The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-15
The FLOWERS OF Spring.
They Have Much to DO With the
Openings Of New Easter
Millinery.
4. Slim Blonde, Hating Between
Two Hats, Finally Orders
Them Both
Inspects Now York Millinery
-Gowns just Across the Atlantic-
Whore Women C~Ongregntc.

rspec;al Correspondence of HE INDEPENDENT
New York, March 13.-I have often Won
dered what is the subtle tie that links the
nanay and the spring opening. | do not
know that / have been to an important
opening in years when somewhere aoous
the establishment there we're not pansies'
The grave, beautiful flowers spread their
yelvety petals in round beds in the stone
pavement right in the shop doorway, or
they gaze about with quiet disapproval
from vases in store corridors or balconies.
We wear valley lilies when we shop on or
binary occasions, but when we go TO an
opening we are sure by a certain Hstlnct TO
nut on pansies. The flower that's for
thought seems not to belong of right with
tho Easter bonnet, and yet, and yet, the
Easter openings nave set me thinking.
Think the world ia very busy turning
ont beautiful things. There is such soft
ness and delicacy of fabric. su:h holiness
and vet such perfect command OF coioring,
that I walk up and down as If l had a wish
inp-cap to make myself invisible and smile
to see pretty women trying on pretty things.
1 stood about this morning gazing AZ =
slim blonde in black until ] am afraid
was suspected Of being a shopllfter; Inc
blonde had two hats between which sne
was irving to decide. One was a fiat shape
of a lacs-iike open straw, in black; 1t came
forward over her eyes and had a futed,
she'll like brim. Standing loops OF black
with the loops was a long stalk OF purple
R~eur-de-lis. The other was a dainty 9
in black lace over which qulv-
cred and balanced gold dragon
flies. Each HAD its turn upon
her head and then two and three turns.
Nuy.., a - $780, 4. ~, cho m q rrJoflv Af1pSO-
toeratic; with the dragon flies: herself a
gauzy winged butterfly. Her hesitation
Vas protracted. She ordered the purple
and / wished she had taken gold. Then she
changed her order and l began to think
how we'll she would have looked in the pur-
pie, Finally she bought them 0o'n ana
An unexpected visitor at one OF TINS
vS4k's openings wss Bernhardt. The French
asSYeeo came in unattended. Few recog-
Hi1d nor and she walked about quietly
&&akllg her observations. She wore a long
straight frock IN stripes OF SOFT brown ana
pray that 1ay a few inches on the floor. The
skirt and the bottom of the buttoned coat
were out in b~attlements. Her bonnet was
brown with a little gray plume. In her
hand and not pinned to her frock she car
ried a bunch of clear yellow tulips. At her
throat was a topaz. :,
A. first she circled the room rapidly.
Then she paused and l looked to see what
had attracted her attention. She was
standing over what her quick eyes had de-
footed as the most notable bonnet on exhi-
bition. It was q cap Of gold lace to fit
closely to the head like the one worn by
Mrs. Edmund Russell. The edge ot 1t was
bound with velvet of the clear, pale yellow
of the evening primrose. In front was a
dusky moth, head downward, antenna
about to mingle with the hair. The moths
eyes we're strange bluish-gold Jewels. It's
wings Of black lace tapped weirdly, over
s~hadowing the little cap on either side.
They shone with BLUSH gold scintillations.
"Do you like it?" ! ventured to ask
Bernhardt. u,
Eyes, Mses,' she answered; II lake yes
l lake zose bonnet vaire much"
Bernhardt's English is fluent enough. but
very broken.
Looking closely for you at the spring
frocks, it appears to me that they accentl-