The St. Johns herald., 1891-11-05
THE SILVER FAD.
U Now Controls the Young Girl
 Of tho Period.
Sorae of tho Many Queer Uses to Which t-lc Precious Metal Is Put to Grat- iIy the DeVotees of FashioD
 The Spoon Craze.

A long time ago a man named Solo, mon, who acquired quite a reputation fcr wisdom, made the remark that: Speech is silver, silence is golden" " in t,ndiny thereby to convey some idea of the superiority of silence. A Solomon of t-lc year 1891, says the Chicago Trib- Uae, however, would reverse the metals il lo would be ID the fashion, for this is preemincatly silver era.
 The latest f1d, for instance, of the ri~I whose pin-moncy income is large enough to support this rather czpen- sivc indulgence is the collection of sil- vcr-mountcd toilet articles, of which there i5 a1 endless variety. There arc alI sorts and conditions of brushes, from the gencrous sized clothcsbrush to tlic dir1inutive instrument for arrang- iny the eyebrows. There are combs, hcart-shapcd silver boxes for manicure salvcs and powders, silver-cased bot ties, dental floss, atomizers, ring trays, pin trays, hairpin boxes, and so on through the cvcr-increasing category.
 When railady travels there arc silver cases for perfume bottles, silver soap boxes, silver basket covers and umbrella straps with silver buckles. When she assumes an air of virtuous industry and takes a few stitches as occasion may demand, there arc silver scissors, acorn shaped cases for her thimblc, dainty re- ccDtacles for her needles, and boxes containing kind of bobbin on which to wind different colorcd silk hosSN When she opens her cscritoirc to con- duct her correspondence in a decidedly Engiish hand, there are silver pen trays, ink bottles, pens and pencils, let tcrclips, bristlc pen wipcrs and unique arrangement for moistening stamps. For the sick room there are silvcr-cased fever thermometers and an odd lemon adc or medicine spoon with tube run ming up the back through which, as through a straw, the fluid may be taken.
 When this victim of fad goes shop ping or calling there is the tiny glove bonbonnicrc, hcart-shaped perhaps, which she slips inside tho palm of her hand. Shc carries an odd coin purse Of French design with a tiny watch in the top. Unscrcw this little lid, and the neck expands to the full extent of the links below. Her chatelainc tablet of African lizard skin is mounted il silver with q silver chain, and on it's cover, aS on that of her card case and address book, silver neurs dc lis. Allthc leather novelties bear these flowers of France, even the lizard skin card case opening at the end, which gentlemen carry in the pockets of their evening clothes.
 In the realm of jcwclry, also, silver and platinum are popular as settings for clusters. Next to the diamond, which might be called the ''staff" of jewel lifc, tho stonc which takes the popular fancy is tho emerald, though tho turquoise is also in great demand. The hand of fashion is loaded with rings at present, but fashions cars show a civilized disregard of earrings. All stones arc set low in plain, polished gold, and many arc imbedded in the French style right in the gold. There is quite a fancy for setting different colorcd diamonds together, and gentle men wear as evening studs three small diamonds or pearls of different colors. A ring containing three diamonds, col orcd respectively cinnamon, coffee and red. is quite valuable, as the red stone is perhaps impossible of duplication.
 The punches of silver wire bracelets so common a little while ago have given place to immense ropes and links Of tho same metal, but it i5 to be hoped that this fancy will not be allowed to handcu5f many of the dcvotees of fash ion. Necklaces arc permissible only for evening wear, when they arc worn with pendants. The long bar pins have been superseded by clusters in round designs, as stars, flowers, birds, bow knots, etc. Two hearts tied together with knot is pretty design for rings or pendants, the hearts being of tur- quoisc surrounded by diamonds, which also form the bow. Elaborate designs of cluster diamonds arc in great favor for corsagc wear, one beautiful example being a flight of swallows, formed en- tirely of diamonds. For the hair there are enamelcd orchids with diamond centers and pins with leur de lis heads.
 The spoon-gathering craze still holds possession of all tourists and a new Chicago spoon has been designed to meet tho demand of the collector. It is called the Fort Dearborn spoon and has a round bowl with raised design depicting tho old fort and its surround ings. This spoon is of oxidi2ed silver and looks quite antique, but bright sil- yer is more in demand now for regular use.