The morning call., 1894-11-27

merity in even inning that the Queen of
Spain had legs like ordinary mortals. An
other sovereign. Queen "Bess." of goodly
memory, was more lenient, but scarcely
less confused. when some of her trading
subjects gave her pair of long woOIen
hose. A blush noun ted to the cheek Of
the royal virgin, and she was ''visibly
ashamed" Nowadays, however, all that
is changed. and one of the most imposing
and important items in the marriage bas-
ket of Alix of Hesse, Czarina of Russia, is
the numerous and varied styles of the
specially made stockings prepared for her
Royal Highness by Nottingham manu-
facturer. The Princess has evidently a
neat taste in all things pertaining to her
footgear. and many of the designs chosen
are her own original efforts. Her royal
grandmamma. Victoria, gave the young
Empress most of her lingerie, which Is,
therefore. nearly all of English manufac-
ture.
There are many pairs of very fine silken
hose in pale pink, pale blue, silvery tone
Of gray and most delicate French gray and
green to be worn with evening dresses
These are all embroidered in fine little
raised sprays, with pale colorings 10 silk,
mouizing with the stockings themselves.
For ordinary day wear there are liberal
numbers Of black spun silk, thick and dur
able. and having a very pretty light open
work design up the center of the foot.
Many are of fine black silk, for indoor
wear with smart afternoon dresses, and
they are embroidered in a small Paisley
design. and some in wild flower sprays,
IL
Warden" 1t is interesting to know that
these are all of English make and that the
embroidery has been wrought by the nim-
BILE fingers of Nottingham cottagers. There
are some pairs of design in broken lines
of bright color crossing a black ground,
such as red and bronze lines on black and
pale blue and yellow lines on a similar
somber background. These are decidedly
original and most becoming to pretty
foot. Many pairs in silver gray have lines
and dots through them of paler gray, look
ing by contrast almost white. Others are
black, embroidered in pale color. such ss
clover. perlwinkle. anthurium and gloxinia.
all destined to match dresses with which
they will eventually be worn.
Of all. the very prettiest are of black
silk, the foot in stripes of exQusltely fine
real black lace work, with narrow stripes
of the silk between, and the lace delicately
caught up over the silk with the effect of
a fine embroidery. In the same style are
some having the lace work less fine and
yet well nigh cobweb-like in texture, with
slightly raised silk embroidery over
where the lacework unites with the stock
ings. The Royal Stuart tartan also figures
among the trouSseau stockings, for the
Queen gives to all members of her family
on their marriage at least one dress in VEL
vet of this design. There are also ribbed
open-work black and white stockings IN a
woven tiny meshed stripe called Grecian,
though made in Nottingham, that are very
| fascinating. Each pair has the cipher ga"
surmounted by a princess crown, EN-
| broidered in red as marking. There is
also a quantity of Nottingham silk and
wooleh underwear of light. warm, du-
rabIe and exquisitely soft kind. marked
again with the princess cipher and crown.
| 1t Is interesting to know that the CZarina
has many gloves in glace kid, with plain
stitching matching the kid, and that her
favorite colors are yellow, grays and tans.
For indoor wear are a goodly selection of
suede gloves, in lovely light tin Is, prettily
and aDtly called champagne shades, as
we'll as many white, gray, fawn and tan
cOloriDgs. There are some pairs of Eng
lish buckskin gloves made in England,
and beautifully soft, pliable and durable,
as well as some antelope skin, which are
specially suitable for riding and driving
Then there are gloves of English make
from Russia leather, the skins having
been prepared in the Crimea. Wells are
also small but varied portion Of the out
ft and some of these have been specially
made to fit the hats and bonnets to be
| worn by the Princess. These are in black,
white and gray. and have the mesh very
finely woven and the spots small, some
times single. new veil. made in Not
tngham, is also included, ana looks like
point d'Aencon bordering and sprigs, ap-
piled on fine Brussels net ground, in an
ivory white coloring, very becoming TO
the complexion.
Among other pretty items provided for
This fortunate young Princess are little
dainty twtlled morning jackets, having
finely tucked Vandyke collars, trimmed
with lace. and some having pointed sailor
collars, with lace insertion. These are
in very pale colors. Some silk and satin
broche blouses are also very charming,
trimmed in various pretty ways with vel
vet or lace. One, having black Spanish
lace over the yoke and on the sleeves to
the elbow, is particularly good STYLE as is
tea-gown in twilled silk. with insertion
and trimming of ecru lace. The colors
are chiefly those which the Princess likes
best-soft pinks and delicate grays.
The gowns provided for the royal trous-
seau were most of them made in Paris or
in ST. Petersburg. It is one of the ancient
traditions of Russia that a bride, being
brought from foreign land to wed son
of The imperial house, shall be stripped at
the frontier Of all her alien outfit and
dressed forthwith in Russian garments
from head to heel. This "law" is not car
ried out in it's entirety nowadays, but a
goodly portion of the brides trousseau
must Of necessity he of Slav0nic origin.