot change tho
fashion Of her silver easily as the fashion OF hcf
gown. People of refined taste, who would b
far better content with good oldstyla
furniture, good porcelain and silver, such used
to be sold in this country and may still be found in
France and England must be served against their will
with new styles and pay extra for them All this de-
mand for novelty leads the manufacturer to bend his
energies not toward perectng the quality Of his goods,
but simply toward getting patterns, which ara
often such tartle by their novelty than those
that exhibit artistic merit The expense of changing
patterns and of keeping many patterns in stock and
the risk the tradcsman that many Of his goods
will be left unsold when they have lost the charm Of
novelty, all tend to make prices high. There is prob
ably nation in the world that pays much for
the necessities and rcfncments of home life as tho
American.
1t is fashion Of the hour to number Of
articles for the toilet table in richly cut crystal In
place of silver Silver toilet articles require continual
care. The crystal moreover, throws over the dainty
drawn work cover Of the toilet table and over te
delicate tinted hangngs Of the boudor the loveliest
rldcscent lights whenever stray beam OF sunshine
touches them. Brushes and combs however, are still
mounted in silver in repousse and etched patterns
A Queen Anne bedtime candlestck OF polished metal Is
preferred TO in crystal but not to one in Berlin
Dresden porcelain even blue Delft. The lovelest
porcelain toilet boxes made by the Berlin factory,
mounted in gold and painted in realistic flower pat
terms of the period Of Martone at Messen or In nne
landscapes Of old Dresden. The Berlin factory does
little work OF original design, but makes tho best 10
productions from old Dresden patterns.
Tile display in our florists windows OF clumps OF
set with the curously notified spathes Of SYM
pocarpus foetidus,' better known to the farmer as
skunks' cabbage calls attention TO the odorerous
plant which in most localities in the Middle states
claims the honor Of being the first flower OF spring.
despite the pretensions OF the trailing arbutuS Ola
yassar students, many Of whom are now sTay-hared
matrons will be reminded by the plant Of the botany
class under Miss shattuck. Miss shattuck was dis
tin1iished botanist More than one plant bears her
name and she possesses true scientists oblivion to
eAternals. The week when the first flower OF spring
was prepared for the herbaums and analyZed In class
was a week when cologne water, violet water ana sas
were in frequent rcquisitOn ard the members Oh the
botany class looked with aversion by all tho
rest Of the school, Miss Shattuck the only in
dvldual whose devotion 10 science such that she
was apparently dead to all sense OF SMELL she "ouia
freely tear the fctd plant apart and declare IN her
gentle, pleading voice that it was not 50 bad, IL was
as beautiful specimen a Gala OF the spathe," Wits
every pupil held her handkerchief TO her nose VIII
II ever 90 away ?, asked one little girl who was I'M
pressed with tho "dreadfuncss' Of having such an
odor permeating all her belongings. II did 60 away
but only after repeated airing of clothes ana roos'
1t is doubtful however, If Miss shattuck ever con-
jectured that tho "sympocarpus foetidus' would Do
shown in florists, windows with pale lavenderochds,
or that would be freely offered on the streets as 10
has BEEN under the name of Mexican lily TO puDlc
so ignorant of botany TO make the sale profitable
The exhibit Of Russian glass enamelIed in colors BY
a famous house In this city recalls TO the student OF
medieval art in glass the Glories OF old Byzantine
work in enames. This Russian glass is Interesting
because Of its grace OF shape and lovelness put Is
especially attractive because it is reproduced from
old patterns of Byzantine enamework preserved in
the Kremlin and in other palaces and museums OF
Europe Perhaps tho most famous single specimen
Of old Bryant glass Is tho Luck OF Edenhail' which
Is not a goblet ta' and was never broken, but Is
cup OF richly enamellcd glass still preserved by tho
Musgrave family II England, IN It's stamped leather
case where IL has been kept since tue iOurtcehtn
century.
The fashionable drcssmaher, it is stated, de-
mands Of the retail dry-goods stores
percentage on even the smallest purchase.
In order 10 allow this the merchant must
raise the price OF all his goods much beyond tho
regular retail price is the amount Of her per-
cenagc. She frequently buys goods for her customers
and on these she clears her percentage But the ner-
chants trouble not end here. Every excuse for
changing goods purchased by customers. will be
rcsortcd to. and as change is made an
allowance OF percentage Is demanded some old mer-
chants descended from the SCOTCH who are famous
as a nation for asking and giving the full worth OF
money paid, have steadily resisted the demand OF
drcssnakers to tax customers for their beneht ana
have been boycotfed in effect IN consequence. Tho
merchant in this case Is money loser as tlousanis
Of dollars OF custom is thus turned away from his
door, but he is saved much petty annoyance.
Spruce pillows which have lost their fragrance may
be renewed il is said. by subectns them for a short
time to steam and drying them thoroughly.
The next thing 10 dIausht Of dissolved pearls
is a Jelly of gold leaf This IS the best descrp-
ton of the fashionable jelly made Of the famous eau do
vic de Dantsic, the French lqueur in which gold
leaf is held in solution. This cleaning gold jelly
T. very pretty scrve0 low crystal platter sur
rounded by Il wreath of whipped cream. left whto
or tinted rose color with the Juice OF straw berries.
TIE LATE EMPRESS ACGCSTIS TACT.
Theodore 5. Fay in The Philadelphia Times
At another time figured in way not calculated
10 increase my reputation diplomat. Royal per-
son, deem it duty address, "a far as possible.
lVf