The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-02-01

In the face of the many complaints AZ to
woman's hitherto unheard-of extravaganza in
dress-her departure from the simplicity of her
graudmothers-itis we'll to realize what she has
done in the past, and make some actual com-
PARSONS. Take Catharine de Medic She was
woman with money and fine chance to show
off her gowns. She had one frock made and
embroidered with 1900 pearls and 1900 dia-
monds When Marquise de Montespau was
managing Louis XIV. and his court she do
signed frock of gold. on gold, embroidered
with gold bordered with gold, and over that
gold frieze. stitched with a gold mixed with
certain gold" as though she never could get
gold enough. A chronicler writes: at made
the NEST divine stuff that has ever been
imagined"
There is another phase of the question, fire.
quently spoken of as modern, that is covered
by the record, that in 1916 a certain Miss
Phraser did pay for one frock made for her
some $1,000. Her lover, Sir Carr Scrope, did
bear of the thing, and it did fright him most
terribly, as he feared that he never could keep
her in clothing.
And also some of the exaggerati0ns of hair
dressing that existed during Marie Antoinettes
life at the French court will prove point or
two against old-time simplicity. Even the in
dependent Marie Antoinett meekIy followed
the fashions when she might have set them.
Some of the head-dresses, in the language Of
historian, were works OF patience and magi-
nation" whole landscape was worn upon the
head; meadow studded with flowers;
mountain; q vessel on rough sea, or an English
garden. Some lowered so and 60 inches above
the head; doorways were heightened to admit
the fair women. The styles were given titles;
sentiments vera illustrated. Some of the
popular coiffures for the court ladies were,
"a Pinocuation y; eau CHEN couchant" -
probably q hunting dog, perhaps q pointer;
"A la baigneuse tho bather; "a Pherri-
son the hedgehog. There was Bandeaa
de famour "a bandeau of love; "a Ia frivol-
ite"; "A Ia belle pouIo"-the beautiful hen;
and so on. Now, exactly what couture "A
rinoculaton" could have looked like. it is
difficult to imagine. The reason for it was.
that the Dauphin and Marie Antonette had
just been inocuated; this was az yet ex-
pertinent in France. Old Louis XIV. was dying
of small pox, and the court aud people of
France were interested in the way the expert
ment had worked for their future King and
Queen. Perhaps a description of the couture
"Au sentimente may help the imagination
out in picturing the others. This was worn
by Duchesse, and displayed representation
of her son in the arms of his nurse, with
little negro page and parrot picking cherries.
With this as an Interpretation of sentiment,
what may not inocuIation." the "bather,"
the beautiful hen," and the "bandesu Of
love" have meant2
We may exaggerats sleeves rufies, lapels.
trains, and heels, and it may be purely preju-
dice. but it seems that old-time ladies were
vastly siIlier than modern ones.
@&x
TIE practice of pertaining is certainly being
run into the ground, and it were well that
Beecher's words were considered. He said:
There is no smell so universally pleasing as
no SMELL"
1t is another exploded theory that cobwebs
are excellent to put cuts to stop the bleed
ing With all modern thought and inventions
turning toward absolute cleanliness for surgery
the thought of putting dusty, germ-holding
cobwebs over a cut seems criminal.
80
ihick paste made of starch and cold wafer
spread over an ink spot, allowed to dry and
then brushed and scraped of, it is said, will
remove the stains.
With plain cloth wool gown, not too dark
to show powder marks, there is no easier way
to keep it fresh from the ordinary spots to
which it is heir, than By covering them with
| powder when the dress is put away, and brush
ing off the powder when the dress is TO be worn
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q AA aan arm