The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-12-26

were the possibilities of the gowns she
could not bring herself TO part with.
So here is new use for the fashion let
ter. Certainly wosnankind should be
grateful TO il without, for IL brings much
of sweetness and light into the chaos OF
feminine costume. The sentence quoted
iss frozen fact. The happiest she Is the
one who had grand-aunt or mother con
siderate enough 20 leave her chestful or
even one gown Of the rich, old-fashioned
taffete brocade. One that / saw resur-
rected the other day was as fresh
iy beautiful as though it had not
come out of Paris one hundred ana
twenty years ago. The ground was rich
chocolate brown satin brocaded WIN a
cluster of cherries and their leaves IN nat
ural tlnts, alternating with poppy clusters
In shaded red and yellow. 1t was maue
with very long waist pointed ana open
ing quite To the bottom over "A stomacher
OF yellow lace. The same yellow lace mace
tucker of in the low square neck, anu anu
triple ruffles To the elbow sleeves. Inc
skirt opened in front and was looped away
from peticoat of plain brown SATIN snort
enough to show the high-heeled red shoes,
with big bows and silver buckles, ana even
tiny bit of the red clocked stockings. De
nlnd the brocade swept out into Iralii
full three yards long, lined Throughout
with yellow-brown padussoy. lts nrsl
wearer was colonial dame of renown-a
vice-regal lady, whose stately beauty Is
the most cherished tradition OF her ue
scendants This costume, which ngureu
at more than one historic ball, has been
kept intact, even TO the fan and gloves
which by the way are as long as the ions
est OF our period. IL was brought 10 iight
with some faint idea of remodelling III INTO
bali gown for .great-great grahu-
daughter In the end it was decided 10
leave it alone. There are hints, though,
of a colonial costume ball for the Denenu
of Mary Washington monument Assocla.
ton. III they take form and substance 10
is safe TO say the brown brocade VIII APP
pear and ruffe il with the best.
Failing old brocade you may buy new
ones twice as beautiful in all the dell
cate evening shades-blues like dream OF
heaven or the shimmering summer sea,
pale tea-rose pinks, shot stuff, opalescehI
as the tints of dawn or as full OF changing
hues as pigeons purple neck; cream am,
ber Indian red, jonquil yellow, pearl, dead
white. black, gray, crimson, all in the
most lustrous weaves, with n pattern OF
lace festoons or true-love knots. or stars
or spots or crescents in self-tones rum
ming all over them. Other sorts have
delicate flowers or boquets colored 10 tne
life; still others sheaves of wheat in gold
or silver, or suns or woons or intricate
arabesque tracery in the same precious
metals. In making up the brocade forms
either a coat bodice and front with vel
vet train, or else trained skirt win
bodice of fine cloth of may be court-srain
and sleeves TO a princess gown the color oil
its ground.
Such garments, of course. are the fullest
of full-dress, for dinners with dancing
after the opera, balls and so on. A stuff
that for such uses divides honors with
brocade is the new costly cable cord BEN
galine, that in the end is cheap since lts
richness precludes other trimming. II is