Evening star., 1896-11-07


fair that ladies. who always constitute
the biggest half of the better part of an
audience, should have an opportunity to
get even with the escorts who leave them
three times during the evening to soothe
their Overwrought nerves with cigarette
or something. AS the number of ladies
who partake openly of like refreshment is
still very limited, there Is no excuse for
after she has once taken it at the be-
ginning of the performance-unless some
decoro US delicacy, with an opportunity and
a place to eat it. be provided by consid-
crate parties in power. This is exactly
what the New York managers have done.
Upon the main floor of their theater
building they have opened a private cafe
where the ladies can refresh themselves
while the men are smoking below There
are all sorts of dainty delicacie5 to tempt
the appetite. such as salads, cold birds,
croGuettes, crabs, oysters. ices, pastry,
tea, coffee, soda and lemonade.
1t is thought that this innovation will
become very popular and will be adopted
by managers throughout the country. The
plan is likely to be agreeable to both ladies
and gentlemen: to the former, because of
the reasons already given; to the latter,
because even light lunch partaken of
during the progress of the performance is
sure to appease the after-theater appetite,
and thus do away with the expensive sup
per that puts play going beyond the reach
of so many.
II the idea should be generally adopted,
1t would be a very good thing for managers.
because the necessity of shortening the in
urgent and the expense of operating the
stage would consequently be greatly les
sened.
Result of the Experiment..
But whatever developments may follow
this beginning in entracte refreshments,
the first trial has been all that could be
expected. Ladies left their seats timidly at
first-then with more confidence, after they-
discovered that the cafe very much re-
sembled an ordinary club or tea, until the
other night the refreshment room was filled
with fashionably dressed women who Seem
ed to enjoy this new lease of life.
1T gives one a chance to snake the
wrinkles out of ones skirt. which three
hours of constant sitting usually crushes
completely, was the comment made by
one of the ladies who was slipping tea in
the new cafe.
From the appearance of the ladies who
were present, it would seem that they are
inclined to take advantage of the oppor-
tunity to wear their pretty clothes where
there Is place to show them Off to better
advantage than sitting cramped and crowd
ed In a narrow seat, with no excuse for
leaving IT.
Yet fancy waists worn with plain skirts
were the characteristic costumes There
Is no use trying to get rid of either the sep
arate waist or the separate skirt They are
too convenient. and tide US over too many
difficulties to be banished from our ward
robe
A great many of the new waists are made
Of plain silk yelled with chiffon or mousse
line de sole pale blue one at the cafe
had simply tight lining of silk with the
mousseline shirred and draped over it. The
sleeves were the kind that are called Marie
Antoinette. though If that famous queen
ever wore all the varieties of costume
which are attributed to her, she would
have had to live many years more than
historians have recorded. This latest of
her sleeves is shirred all the way up the
upper and under seams, with a little tuck
OF material running Up the inside seam.
AT the shoulder there is a little double
puff.
Waists of Recent Design.
Two other waists conspicuous among tie
tea drinkers were made with Jackets In
one of them a figaro is suggested by an
arrangement Of black satin revers extend
ing across the back. on which was gath