Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-10
BONNET AND DRESS.
NE xese Gowns Of rhss Age and Elevated
Trains es Former Years--sseiety
Notes ana Personals.

There b . time and season for ali things.
We are told. and the prehistoric journal
istsc joke has ITS regular time to annually
como forth and shine, ne the birds have
10 sing and the roses have 60 bloom. The
small boy knows intuitively when he has
: solemn cali, like an imperative duty to
perform In spanning top. then flying kite
playing marbles, rolling hoop. while handy
and ball each has its day Of supremacy
The who]ef ale manufacturer OF fnirth,
familiarly known as the funny-mar. - not
less conscientious in tho discharge OF ms
duties OF hiarlty, however che phantine his
efforts may be. When the rain rsineth the
borrowed umbrella is his theme.
The dramatic season 10 rich In sugges-
tiveness. and the tall hat of the girl who
Ats Ia front OF you and the thirsty man
caught in tho act Tor between acts) are
treasures trove to the saiaried jester.
There is the married mans pretty type
writer--for, hike brides. taken collectively;
they are sll iorelg; the fiirtations Rlri az
the telephone central; tho man VIII b the
spicv fume upon his breath, and countless
other fables of supposed fun. But now
these ancient mariners upon the Sea VI
hitarify arc stranded, while the gay .fn1
glorious Easter bonnet rides the crest OF
the wave, a. well az the wavy crest ~ ftui
sail. Such shining lights of wit as the TED
Sl5finys are most tacetions AT tneir e1pen,sr''
The illustrated comic sheets show US such
flower masses upon the heads OF tne
fashionable fair that the bees are actually
fooled bv their naturainesss. like the bros
were by Xeuxis's painted grapes. ana 20
swarming among them. and such are truth,
fully said TO have "a bee IN .h ;o0n Donni
makes an old Irish gardener sprinkle
profusely pile OF roses upon a garden
seat not knowing that 1t is my lady scadped"
in fowery masquerade
sss
Whenever achange OF season rolls around
there is one queer and notable contradIc-
ton wbicb impresses me about the fash
ions--yiz.. that fashIon-plates do not tel
Won the fashion. To discern ct once what
will be the leading style upon looking over
page after page OF dissimilar cuts would
be like looking at swarm OF oees ana
singing out of the maze OF confused WINS
the queen bee whose course Ill otneIs
would blindlv follow.
The q ueen bee of fashions Is the one
which wings its fight in every degree OF
soc;ety's latitude, which 10 no respecter OF
persons or considerer OF stations. Inc
nurse maid. the cook, tho n'odste, ana my
lady each renders variations upon tue same
theme of style, and the only difference Is
i'll tlc lOut VI N@~~NN~~-
For some time past the most character
isfic mark of woman's attire has been IN
the superfuous length OF gown LETT TO
trail upon the ground. Some ten years
AGO the same style was IN vogue Oh wear
ing trains in the street, only there , Tss m
strap by which the silken, attire
was always held well up, and often
il was carried by an attending escort, II he
happened to be especially gallant or par
ticuiarly Indifferent to cutting luulcrous
figure. Not the least important part OF
these elerofed trains was the "petticoat De-
neath," which was literally snam anu ue,
ception. inasmuch as Its furoelows ana
Ixces only graced the visible side
Now. however. the situation requires
genuine clean sweep upon the ground Oh
the most fashionable toilets, ana wnat is
more. q countenance obivlous OF the SUD
stitute services of the most approved pat
ant sfreet-cleaners. AS absurd as uncom-
fortable ga uutidy and extravagant as is
this prevailing style. 1t must be acknow,
ledped that the high minded, high-sklrted
woman looks sadly out OF fashion, and. as
has been remarked before, out OF fashion
out OF the world, for
Little Mamie Nefticoat,
In her short petticoat,
The longer She lives the shor ter she grows"
was never considered. even In the days OF
Mother Goose, O pattern of style. though
we are told she was shining light. Au-
thorlties on this weighty subject inform
us that TO speak OF the tram OF your
dressn is most provincial. Drag" covers
the ground, as it were, most correctly,
though tail OF your gown conveys
quite an du fat impression, and at least
explains the whyfore of the latest style OF
skirt, which has been christened the
Comet skirt"
But to return TO Easter bonnets. The
queen bee of headgear promises TO be
very pronounce poke with tiny stove-pipe
crown. Straws in hats, as well as hay
ricks. show which way the wind blows.
and IL may be plainly seen that We are
leaning towards the quaint old Shaker
STYLES. Who Will say whether hoops and
reticules will not follow! d,
Be il known that the so-called lords OF
creation oestow quite as much care upon
the style of their hats as do the gentler
sex. and the smallest details in change of
shape is an important consideration. What
we term a Derby" and the Londoner
calls a spot hat,n we are told this spring
must have their crowns trlne hlgher,
while the square-topped varieties IN
browns and blacks will be In supremest
favor despite their unbecomingness.
Cav Paris is no longer the mirror OF fash
ion-for men at least. Everything must
be un Anqiais des Anglais; even tho nice
conduct of a loaded cane" must be pat
termed after the behavior OF such as
yaupt themselves upon Piccadilly. At
present the London masterpiece OF
the Bond-street tailor wears uni
yersaliy the coat of mourning In neat
band of black upon his sleeve, but as yet
the American dude has not thus walled
for the dead prince. But II would be well
for them to discard the red tie. which for
them has been the tie which binds y
Quite long enough, and adopt the neat
black tie. which on account OF the low-cut
coats is Gse Thing, and they must be tied, as
n rule. in a sailors knot or folded over
carelessly pulled out and fastened with O
pin of black onyx.
Miss Swan, who has been visiting Miss
Elise Williams, left last week.
The Misses Story have returned to their
home, IN Boston.
MIS- Judith Darlington has returned
from Lynchburg.
Miss Agnes Palmer is the guest of Mrs.
James Caskie.
Miss Louie Powers ia in Louisville.
Miss Saliie Desne has returned from
Halifax county.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alfred T. Harris have re.
turned to the city.
Misses Marion and Kate Harris are at
home for the Easter holiday.
Miss Richie Graves is the guest of Mrs.
Joba Hunter.
Miss Pattie Moon is the guest of Mrs.
Samuel Martin.
Miss Ethel Patterson, of Berryville, and
Miss Mary Tidball. of Winchester. are the
guests of the Misses Powell.