Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-23

| NNSr~& busy for months back
M&x ~N designing and execut-
~ ing the bcwildering ar
- u IMt'N ray which is now spread
u 49, W out before tho eyes of
| shoppers in every line of goods. Washington
| has improved wonderfully in the past few
years in the way of attractions offered to buy
ers; still visit to one of the neighboring
larger cities enables one to see many novelties
| and pretty things which have not yet appeared
here, and which prove well nigh if not quite
irresistible to the feminine sightseer and shop
per. 1t is difficult to tell where TO begin in
| describing the many things Of interest which
| continually claim attention and admiration as
one goes about, for their number is SO large
No new article is exhibited. but only new varie-
ties, many changes being rung on the same
theme.
SMALL COFFEE TABLES.
Among the numerous tables which como to
ones notice are the small coffee tables shaped
| like the Turkish ones and enamcled in white,
| pale pink and blue. There are two sizes, one
quite Tiny but prettier when moderated. ex-
| cept by paint, than the larger ones. The big
| ger size seems to require the inlaying of wood
and mother-of-pearl to set off the shape tor
, the enameled ones are distinctly not pretty
| according to my fancy. The painted tables
cost 81, while the Turkish range from about
| s12 to go. In one of the art establishments a
white table is set forth with round embroidered
mat, coffee pot and little cups. and it all looks
| very pretty. Small Riding-shaped tables in
white are also 81. while there are still other
shapes which are higher priced. as the square,
with a small leaf on each side. which extended
makes a very pretty shape. The ubiquitous
| sofa pillow is seen with some small novelty of
| adjournment The taste for these pretty COM
forts is not satisfied by acquisition apparently
and lately heard 4 young woman wishing she
| had about ten more pillows to distribute among
| the several divans and couches of her house.
| inquired how many she already had As thew
| had seemed rather plentiful, according to my
| observation and thereupon she counted up
nineteen already in her possession, bnt they
| failed to satisfy, and, like Oliver she wanted
more.
TWO NOTICEABLE PILLOWS.
Two noticeable pillows may be mentioned as
examples of good effects, one representing a
| good deal of work, the other very little. The
| first OF these has ground of white silk mail
| cloth. handsome fabric for this and MANY
| other purposes. The design is feur de lis,
which IN several sizes il scattered irregulariy
over the surface and is worked solidly in
/ shades OF orange yellow silk, as a finish on the
edge is five-inch pinked ruffe of yellow gros
grain silk, making decidedly novel and
handsome pillow. The other curtain is of
bolton sheeting of a duh gray blue. and both
| sides of the pillow are covered alike with it,
| but on the right side are two bands of galloon
orange shot with silver threads, which sewed
across rather nearer each end than the middle
| make three divisions of the blue A rufle of
| the same is on the edge. with n narrow hem
| turned onto the right side and then chain
| stitched with orange filOselle the color of the
| galloon. This is very good in coloring and as
no embroidery Is used must be quickly ac-
c0mpished.
ELEGANT WORK BAGS.
Work bags are shown which are really ele-
gant-such heavy brocaded silk being used for
them; they are quite large, with q circle of
silk-covered pasteboard at the bottom. the bag
being sewed to that without fullness and with
draw strings III a shirr at the top. Pockets are
on the inside of the bag for utensils a contrast
lug SILK or satin being used tor lining; thus. a
handsome Indian red brocade, with ecru flow
crs aud silver threads, was lined with olive
green satin, the shlrr strings being olive rib
bon. These bags cost from 81 upward and are
beautiful things as to material and workman
ship.
JAPANESE BRIC-A-BRAC.
In the large Japanese shops are many at
tractiye things. more or less unhackneyed also /;
the small sugar bowls and cream pitchers OF
| silver. and silver and bronze, are very pretty
and suitable for a tea or luncheon table. Little
olive dishes with spoon. having a leaf for
bowl. are also there. as well as other designs.
Lon8-handled spoons of silver and bronze are
IN several pretty styles and may be used for
sugar spoons, with berries or fruit of any kind
these are in two or three styles as we'll as the
Others and are very reasonable in price, Shoe
horns OF copper bronze. in design lotus leaf
with the edges more tightly rolled when it Is
clasped by the hand are pretty novelties
In only one place, believe. are the parasols
| to be found covered with Japanese silks put on
with full rosette or handle ami top, very
ara On 10
cred with the blue aud white cotton crepe and
some exquisite silk crepe ones ia black. white
and colors. One Is made of small white crepe
shawl heavily embroidered and with the deep
fringe hanging from the edge.
NEW MATERIAL.
new material cotton with heavy irregular
weaves. something like the crepon in dress
goods, but much thicker. is shown at the Japa-
nese stores. The ground is of cream old rose
and blne. but shot with other threads to form
changeable effect This is much used for
| summer sofa pillows, and looks sufficiently
| strong for couch covers or anything Of that
Kind. 1t Is 81 yard and yard wide. and is
pretty and new. Shiko. or something similar. is
the name given II. Everywhere are photo
graph frames OF every imaginable style; the
snail ones, covered with white paper, painted
with tiny flowers in Dresden style. being NJ
pretty as possible and very inc xpensive The
opening for the picture is not exactly in the
uiluuie, Dut lIclneS toward the lower
| left-hand corner, thus giving little more space
| for the flowers on one side than the other.
There are no special novelties, however. among
| the multitude Of frames. but good selection
| is always to be found and the quantities of them
| in silver, leather, silk, cotton and paper pro-
| claim their popularity. Among the newest
tribes for personal wear the belts in black,
white and colors, with full rosette of ribbon
effect in silvered metal for buckle. These like
the hair ornaments, are a fashion of the mo-
ment, and with light summer gowns will be
very pretty. the white belts looking more dainty
with the SILVER of the clasp than anything else.
There seems to be positively nothing new in
embroidery; much beautiful work il seen, but
il is just the same as to maseriai and design as
has been mentioned in Sthe past. Orchids
worked ON linen in natural coioring is az novel
as anything, but not tho most pleasing to my
| fancy.
RIBBON AND FLOWER COMBINATIONS
Really the ribbons and flowers combined still
seem the most attractive designs. A pretty ex-
ample is a square OK linen with a ribbon round
about in curves to form a border. but with no
bow knots. This il worked solidly in white
hlof1oss, and at intervals are stars worked with
color in twisted embroidery silk. just one