The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-17
SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO TALK
ABOUT Just NOW.
Women Must Resort to Home Interests.
spring Practically Here-Gowns for
Childrcn-Noyelties in VI ,liinerY.
lconyrlehtcd 1895 for The TimosO


about. An classes are affected, from
the lowest 10 the highest. and from the
Intellectual 10 the cosby The National
WOmau's Council has just met and aG-
jourucd. the suffrage elections have been
settled one way or another; Anna Gould
is married and gone. Mrs. Vanderbilt
has her divorce. and the opera is thing
of the past The dcarth of conversations
al subject matter is positively alarming.
Tho fashionable cafes, where women
gather after shopping, for cup Of chocO-
late, no longer Vibrate with the sound
OF many yc.ce5 clamOring 10 bc heard
upon as many different subjects. There
IS nothing 10 do but settle down 10 the
humdrum of domestic hfc until something
interesting happens again.
Although this is very monotouous ana
uu.ntercsting, it must be admitted that
the calamity has befalen us at very
convenient moment. for summer with,
its opportunities for flirting and pic
turosque attire viii be here before We
a-e ready for 81. The breathing spell
VIII be great relief to the fashionable
world, and if Miss Gould had arranged
her wedding with reference to the sIlrit-
ual good Of the general public, she could
not have done better than she aid. What
Il mental strain the suspense of waiting
seven Lcntcn weeks would have been
upon the women who drank in all the
details with the Cagerncss OF "A politician
for election news Yet American WO-
men boast of their democratic principles.
But, as 1 say, that is all over and women
must resort 10 lesmatc home interests
for amusement. Perhaps the novelty OF
tho occupation will be a diversion to some,
but to the brOad-miudcd, capable women
who have iutcllects sufficiently strong
TO attend 10 domestic interests as well az
public and social, these days viii be
blessing
Spring Of all seasons of the year, is
tho most labOrious for families where
there are many children, and now Is
the opportunity TO lay in the summer
wardrobe for the younger members OF
the family. The shops are fun of ready
made dresses for girls from babyhOod &c
fifteen years but 10 is much more eco
nomical TO make these gowns at home.
The long Kate Grecuaway costumes for
little tots are out of favor. They were
pretty but very Inconvenience for they
were constantly getting I'm the way OF
pattering feet and throwing the wee ones
down II was a funny sight TO see the
little midgcts holding up their frocks just
as their mammas and eroWn-up sisters
did, but the short knee lengths look ever
so much more comfortable and business
like. Girls from seven to ten wear their
frocks reaching half way from knee 10
shoe tops.
There is no prcttior and at the same
time moro servlceablc material for chill
dren than fine chambray. Some of these
in pinks ana blues are exhibited I'm the
shops made very simply with fine em-
broiderv yOkes about two Inches
long The frock is cut very like an apron
and edged around the TOP with fine mar
row lace. These were marked $3.50, and
il ones lime is valuable it would be
cheaper to buy such dresses ready-made.
When blOuscs are made at all loose
for such small people they are quite Ions,
reaching four inches below the waist
A pretty blue and white dimity was made
like this. Most OF the young ChIldrcn's
clothes, however. are made with yokes
or guimpes, which is a much prettler
style because there is so little length in
chld's dress anyway, That when II IS
broken by lire almost midway the
dress has anything but graceful swing.
4 pink Bingham for an eight-ytar-old
was made with a guimpe of line cream
colored insertion. over this was a blouse
of the pink material banded with two up
and down rows of the insertion. The
skirt had a belt Cf the same insertion
and three rows reaching from the waist
TO the hem and ending ChouN of pink
satin ribbon. The fun puffy sleeves were
caught with a strap OF ribbon fastening
on the shoulder with a pink chou.
\ dainty little dress OF pink lawn was
trimmed with fine cream lace. Five ROWS
Of insertion running around the skirt
alternately with strips of material from
hem TO waist The waist had a white
gimp and Il bertha of seven points edged
with lace. \ double row of fine lace was
also sewed around the top of the bertha.
inns pointed collar is great favorite
for girls dresses and appears on frocks
for small women Of from three to twelve
years. Berthds and hoppy things over
the shoulders are worn only by young
girls. They are replaced by brctelles
and reyers for older people.
Many of the school dresses arc made
with straps over the shoulders, like sus-
pendeTs A pretty checked wool material
was made like this. The checks were
Lincoln green and white and about a
quarter OF an inch IN diameter. The skirt
was plain The blouse had fun green
plaid SILK front bounded on each side with
tWO-inch straps of the checked material.
These straps were stGenod with crnoline
and were oTnamented with tiny velvet
covered buttons yet on in clusters of
three The collar and belt were OF
green velvet.
Ilald. which everybody is wearing
now, Is especially pretty for children.
four-ycar-old was dressed IN irock
with plaid blouse and plain Kilt skirt,
trimmed with straps OF ribbon. Figured
WOODEN materials are prcttier than plain,
and are more fashionable for children.
ODD figures with indistnct outlines APP
pear Ina the ribbons worn by the younger
fry for hat trimmings. 4 leghorn hat
was trimmed with wide ribbon OF white
ground and iudistnct rose Colored figure
Besides this the hat was nearly covered
with punches OF hllies OF the valley and
big red and yellow dahlias. a brown
straw was loaded with brilliant RED pop
pies a large bow OF blue and white
striEed ribbon with immense bachelO.
buttons or bluets trimmed IA white straw
hat for a Beyen-year-old.
Millinery IN general is so tempting that
Il win be a great strain upon us to wait
until April 18th before coming out In
our Easter bonnets. Most of the new
hats have wide brims. which is sensible
10 begin with, for summer. One of the
most attractive hats yet displayed was
a wide ieghorn yelled with fioEnce OF
:ne cream lace. a Tam O'Shanter crown
was banded with lace insertion over dark
velvet. with buckle OF brillants In front.
From beneath this buckle chump Of