Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-23
MEN SERVANTS TO GO.
Pretty Maids Are Taking the Place
of the Liveried StOics
IN FASHIONABLE HOUSEHOLDS.
Some Hints for Home Decoration and the
Serving Of Dinners.
FRUIT DISHES MADE OF ICE BLOCKS


WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcH.l
Almost as great a movement is progress
ing in England, in the slow and conserva-
tive fashion of most movements over there,
as is the dress reform crusade which is gath
ering force for it's concerted effort on this
side the Atlantic. 1t is the abolition of
elaborate livery for men servants.
For generations the funky in padded
calves. powdered wig and silk small clothes
has been the correct adjunct to all well reg
ulated households of the upper class, and
his number in each household has been in
proportion to the Importance and wealth of
the family. And not only is the gay livery
going-the men themselves are being put
aside in favor of women. Many good FAM
lilies have entirely given up employing men
servants, and have parlor and waiting maids
in their stead. These wear distinctive
livery, one lady putting her women in plain
gowns of gray, with red aprons, and courier
bags worn at the side; red caps made like
the white ones were also worn. Another
woman preserves the dark green of her
mems liveries for the maids, with red caps
and aprons. These are donned after II
the day, cleaning, ETC., should be over.
For morning wear, black dresses with white
aprons and caps are used. Already the
fashion has crept over to New York, and last
winter several handsome establishments
had maids in livery as door openers. Wait
resses have long been regarded with favor
by dinner givers, except where much wine
is served, when O well-trained butler is
more satisfactory.
"When am going to arrive anywhere,
conides clever young woman, 81 always
try to buy bunch of flowers in the station
after leaving the train. These thrust into
my belt or corsage and feel that my toilet
is much freshened. 1t is wonderful how
great difference this small thing will
make, quite taking away the jaded look
from ones face and the mussy look from
ones gown" The same young woman fur
ther says: Never wash your face in cold
water to remove travel soil; it seems only
to grind the dust in. 1 always use little
cold cream or vaseline, first wiping it off
with soft cloth, and afterward plenty of
hot water"
A pretty toilet set seen at fair recently
was of yellow silk covered with lack lace,
the pattern being pin dot at not very
close intervals in fine mesh The set con-
sisted of the scarf for bureau. or dressing
table and the cushion cover. Around the
edge of each was a scant ruffle of yellow
silk, pinked out and over this fell a black
lace edging matching the center in design.
Pull bunch bows of yellow baby ribbon
were on one end of the scarf and at one side
of the cushion. Another set had this ar
rangement rev versed, gold colored lace being
put over black silk, with the difference that
there were no bows and on the edges of
scarf and cushion cover was a deep fringe
of gold baby ribbon put in loops close to-
gether.
1t is English, if that is any recommenda-
tion to the young housekeeper, not to have
both dado and frieze on your walls As
each has grown wider, the average wall be-
comes a mere strip when both are used. 1t
is gaod plan to use the dado in halls.
dining rooms and bedrooms, reserving the
frieze for reception and drawing rooms AS
to co1ors, Mr. Russell's ideas are to some
extent picturesque, if not actually senti-
mental. They are also artistic and valua-
BILE. The wall of family room, in his
opinion, should be becoming to the mem-
bers of the household. "One in flesh pink"
be says for instance, with a little green
added, makes a dull complexion seem
clearer and brighter" The ardent hue of
red, he thinks, ought to be in halls where
friends are welcomed, while the cold blue
INT is better suited to the formality and re-
serve of the drawing room. Yellow, which
IS pleasurable to gayety, he would use in
he dining room, and it may be added that |
L., Ir,r ! 49,
lark room, as it is the best possible substi- |
ute for natures sunshine which art knows |
To have an artistic home, be it ever so SIM |
lie, is nowadays within everybody's reach. |
10 quote Mr.. Russell once more, Form is
expensive, texture is expensive, but color is
heap" and it is color which makes the |
fleet
Every woman wants cheral glass but not
very woman thinks she can afford it. One !
an be procured, however, with very little
Expense beyond the actual mirror Go to
urniture manufacturer and select your
lass unframed. Then get him to make and
Mount frame to fit it, in some cheap un-
nished wood and send the mirror and
tandard home to you detached. Cover the
rame with puff of pretty cretonne or ma
erial to match some hangings or furnish
ngs of your room and paint the plain wood
tandard, using a white enamel paint. A
econd coat of paint with little sizing af-
erwards secures the best appearance, but
ven one coat on the smooth wood will look
cry we'll When your work is done get
ny corner cabinet maker to come in and set
he glass and you will be delighted with the
esult of your effort and expenditure. The
rettiest shape is large one although a
arallellogram with covered top is often
zen. If preferred, of course, both frame
nd standard may be stained in any wood
ain or ebonized to suit individual taste.
A mat used to lay on polished table
etween meals is of tan suede, oval, round
square to match the table. An outline
attern is worked in scarlet picked out with
I'D thread, center being left for the rose
owl, which is kept filled with flowers.
The bal blanc or white ball recently
ven at Saratoga hotel was considerable I
ccess, although not TO the extent of the
color" balls of European fashionable re-
rts of which it was a copy. At Nice, in j
the color balls are very hand
me functions They are usually held
,der private auspices, which always secures !
better result, and, moreover, across the j
ater the active and enthusiastic co-opera- t
on of the cavaliers in the matter of dress
readily obtained. Bed, white and gold
e the favorite colors for the French balls, =
ID one which attracted much attention
ID is still talked about was "black ball." I
which white flowers and white shirts for
e men were the only relief A "red'' r
IL is particularly brilliant as the hang t
ps flowers gowns for the women. all