Evening star., 1896-12-12

5000 of the latter, and the former are gar
rison pets to an extent impossible else
where. Think what any American town
would be were one-quarter of it's people
soldiers,
Society on the Rock is ex clusively Eng
lish. but the travelling American who is
favored with lntroductions to the families
of one two of the British officers finds
it very pleasant. Afternoon tea in one of
the white villas on the Europe road is an
experience to be remembered Tea is
served in high-ceiled. whitley walled room,
hung with warm-colored Moorish draper
les and looking down through swinging lat
tees into the patio. or court, about whic h
Gibraltar houses are built, like those of
Spain. Gibraltar, it is to be remembered,
is not Spain. The court is small, but green
with geraniums, though 1t is December.
The hostess is an English lady and her
costume breathes of London, though 1t
never saw the British capital. 1t IS Paris
frock, but Paris adapts herself to the
tastes of her customers and English Wo-
men are nowhere so English as when they
overlook the watch towers of SPAIN 1t is
a heavy silk which shades green and black
and has the merest edge of sable fur as a
finish at the hem. The bodice fs of pale
yellow crepe de chine laid In fine plats
and worn under smart little bolero of
very dark green velvet with a narrow
border Of black and gold embroidery. There
is a pointed belt of velvet draped in folds
and a velvet stock collar with ruche OF
=
The sleeves of shot silk are cut with droop-
ing puffs at the shoulders and thence in
close plaits to the wrists. 1t makes a rich
and yet a sober costume. and the lady
who wears it talks of the sins of servants,
as women everywhere talk, and OF the
dearness of provisions. which have to be
brought on donkey back out of, Spain
Among her guests is a young woman
just from England. and going on TO lndia
TO marry a Calcutta colonel. She opens a
budget of gossip from London and wears
one of her trousseau dresses, a splendid
black satin brocade, figured with Danish
red and olive. and worn with a Russian
blouse of olive silk, frightened by draped
belt of red velvet and yoke outlined with
the same material. Her big picture hat Of
olive felt is swept by heavy black plumes.
Gala Dress of Shot SILK.
A young girl with the exquisitely bright
English complexion belongs to trim
yacht anchored in the harbor after a Med
iterranean cruise. She Is in gala dress of
shot silk. glancing blue and black. and
barred with lines of gray thrown together
In clustered stripes. The bodice is very
pretty and very simple. 1t Is Of dark blue
silk. fitting like a habit basque A full vest
of gray crepe in front is outlined by revers
Of gray velvet. Epaulets of gray velvet,
short but full and arranged in cape fash
ion, give pretty finish to the tight sleeves.
Upon the curly blonde hair is a gray vel
vet turban. with black feathers.
A captains wife, petite. plump and pleas
ing, wears a flowered silk, that is, perhaps.
better worth mention than any other gown
in the room. 1t is a new weave that a
French manufacturer is beginning to ex-
ploit, and that has not, SO far as / am
aware. yet crossed the stormy Atlantic. 1t
is soft, lustrous and ribbed in waves Civ
ing an effect more broken and ripplinR
than the moires. In warm brown tint, 1t
suits the wife of the captain. 1t is striped
with gray, and against the stripes small
pink flowers are thrown with dark green
foliage The skirt Is cut narrow, according
to recent ideas, scarcely four yards round
The bodice is novel and almost UNIQUE
with its blouse of gray silk, fiowered with
pink and green, its bolero of solid brown
bordered with chinchilla, and it's belt of
dark green velvet.
Down in the green garden, under the lat
hced windows, fountain is playing and
beside the fountain Barbary ape is tied
The ape is one of the tribe that from time
immemorial have dwelt upon the Rock and
are petted by the soldiers. After the tea
and the biscuit have disappeared the guests
go down among the geraniums The ape
chatters, and the sun Sits down through
the pepper trees. and presently 1t is time
for drive to the Alameda.
ELLEN OSBORN.