The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-28


they have over it. At these picnics the
ladies dress in their very prettiest and
most picturesque gowns, always with
view to the lovely green trees and shrub
berry in the background The van with
the provisions precedes the carriages by
about 100 yards, and the carriages fol-
low as though going to funeral, but
the bright costumes and parasols, hats
and fanciful wraps and fluttering rib
bons, make it appear very lively Gill
terment."
The king was invited to one of these
delightful picnics by the young Duchess
of Bligny out of courtesy, and much to
every ones surprise he went, not in the
procession, but quietly in his own car
rage, meeting the party Oh the grounds,
winch We're about six miles from the
shore, and he insisted on paying his ex-
penses, 10 francs. There were several
Americans there, and it must be admit
ted that they clearly love lord" One
was in absolute despair because she
thought rough and ready costume the
best for picnic. The young duchess
wore regular vatican costume of pink
taffeta, with an overdress of pale blue
foulard with pink and green figures on
it. Her slippers had high red heels, and
she wore pink plume i'll her hair.
The sly little woman had worn a sur
tout of gray alpaca so that no one had
even guessed her costume until she took
Off her big hat, of which the pink feather
had seemed part, and unbnttoned the
surtout and stepped forth in that be-
witching gown. The rough and ready
American nearly died of vexation. The
pretty duchess looked like picture lust
come to life. She is pretty anyhow and
generally affects the picturesque. One
day she wore u gown of black lace over
red velvet, and another day she wore t.
pink silk muslin with 30 hounces of
white, buttonholed on the edges with
silver thread. But not every one can
afford such toilets.
was told that there would be quite a
revival of vatican costumes this season
for high teas and receptions-not simply
the vatican plaits down the back, but
the whole design, with low panniers
or loopings The elbow sleeve will come
in with them. The quaint printed silks
of this season lend themselves admira-
bly, to the vatican styles. There is a pale
blue and white striped peau de sole
which has rows of tiny but most per-
feet flowers printed on the white stripes.
The same design is carried out in lilac.
lavender and pale rose leaf pink, a shade
that has been out several years. This
and peachblow silk in rich qualities are
very delicate. There are also several
beautiful striped silks where the darker
stripe is of ashes of roses, an exquisite
tint. These silks naturally are for home
and evening wear.
To return to our picnic. The brilliant
and beautiful Countess of Martel, who
writes so many novels, was there, and
she is always exquisitely dressed, though
q literary person" Her gown was of
golden brown faiile, draped and founced
with rare old Spanish lace. The drapery
surrounded the shoulders and was drawn
fichu fashion around the bust and down
to the hips, where it formed a slight
pannier, and then it crossed to the back
aud was tied loosely, the ends falling
nearly to the bottom of the skirt. Tho
ends were made double by sewing two
widths of the lace together. A poke
bonnet was of shirred silk like the dress,
with dark brown velvet ribbon that
tied under the chin and two upright
bows, filled in with mass of pink
crush roses without leaves.
At the improvised tables were some
remarkable people. The Princess de
Leon was there, wearing an 1880 gown
of royal purple cloth, richly trimmed
with fine black and gold braid, sewn on
in palm leaf pattern and studded here