Morning journal and courier., 1891-10-03
HAVEN. CONN. SATURDAY MORNING, OCTOBER B. 1891.

| ing, or appease conscience disquieted as
 to the matter of the unanswered cor respondence. There is also much rummag, ing among half forgotten stores, and ex- plorations of out-of-the-wsy corners and closets, the stormy days, in fact, being al most the only days in which the busy housewife finds time to knot together
 broken threads and untangle twisted webs
 of small household matters-an unpraised industry but not an ignoble one.
 There are many, however, who know little Of the pleasures or achievements of such day at home. Business and profes- sional engagements are inexorable, and the woman who has these to meet must also
 meet unfinchingly all sorts of weather. Ordinarily she slips on pair of overshoes.
 defends her dress with "gossamer," ties veil over her hat, and trusts to an um-
 brella for the rest. These projections do
 not always protect, the gossamer particu-
 1arly having treacherous trick of gather
 ing up the mud of the street to deposit it upon skirt and shoes with Clamp, moist,
 unpleasant" unsanitary effect.
 The English wet weather dress, designed by Mrs. Hancock, has, after some modii- cations, been received with much favor. The skirt is not so short as at first propos- ed gaining in gracefulness while sufficient y ohOIG 1O sweep ClodT OI Iuuu anu 5GIS6t
 filth. Five inches from the ground is the
 accepted measurement, @ length, or short ness, not unpleasantly noticeable.
 Made of dark twede or Shetland home spun that repels the water and finished
 with care and neatness, such suit is by no means unattractive and is certainly ap- propriate. The skirt is slightly gored on the front and side breadths, and without the fashionable bias seam at the back since such seams incline to sag. A wide hem turned up on the outside furnishes suffici- ent trimming and there are serviceable pockets set on the outside each side of the front breadth, or into the front seams and covered with flaps which button over them
 Beneath the skirt are worn full Knicker- lockers, as warm as and less cumbersome than clinging and heavy skirts. Then there is the bodice. plain, but beautifully fitted, reefer or double-breasted jacket, as preferred, a neat toque, and gaiters, all of the same waterproof material, season
 able and sensible outfit, impervious even to the storms of New England winter and quiet and tasteful enough
 to disarm offensive criticism. The French hunting costume, suggested for wet weather wear, is more showy, less
 suited to city streets and business pur-
 poses generally than the English model, but its round gathered skirt trimmed with
 braid and double breasted basque with pleated skirt and rolling collar, afford a good design for bicycle or skating suit.
 The Orkney tweeds have very rough
 appearance and come in mixtures of blue
 and brown and golden brown barred with red. Shetland homespuns are of copper
 and other bright shades of brown. The
 names of both are suggestive of mists and storms, of vapor-shrouded hills and the dash of salt spray, of hardy, adventurous The genuine Orkney tweed is said to be identified by it's odor, which is that of combined salt water and the smoke of peat fires. These associations-snd smells-probably account for it's expen- siveness which is so great that most busi- ness women will forego the pleasure of possessing it and content themselves with ''storm serges," and duplicates of the tweeds, perhaps more becoming and quite as we'll suited to the purpose desired.
 If now such a garb shall be approved by leaders of fashion; made popular by those who walk abroad on stormy days for their own convenience's sake, or for the exhilerating exercise of defying the
 beating rain or swirling snow, it will stand some chance of being adopted by those to whom it would be most useful as sensible and healthful business dress. The pity of it Is that those who have greatest need of it will be the last to wear it if they wear it at all, since it will be
 undesired or unattainsble by that great class of workers who through ignorance refuse, or by utter poverty are denied, 6 share in many. things that pertain to theil physical welfare. HILARY.