The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-06

IT seems nowadays as If we could talk
about nothing but the fashion In one
way or another. The New YORK snop
windows are glorious masses OF color'
The women who are walking snow III
their frocks, their. hats, and their para
soils the brightest shades that elther
harmonZe or contrast At the fasnlOn-
able visiting hour Fifth avenue looks IKE
q moving flower bed. At the fashlonable
shopping hour Broadway and those size
streets where the best shops are give one
the impression that the quieter MOWERS
bloom in the morning hours. NOBODY
is too old to wear a bit of brightness;
The elderly lady, with her beauului
white hair, gives a picturesque iooA "
herself and asserts her rights Wheh sue
assumes a tiny capote gay Win pils 1,
red poppies. A few years ago sne "ou.u
have been a blot on the landscape III
gray or black. uaoa
Among the so-called -FOUR I1uhureu
the young girls are Kept younger anu
Younger and are handed over 10 tneil
husbands with very little knoWledge Oh
life. except as each has seen IL from IN
der the wings of mamma, ana tne Iash
ionable mamma does not permit her ouu
40 coo or know too much. She encour-
.noes her in the various fads that the
GIRLS of her acquaintance incline to. but
unless she remains bachelor girl for
several years she has little opportunity
TO make the acquaintance of that much
thought of creature-man. 1t as true
that the American girl occasionally re-
bells against the surveillance that is over
her but her native wit teaches her that
If is affected English and very smart
What | admire in her is her industry.
She is mistress of that sharp-polnted ht-
lie instrument the needle, and she under
stands many other domestic arts that are
greatly to her credit.
FADS OF SMART GIRLS.
The smart girls latest fad is to de-
sign. and to design some very common
place belongings. That is to say, she
hasn't taken up modelling in clay or the
designing of carpets or rugs, but she Is
MANIFEST when she can tell you that the
hat. gown, or Jacket which she wears was
designed by herself Sometimes she IS
able to add that she made it, but oftener
she grows enthusiastic. describes the
picture she drew first in black and white,
then in water colors, and then how out
of tissue paper she cut the practlcai
pattern. She and a number OF her Klnu
Joined a dress making class last winter,
and the result is shirt waist sale next
week for some special charity. Eacn
bodice must bear the name of its designer
and its maker. and the proudest girl IS
the one who both designed and made the
pretty blouse which is her offspring
Then. too, she is studying up interior
decorations Mamma permits her to ar
range certain effects in the reception
room. in her own room, or wherever
change is needed.
One of her wisest studies has been
learning how TO set a table ar1stlcally
and at the least expense. When you
think of the days when girls were given
over to making that useless lace out OF
Irvine of putting silk pieces together to
form that abomination known as the
crazy quilt. it certainly does seem as If
the girl of to-day, not permitted to go
into society at very early age, Is teacn-
ing herself something that will be worth
while when she is the mistress OF a
house.
The fashionable mamma, be 1T under
stood, permits no lovemaking until after
the betrothal She is apt to define love
making, as did a clever man, as the
idleness of the busy man and the bust
ness of the idle man." Following the
fashionable girls example. the well known
actresses are eager to display to the pub
lie their ability in designing. Among the
women of the stage this fancy has shown
itself i'm the designing of jewelry. al
though there are many who are clever at
combining colors for customes.
NEW DESIGNS IN JEWELRY.
The latest design in jewelry from the
theatrical world is a barbaric looking or
nament in the shape of a bracelet that
was the result of Olga Nethersole's clever
pencil. 1t is of dull Etruscan gold, lips
over the hand in bangle fashion, and is
round and very heavy looking. However,
as it is hollow, it is not as heavy as 1T
looks. 1t is unique in that uncut gems
are set at regular intervals in the band.
And these gems must be your own birth
stone and then the birthstone Of those
relatives or friends who come closest to
you in life The idea is that, wearing the
gem that will bring good luck 10 you and
the jewels that are fortunate to your
friends and also share in their good luck.
Lillian Russell designed a most mar
yelous and artistic as well as an expen-
sive watch. Depending from a small
gold chatelaine hangs what looks like a
big red strawberry. 1t is gold, enameled
in scarlet, and the tiny specks on the real
strawberry are simulated by small dia-
monds ON the imitation. At the top are
wee leaves enameled in green, and under
them is spring which when touched
permits little watch, with its back COM
pletely covered with diamonds, to appear.
1t is the sort of trife that one can mag
inc having been fancied by Marie Antoi-
nette or some of the ladies Of her court.