The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-02-28

nounce rs pretty in itself, as is all dec
oration, but would advise only plain
faced women with pretty feet to make
the bottom of their dresses more orna-
mental than the top. That is not
natures law. which ever supports her
leaves and flowers on stalks unorna
mented.
Doubt not. and be joyful thereat, that
walking dresses are to be distinctly
shorter. Speaking of pretty feet made
me think of it. Let the hem of your
street dress clear the floor by an inch
certainly, two inches if you will; for
in this respect the reign of common
sense begins again. The tailed street
gown with its dust provoking unclean-
illness is not for this year. Pray that
it may never come again.
Doubt not that this is to be. year of
the blouse, the frock, the jacket. And
here let me drop phrophecy and tell
about the most beautiful jacket. g..
1t was at Lakewood in the pines
where the air seemed Just like spring
and any woman with a new costume
might easily be forgiven for venturing
out without her wrap. She was just
at the door bidding good-by to my
friend as l arrived, and in the sunny
square hall | saw her clearly pic
ture of grace and beauty, her head
backward tilted and her sweet face
st3ewise turned. She wore pretty
velvet toque with frolic luxuriance of
pinmes en- couchapt and en- regardant
Her skirt was slIillfully cut, perfectly
plain. from material of curious mot
tied darllish green. And about her
waist was satin ribbon. and up the
front and about the high collar and
from elbow to the waist ran garniture
of white lace and embroidery. and the
waist beneath was pink silk. and pink
silk was the natty ribbon holding to-
gether the lapelS of that ravishing
jacket with its dappled green hue and
its slashes of velvet and its wide roll
ing collar. very short jacket it was,
ending two inches above the waist line
at least.
j have said that the day was sunny.
Is at Lakewood is almost ALWAYS the
ease My hostess was a dear little
woman in tea gown of silk and lace
and jet and embroidery, and she set
herself seriously to the consideration
of nv amusement. There was fine
sleighing upon the level roads under
the solemn stiffness of the pines to the
north and east. and we took the lake
drive and thought. I'll be bound, the
same unspoken thought of the Kissing
bridge. and admired the willows by the
mill: ard then l was inducted into the
mysteries of an afternoon" at which
were a number of ladies whose names
are familiar from Fifth avenue TO Mob
hill. and where the dressing was metro
politan and more. 1t was cosmopol-
itan.
For there was one fair lady whose
tall form was fitted like a Grecian
pilaster, quite in the English mode, the
innumerable folds running from waist
to hem, from elbow to wrist. from high
embroidered collar to the square yoke,
aud thence depending in an odd little
frill, all this being of dead black ex-
cept the embroidery at collar and
waist. And there was an indescribably
chick Spanish jacket of black velvet
bordered with tiny bells and held close
to the figure with big satin bow, its
wide lapels falling back over puffed
shoulders of white silk. And the bodice
thereof was of figured brocade and be-
low the waist having some absurd
iGttle tabs of black velvet. like tha fifth