Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-05
LONDON SHOPS.
The Fun Of Hunting for
Costumes and Hats.
WhiteIy's Shop, Where Everything
Under the Sun Can Be Found.
The Wcarisome Trip Is Forgotten As Thsy
Watch the Only Fresoli.
ST. AIMS TERRACE.

ST. ANN = TtsitiaAtfss
London, May 10Th, 1897.
If there Is one thing more than another
, that Ills The soul of tho average woman
with satisfaction and self approval II Is
, the consciousness that she has made
complete round OF all the shops. thar
nothing has escaped her observation, not
even the latest cut Of sleeves. skirt and
( jacket: and IL perchance "A bargain Is Sc
! cured then bliss beyond compare is
| hers. We felt when reached the me-
tropolis that II was duty we a~ed TO
ourselves our sex and our country 10
| make ourselves familiar Win London
SHOPS Starting with this exalted sense
Of duty, IL VIII be apparent that our shop
ping has been done more from principle
than for personal pleasure. Our FIRST OBJ
ject WAS to secure costume. w, mad
vertently inquired for suits warn
ing pinch from II, recalled her English.
she gave an apotogetic cough and muir
| INJURED "costumes. 1t was a large and
fashionable Diapers shop. highly recon-
mendcd. w. seated herself, and Il. pro-
ceeded to try on a costume of the fash
, ionabie shade of the season, called the
Queens blue. which Is certainly the
most uncompromising, assertive blue our
eyes ever baheld. THAT is right smart
is II not? and such a fine hit. is It note
interrogated the smiling saleswoman. IN
the appealing manner which is the uni
versal custom. Smart IL WAS hideous'
Fit, it wrinkled horizontally perpendic-
polite, but we came from the land OF the
brave and the home of George Washing
.on. 50 We gently insinuated that II
/ bagged in the neck; whereupon the
young woman gathered up handful of
the cloth. remarking that could be cut
on then grasping the seams under the
arms something less than an eighth of a
yard she explained. those could be TAX
, en- in, regardless of the fact that the
back seams slanted in such wise as Ia
make ones figure resemble the leaning
tower of Pisa. We mildly suggested that
trying on smaller size. might obviate
the necessity of entirely making over the
garment surprised expression spread
Itself over the young womans counte-
nance. Madam does not comprehend.
we carry only one size, SIS it possible,
We cried, amazed In our turn, that every
one of these forty or fifty costumes is
ly, in tone that implied, what other
way is there to do. We bowed our
heads "and silently stole away
There is no question but that "the hat
! makes the woman" for the spring of ~.
No pen and black ink can portray their
sorgeousness; red predominates, with
close following of green and violet;
straw, ribbons and flowers are of the
same tone for one chapeau. while another
Is composed of every color of the rain
bow. No modest bunch of flowers Will
suffice as in days agone: the up-to-date
hat is hung with garlands about the
grouped beneath the brim. and as if this
We're not enough for one poor head to
carry. there is often seen starting from
the rose garland and waving in mid-air
perfect wheat field Nine. Louise as
sured us that hats to be CONNIE il faut"
must be slightly raised one side and
worn very much tipped over the fore
heads. The one occasion and place to see
London style in all its smartness is the
church parade In Hyde Park. We prom
pn1IpI 1f
noon for several hours till eyes and head
were thoroughly weary. viewing the hu-
man kaleidoscope. 1t certainly is a novel
sight. The day was pleasant though
cool 1--WE have nearly persisted with the
cold since arriving.l There must have
been thousands of deliberately gotten up
women accompanied by the most elegant
looking men we ever saw. They were
all so near and vet so far that we felt
it was our golden opportunity to look
1t was the first Sunday of the season.
and all sweldom was in town. The gowns
We're as delicate in colorns and trimmed
as profusely as one is accustomed to see
at teas and receptions Pearl colored
silk poplns; cerise silks. under open
meshed grenadines; shoulder capes of
white watered silk; while the hats We're
flower gardens of every variety of bios
som in every conceivable color. We
specially remarked the sleeves tight
from wrist to shoulder, where was placed
bow, cap or puff to give a slight full
ness. Wnile tailoT-naue sleeves are lnNa-
riably a small muttonleg.
You must surely go to Whitely's
mustn't YOU said our little landlady.
when We were making our tour of the
shops. adding. 1T is the largest one in
London. 1t is Mr. Whitly's boast thai
1t is impossible to mention any article
which cannot be found in his shop. The
story goes that one day in conversation |
with a friend he wagered ten pounds that
he could supply him. instanter. with the
most improbable thing he could call for
The gentleman thought diligently for a
moment and then called not ''for fiddlers
three. but for second hand coffin |
Luck was against him-one had been |
made n few days before and sent out |
but proving too small. had been returned |
and with the malevolence which often |
characterizes inanmate things, stood
ready to deprive him of ten pounds |
Whitely's shop is a series of many. one |
leading into another through archways |
of which the most charming is the green |
house. filled with the largest. sweetest |
English violets, mammoth mignonette |
wonderful orchids, where singing birds !
and splashing fountains make picture |
one cannot forget. The green grocers' !,
department is dream-such crimson. |
waxen strawberries of huge proportions /
We never before knew existed; peaches |
taste. at prices suited to the purse of the /
royal family. Extreme from Whtely's. ]
in direction is. "Cheapside." something of !
a misnomer. by the way. many articles
being higher than on Regent street. We
purchased pens and pencils there and
were obliged to buy the former by the
box and the latter by the dozen; but our
feelings were soothed and our pride up
lifted, even II our purses We're depleted. :.