The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-20

buttOning up IN 'front.'. trousers are worn
as heretofore strapped down to the dainty
boot. The basque is always tight lifting,
and nearly all the newest have positions
more or less pronounced. Some ladies.
noticed, had their habits draped slightly
IN such a way as to fall in graceful lines.
The ugly stiff hat has nearly given place
to soft caps of various shapes the soft
alpine hat, or the pretty low crowned
derby. Another innovation / remarked
here and there u pretty bow Of bright rib
bon and little more fiexibility on the part
Of the riders and considerably less Of that
most awkward rise TO the trot" that came
in with the Anglomaniacs. Here and
there, too, will CLEAN bit Of jewelry, once
ruled out, on horseback. Colors are seen
in habits. Dark green, prune, blue and
gray are all worn this fall, and so the pic
ture of bright youth gains in brilliancy
and the effect through the denuded trees
and against the autumn shrubbery Is
warm and pleasing.
There was q most charming tea given
day or so ago, where there were eight la
dies, none of them a day under seventy
years old. What delightful "reminiscences
the dear souls gave us Of old times in New
York and how sweet and quaint they did
lookl The hostess was the Oldest Of all,
and she wore regulation tea gown OF
black china silk, with pale green leaves
and lilies of the valley. The rest were in
dove colored silk, prune and black. There
was brave showing of old lace, and few
old styled brooches, with portraits OF
loved and lost ones, set round with pearls
and diamonds. Nobody "shelves" the
mother or grandmother in these days, but
rather surrounds her with the best and
sweetest Of everything. Her days are
peaceful and her hours are full OF placid
Joy, and if her withered hands still find
work TO do it is only for pastime This is
as it should be, and it is most decidedly
the very best style.
At the famous chrysanthemum show
there were not many very new ideas in
table decoration brought out, and the few
that were owed quite as much to the china
and silver as TO the floral display. The fact
is that the decoration Of dinner tables has
been overdone, and popular taste turns low
ingly back to pure white napery, with pos
! sibly q delicate low centerpiece Of ferns
and flowers. Nothing else, however stump
tuous, is so appetizing as satiny white dam
h.
| One dainty luncheon party had the table
laid with glass center dishes quite low,
with few exquisite half opened tea roses
nesting in a mesh of delicate maidenhair
ferns. At each plate was bunch of tea
roses tied with ribbon TO match, and the
rest of the table had a putting of white
tulle thrown loosely upon the snowy cloth,
and over this trailed a vine of smilax.
How very pretty it was one can scarcely
say.
At a luncheon party in Brooklyn. where
Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher was the guest
of honor, there was exquisite white dam
ask napery IN the center an epergne OF
crystal looking like a fountain, from whose
different stages trailed ferns and smilax,
while roses and carnations of all colors
made all bright. The most transparent
of porcelain. the thinnest Of bubble glass
ware and the richest of silver were the
only decorations, but somehow everything
seemed redolent of crisp neatness that
one never has when eating from table
where the tableclOth is colored.
In New York recently at grand dinner
everything was yellow, red and gold The
cloth was Of rich satin damask, yellow
and white A centerpiece was of scarlet
satin embroidered and fringed with gold.
There was an enormous vase of red and
yellow roses, and there were punches at
each plate, which were laid on vines which
reached TO the central vase Everything
was magnificent, but there was not that
same sense Of delicacy obtained through
the medium Of white furnishing, and ii is
a genuine pleasure to say that white table
linen is now preferred by the most tasteful
dinner gvers.
l must not forget to mention that the
real tortoise shell jewelry is much worn
now, and it is very artistic and some OF 1t
very beautiful. | noticed full set-a cor
onet 20 wear in the hair and two eXqui-
sitely carved hairpins of slightly diff ring
pattern Either or both pins can be worn
without the coronet; one only when the
coronet is in place. A tortoise shell eye
glass is more recherche than a gold or
pearl one. Some Of the new Jewelry IS
very intricate IN design, and where stick
pins for hat strings or bows are made the
stones are small and fine. | noticed pin
for the hair in form Of an Interrogation
point, with pearl at the end, and very
pretty brooch of fine small stones, with
flower on a bowknot. The flower hung
loose, and thus threw out constant flashes
Grape when for bands and fiat trimming,
should have "A foundation of crinoline and
over that one of thin cashmere, and must
be turned under and hemmed down TO the
crinoline and later catstitched to the ma
terial Of the garment. Grape must always
be cut on the straight, as that brings the
creases bias, and 1t is elastic enough to be
Dulled into any necessary shape. Only
courtauld Grape should be used on bands,
rs the other is not suitable or heavy
enough.
A child should never be hampered in her
clothes. The waists, arm sizes, neckbands
should all be loose enough TO afford perfect
comfort, aid the work should be strong 70
stand the strain. Al the same time II
should be daintily finished, as they would
otherwise suffer by contrast with the child.
Dainty clothes are not luxuries for chill
dren hut necessities. MATE LEROY.