The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-19

nobodv dreamed that such a hat as hers
1vould he worn except in the daytime. In
those days magnificence was the key
mote of all dress, and undoubtedly her
ladyship had just come from walk IN
the garden the day her picture was
painted although she was dressed in a
brocaded petticoat and Il satin jacket for
her morning stroll But when she went
to the theater to laugh at Nell Gwynn
or to THE opera to hear the French
singers her beautiful hair was elabor-
ately dressed with feathers and jewels,
and she took off after she entered her
box the quilted hod that protected her
head from drafts MS she travelled
through the streets in her sedan chair.
Nowadays hats and gowns suited to
the street are worn in the evening,
laces and jewels proper only for evening
wear are conspicuous in the morning,
and the law of good taste seems for
gotten. But there are some women who
dress well. Occasionally one does meet
a woman who in the morning is gowned
in the simplest of cloth frocks, who in
the afternoon goes visiting in rich silk
and velvet and a tiny bonnet and who
in the evening is fine and gay in bright
colors anu lace, rich jewels. and rust
ling silks and all the furbelows permit
ted to lovely women.
FUR ON EVERYTHING.
By-the-bye, fur is ON everything from
the ball to the dressing gown and from
the street wrap to the opera wrap. Wo-
men always feel luxurious when they
have on furs. They caress one. They
make the skin look whittier, the eyes
b,.,sr /, to,. ala
room, where there are plenty of flowers
and some sweet perfumes, the woman
who goes in from the cold wrapped up
in furs suddenly feels a sense of great
luxury as she pulls the soft, warm
wrappings about her, even if she does
not need them. l remember three
beautiful actresses who always looked
their best in fur-lined cloaks-Lillie
Langtry, in sapphire velvet cloak, lined
with the skins of 800 chincillas; Olga
Nethersole, in an orange velvet wrap,
lined with ermine, and Mrs. Brown
| Potter, in green velvet wrap lined with
| mink. Ouida, that artist in dress, al
ways covers her heroines with furs,
which for time they always decline to
| lay aside, giving the people whom they
are visiting an opportunity to see them
IN the most picturesque framing pos
sible.
| The skins of animals seem proper for
| women to wear, for one can think of
| che brave lover risking his life to hunt
wild beasts that they may be laid at the
| feet of his ladylove to form a mantle
for her, which will always remind her
of his temerity. That sounds nice and
sentimental, but nowadays the bravery
usually consists in the man being willing
to pay the bill after my lady has chosen
what she desires to possess in the way
| OF furs. Every woman longs for sables
l-Russian Sables-but unfortunately
every woman does not get them. How
ever, there are other furs that are won
/ derfuily becoming and which are within
the reach of the average woman. There
is the blue fox, which is gray. and
which brings out the olive skin of the
brunette IN the most exquisite manner.
linen there are mink and ermine and
black fox for the blond, who. If she has
= good bank account makes herself
look handsome in a Russian blouse of
sealskin having high collar of ermine
Almost any trouble could be borne in
such garment for the consultations of
religion would be weak beside it. There
Is something dignified about furs. and
yet how few women are dignified.
ESSENCE OF DIGNITY.
The average woman, anxious to be dig
Ill