Morning journal and courier., 1891-08-29

THE FLEErING SHOW.
Some of Its Facts and FancIes. Written for the JOURNAL AND CoURIER.l

THE FLEETING SHOW.
 Some of Its Facts and FancIes.
 Written for the JOURNAL AND CoURIKR.l
 CONCERNING APRONS.
 A very ancient article of vesture is the apron, garment devoted to household employments and arts, and sacred to the divinities of neatness and industry.
 There was in Persia, ages ago, daunt- less and heroic blacksmith, Gao by name, who led successful revolt against his country's oppressors. His leathern apron was the banner around which his followers rallied, and leather apron, studded with jewels, is the royal standard which to-day is borne at the van of the Persian army.
 Like the apron of Gao, the housewife's apron becomes an emblem, significant both of defense and of that warfare which must be waged unceasingly against the powers of earth and air, the conflict of demand and supply, of decay and replsn- ishing-a righteous war, if one could but think of it so, and gather comfort and courage from the thought when work-worn and discouraged.
 There are aprons-and aprons, as every body knows; commonplace ones of ging- ham, coarse and strong, devoted to the homeliest kitchen uses; nurses aprons, large and white, suggestive of service and good works in another line; ample cover ings of linen, decorated with dashes and spatters of ochre, vermillion and umber, proclaiming aspirations toward and the pursuit of art, and countless other varie- ties, ending with those charming confec- tions of lace and ribbon, very ornamental and otherwise of no particular use.
 The thorough and reliable housewife may be known by the way she makes an everyday apron. If she splits breadth and sews these halves to each side of a central breadth it will be safe to conclude domestic mother in an orthodox New Eng land home, where family prayers every day and housekeeping twice a year are the infexible rule. If, on the contrary, she sews two breadths together, making one seam up the center of the apron, one may infer lack of early training, careless traits, inherited perhaps from her great grandmother, and reprehensible love of results rather than of methods.
 N. B. This sign is not infallible.
 That natural love of aprons is implant- ed in every female breast may be proven by the numbers who flock around the apron table at bazaar or church fair. Very badly made and generally unattrsc- tive must the apron be that does not find purchaser. "They are so prettyl" ''So useful" chime the ladies as they select and bear away aprons plain and fanciful, aprons of gingham and print, aprons of muslin and scrim, congratulating them selves on obtaining them at little more than the cost of the material. A few men hover about the edge of the crowd and approach the table as opportunity offers, timidly calling out the most objectionable speci- mems, which they secure at advanced rates as consolatory gifts to stay-at-home wives. Such fairings, they are sure, will be wei comed and appreciated, since what woman ever yet had aprons enoughs
 Aprons for such sales should not be too much elaborated since it is difficult to get fair return in money for the labor ex- pended, but to those who would like to make something fancifnl for their own use, or for gifts, the following hints of new designs are offered:
 Some of the prettiest are made of ecru pongee or black India silk, with small single flowers placed irregularly, and en- broidered solidly with very bright colors All WaSh stlhS. a Alli1 oL AoCC AAhAohCS b4O edge, and the top is shirred across and sewed to ribbon which ties at the side in a bow with long loops and ends. A little triangular fold in the center of the ribbon belt forms it to point in girdle shape.
 Another apron is made of width of pongee with rounded corners, which has the edge embroidered in points with brown silk. A ruffie of pongee, embroidered to match, five inches wide across the bottom of the apron, and tapering gradually to two inches at the top, is set under the points. A brown ribbon completes it.
 A useful affair is the workbag apron, namentally of figured China silk. A breadth of material, yard and half long, is turned up to the depth of half a yard and the sides sswed together for pocket. The top is hemmed and @ ribbon drawn through to fasten the bag about the waist. When not in use the working materials are kept in the pocet, the tops, smoothed out, folds around this, and the ribbon confines the whole in compact bundle.
 Very dainty and serviceable aprons, though not particularly new, are of fine linen with wide border of drawn work and the threads of the lower edge tied in a deep netted fringe.
 The fancy for ribbon ornamentation is a favorite one and far from dying out. Why should it not be applied to apronsa Black which to sew the bows of gay half inch ribbon. Marie Antoinette bows are squarely tied and sewed hatly down to the fabric. Rococo bows have twisted loops and ends, and a curved and twisted ribbon, with flat knot here and there may pass from one to another, seeming te link them together. The ribbon is sewe6 with very fine silk on both edges, and tho disposition of the bows must be graceful yet irregular. A study of such designs 1T lace, especially of lace curtains in the style called Louis Sixteenth, will teach the con ventional arrangement of the ribbor which should be of soft and rather thir gros grain.
 FOR BABY'S CRIB.
 A particular pretty crib quilt is made O challie in much the same way that cheese cloth puffs are made. All-wool challie i chosen, the courser grades often beini found with patterns as choice in colorinl and design as the finer goods, and makin, up with equally good effect. The ground and distinct clusters of flowers, rose buds or for-get-me-nots, with the leaves an, stems. The under side of the little cover let should be of plain material, white O delicstely tinted, and the wadding may b cotton or wool, of the finest and whitesi
 The tacking together is done in orna mental fashion by threading bab ribbon of 8 suitable color into
 large needle, drawing it through an bringing it back to the upper side, wher the ends are tied in bow around th stems of each little nosegay. Anothe pretty design is of the Vatican basket overturned and scattering it's burden C flowers. In this case the bows are tie upon the handles of the baskets.
 The edges of the quilt are bound wit inch wide ribbon of the same color as thf used for the bows.
 TWO TRAVELLERS.
 Mrs. Isabella Bird Bishop, the we known author of books descriptive of he wanderings in "unbeaten tracks," has new book op her recent travels in Indi, Persia, and Turkish Kurdistan, nearl ready for publication. Mrs. Bishop hs the honor of being the first woman to d.
 liver an address before the house of con mons, being summoned to relate what sf had seen and discovered of the treatmeI
 received by the Christian population
 Kurdistan. Her recital of the atrocioI
 cruelties and expressions to which they a.
 subjected by the Turks made 6 deep in
 pression upon the members of parliamen
 who, it is to be hoped, will not allow u