New-York tribune., 1895-08-11
HOME AND SOCIETY.
THE DECLINE OF PRACTICAL jokes

STORY OF A WRITING TABLE.
practical jokes. which for the last couple OF
,.aaes have been the favorte method of entertain
~, at large country houses. happily going
o,, of fashion. People no longer fnd. arriving
a, q place where there is big house party OF
,.,,uates that their beds either made pie
,.sh,on. or they furnished with strange bed
.~rows that their clothes are abstracted. that
sbam ghosts and burglars disturb their slumbers.
ana tha, uneatable viands Unexpectedly appear
with their iood
This strange horseplay which intelligent and cul-
,,vated persons find pretend to find amusing
has ever been favorte pastime with what
called smart people; but there doubtless
many among them who find these clephantine
,okes very fatigung. and who will gladly welcome
more rational methods OF amusement.
Perhaps II is one OF those pleasures that
more enjoyable in the retrospect at the time for
4, is really very amusing to hear couple OF the
"old set" exchange "reminiscences over the good
old times when Minnie S. enacted the tough girl
20 shock a newly arrived English woman; and Bob
smith. don't you remember, put that turtle In Es-
,ele y S bed: and Billy Brown came down to break
last in his mstress's ball Dress With bare neck and
arms all OF his own clothes having been abstracted
during the night, and nothing wearable left except
a closet full OF women's gowns In neighboring
room"-all this recounted with hearty laughter and
keen enjoyment over past fun.
Yes. it was great sport in those days. and the
aid times the best times" they will continue.
"And Mily BIS birthday. do you remember that?
When every one agreed TO send her an animal, and
AL day they kept arriving-dogs and cats and
birds white mice. rabbits. guinea pigs ferrets and
even turtles and fish? And how furious her father
WAS, And the candy pull at the Christmas party
al the Lvingston's when Annie X. put her roll of
sticky molasses in among Tom Twillers beloved
shirts and he shut up goat In her closet. and all
night she dared not move thinking a burglar had
hn himself there. and the next morning they found
the goat, who had eaten off all the hens Of her
dresses?
And they will go on ad infintum, each one
supplying the memory of the other with new recol-
lecions. while they speak pityngly of the younger
generation because they have no fun in them
"Tableaux. as they are generally understood
simply detestable from artistic point of view."
said a renowned painter. whose arrangements
from old masters quite wonderful in their
exactness and fidelity. When the idea is simply
pretty picture and the subjects merely wish to
choose what they consider will be becoming TO
their styles of beauty. please do not come 10 me.
really must draw the line at Trby and Rebecca
at the Well! But faithful rendering Of some
really good old painting is great pleasure was
asked arrange some tableaux in Western city
not long ago. and took with me number OF pho
touaphs from famous portraits. which thought
would make fine pictures. The choice of tableaux
was left 10 me. and l was invited to meet a number
select the types that considered appropriate. What
anw there when l produced my photos and
asked the ladies 10 represent them literally, give
you my word of them actually shed tears
Ehsn l assigned to them pictures which they IT.
nverently declared perfectly hideous; and there
seemed to be danger Of utter revolt and failure
Of the enterprise
Finally grew indignant. Jumped up on a step
which gave me a slight command over the audience.
and delivered lecture on the beauties of true
art, the vulgarity of meretrcious display. the
scentious reverence with which such subjects
should be represented and begged them for once
10 sink their own individuality and TO faithfully
represent the Botticellis and the Holbens. as
well as the great masterpieces Of later period
without hesitation or vanity. not considering how
they looked themselves but simply whether they
did justice TO the painting. Well. carried my audi
ence by storm. The women began to realize that
had not come several hundred miles simply to
make them look pretty. and the result was that We
had series of pictures that were beautiful
They were the most perfect things OF the kind l
ever saw; not detail neglected. Girls who
had been selected for their beauty plastered down
their hair and turned themselves into Dutch
Frauen and pre-Raphaelte Madonnas without hesi-
tation. the result being that had the most real
stic series of examples of the Old Masters that has
ever been given as far as my experience goes The
audience who expected amateur tabeaux after the
accepted type. were treated to artistic exhibition
OF rare and exceptional merit"
A group Of veranda cushions which are very
effective. are of white unbleached muslin each one
having windmill sketch painted in Prussian blue
ell colors. after design delft plate. The paint
should be used very sparingly TO obtain the right
shade, a nearly dry brush being necessary for the
soft clouds and background. Another group Of
cushions covered with apple green and pale sky
blue denim have designs printed upon them in
pure white.
I'VE went to-day to buy our winter hats before
coming home" writes an American girl In Paris.
for mindful of their American clientele, the mo-
distes now show their winter fashions in midsummer.
Some Of them perfectly lovely. All Of the large
in Marie Antoinette style. very big. with
crowns gathered on. with lots OF shirrng and
Strauss diamonds In the way Of buckles and but
tons In fact there seems to be a regular epidemic
Of buttons which sewed on hats and gowns
without any apparent raison detre whatever. The
smaller hats all seem to be OF the Louis XIV type
Madge got which was awfully becoming. IL is
OF bright green velvet, with very small hign
crown and rolled brm. like the beavers OF Beau
Brummel and his friends This Is edsed with
asrachan and the crown has high nodding
Princesse feather on either side fastened with
diamond buckles
The everlasting pailettes are as much 70 the iore
ever and sweet little bonnets are MADE OF VeiVet
or cloth. covered with patterns OF these shining
little spangles / bought one that was peiieo'
dear II has frame Of fur. with tiny emoro'uereo
crown OF white cloth drawn up into the shape OF a
butterfly in front with a white agrette stuck up IN
the centre Butterflies to be the favorite orna-
ment Just now, and are used in JET pailettes' en-
broidery and painted quilts. ! saw very pretty
hat at vrots, made OF black quils painted as III
descent green butterflies. The crown was Oh green
ribbon punched on side with the qui''s' anu '"e
orlm OF black velvet arranged "ne -
fhera NJ
drawn up In gathers and various shapes ana tr'l'-
med with feathers. Everything that is reaiy ue.
sirable however, is frightfully expensive, anu you
viii laugh when tell you. that instead 0, sren'"s s
my allowance here have decided ina, S"a.
better to bring 1t back and buy most OF my V,
al home. especially now know e~ao"'
should like have"