The National tribune., 1893-10-12

the back; another ro-
set of silk and bow furnish foundation for
two straight aigrets, one white, the other black.
1t makes the neatest possible travelling or every
day hat. The plaid trimming is an important
part of the trg effect. A brown hat trimmed
with brown-and- white plaid ribbon, brown
velvet roset and brown aigret would be as
pretty as the oRe described.
Dark-blue hats of this style are generally
trimmed with bit of Scotch plaid ribbon and
red or blue quill
In the cut, the gown Of dark brown cloth has
sleeves, vest, belt and bands trimming the
skirt and lapeIs of black satin. This coRbin-
ing of black and brown is considered very
Frenchy.
Flexible, fat disks are fashioned into stylish
Winter hats. The disks are sometimes cut
out and velvet Tam-o' -Shanter crown, or q
peaked crown, made of fancy material, is put
in. Or it may be that the fat felt is twisted
into fashionably jerky shapes and trimmed
without any crown whatever. perfectly fat.
The brim droops and can be bent very grace
fully. Milliners slit them, too. in trimming
them, to make them even more flexible.
Black-and- white is one of the favorite COM
binstions this Fall. And neat clean-looking
combination it is when too glaring effects are
avoided. 1t is not generally becoming. yet it
is often seen, this "magpis" combination, as it
has been called.
Queen Victoria is quite knitter. so gossip
has it, and she and her attending ladies make
quilts for the hospitals. To rest under COM
fort made by a queen must be rare privilege.
So it is reserved for special patients, frequently
those who are dying and otherwise comfortless.
In immediate consequence it soon became that
the patients regarded the Victoria quilt as a
death signal and dreaded it.
For little while the chrysantbemum will be
the favorite flower, then probably the violets
and long -stemmed American beauty roses will
step in as the fashionable flowers.
1t may assist in the cure of bad habit to
learn that French physician has named the
nervous disorder" of biting the finger nails,
"OnchyOphage."
WHAT WE HAVE READ AND WHAT WE ARE
READING.
And the talk about books is to be continued
There several pleasant letters waiting their
turn. Quite variety of books is suggested
some decidedly worthier than others. DAu-
bigne's History of the Reformation is standard
work the subject, and worth close study;
but here is letter about it:
One of the best books have ever read is The
History of the Reformation. by Merle DAu-
bigne. The life of the great Reformer is vividly
and minutely portrayed. as also are the lives of
anumber of other great men of the 18th and 10th
centuries. definite knowledge of Papacy as
it then existed, with all its cruelties, and its
narrow minded ignorant, selfish priests, is
gained by reading this wonderful production
of a most finely organized mind.
HOmer's 1liad is very beautiful and enter
tanning, but requires a great deal of concen-
trated thought and good knowledge of myth
ology.
Ben Hur, by Wallace, certainly ranks first
among novels 1t is so well known and so
extensively read as to need no comments.
The Fair God, also by Wallace is beautiful.
Odd or Even? by Mrs. A. ID. T. Whitney, is
at once brilliant and simple. The heroine is
the most wonderful combination of innocent
girlhood and womanly intelligence imaginable,
while the hero has mind of unusual loftiness
and briliancy. He IS exactly the kind of man
to win the heart of such girl.
Ivanhoe and The Lay of the Last Minstrel,
by Sir Walter Scott, and Vanity Fair, by
Thackeray. are we'll known and liked.
Which Loved Him Best2 The Girl Hero,
Hearts to Win and Break and The Silence of
Dean Maitland, are the saddest sweetest of
love stories
As to poets-well, perhaps, had better not
commence with poetry, or, like Hazel Wood,
shall never know when to stop.
l want to thank our kind editor for giving
us the opportunity of discussing books. ! am
sure it will become most interesting feature.
Hoping have not imposed upon your good
nature and promising to be more concise next
time, bid you au revoir.
NV. c., White Oak, o.
Another letter gives list of books, many of
which are strange:
ATLANTIC, WYo., July "a, 1898.
DEAR BETTER HALF: / herewith send you
list of interesting books that | have read in
side of year. The two that ! like the best
head the list: Kady. PenDycomequicks. Dukes
Secret, Cleopatra, Monsieur Lecoq. Our Mutual
Friend, A Fatal Wooing Like Diana's Kiss,
Great Expectations. II. A. G.
Being an ardent admirer of Dickens, would
put Great Expectations at the head of the list,
rather than at the end however. / have never
read Kady.
Gen. Lew Walace's new book, The Prince of
India, seems to be in favor, but il probably will
never be so well loved as Ben Hur, story of
the Christ
ELSIE PoMERoY MCELRoY.