The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-04-16
ideas for dWomen.

make OF every holiday an occasion for
the giving of gifts. The Fourth of July
and George Washington's Birthday have
not been entered into the schedule yet,
] but all other holidays nave followed in
j the footsteps of Christmas.
i The custom has been established for
y Easter Sunday, and it is quite as much
i the correct thing to send a gift then
as on ones birthday. Flowers, boxes of
: men bons and books are the chief pres
$ but the makers of dainty trifies feel
MT envious and have devised for Eas-
raj yale exquisite tokens. of remembrance
& grtching little things that draw the
Ike lar from the purse as if by magnetism.
mr. The florists are putting together ex-
quisite designs for Individual gifts; for
favor seems to go to these days to harle-
quin bouquets. Last year one ordered a
dozen American beauties or two dozen
hyacinths, but for this Easter day the
grouping of natural flowers is as popular
as the combination of artificial ones on
hats.
A florist gave me a peep into one box
that was being arranged to send to
New York. The ttom was banked with
great, thick bunch, ( geranium stalks
and leaves, mingled with the glossy
begonia leaves; one half dozen American
beauties with a couple OF punches of
single purple ~violets, and here and there
white, pink and lavender hyachinths; a
few begonia leaves over the top to keep
the inner contents a surprise-and then
the ndi
Wasn't that a box fit to set before
the queen?
Heilotrope with hyacinths is another
combination. and geranium leaves are
playing a star role. Shower baskets are
one of the cleverest surprises that florists
are f~ashioning. These are frail. green
bamboo baskets with broad, dropping
brim, out of which trail smilax, while
the loosely heaped blossoms fall over the
brim in artistic carelessness.
While the florists lead in membranes
for Easter, the. jewelry shops are at
tracing attention by less fragrant but
more substantial offerings.
Prayer books are devised in covers
that I fear might take the mind of any
girl off the service. 1t would be like
tempting her to send her such a book.
1 remember a delightful, dear Creole
OF Florida In her sixteenth year, who,
when her frivolous grandchild begged
her to wear gay lace fri1ls on the sleeves
of her Sunday dress. would answer
in her quaint vernacular. What for you
want me do to that? I would be look
ing at my frills all the time instead of
the priest. A nice sin you would have me
do"
Probably hat is What the tempted
young girl would have to say to the
tempting young man who sent her one
of these Easter prayer books. But how
pretty they are!
The very newest and most original
are the prophet edition. I call them that
because no name has been given them,
and that d~esignates them fairly.
The cover is of silver gilt, a deep, deep
shade, almost bronze, with odd high
lights in it. A few designs are thrown
: in relief, and in either corner is a fine
of q prophet in Limoges enamel.
Miniatures are exquisitely done,
price to s100, which is probably another
reason why the average young man will
hesitate before he sends one, ever to
the glfl Oh ms cnolce.
One or two of the covers have instead
of the prophets a woman's head-a
saints head and Easter lilies lone in
the same enamel They are easily first
of the Easter novelties, and I under
Stand only a very few of them nave
sbeen brought here; for those who can
afford one and want to make a rare
gift nothing can be more beautiful. The
print and paper are of the finest ma
terial.
But there are lesser things that are very
attractive.
Dresden china a been moulded into
delightful shapes to catch every vagrant
whim n necessity of ~womankind.
Among the very pretty things are the
new tea strainers. These are round plat
ters, slightly ''scooped out" and per-
forated. They have delicate handles and
over the whole is scattered the dainty
Dresden flowers.
They sell from s1.50 to 500 and are
newer than the tea ball You place it
over the cup, already having put the tea
in; then pour on the boiling water.
Various trifes come for the coffee and
tea table that appeal for a place as an
Easter gift. Jars of quaint design, in
which to keep he tea, the crackers and
the Odd-shaped platters for the
ginger cakes or sliced lemons
Ono of the pretty trifes for the break
fast table is a Dresden bell, with silver
clapper.
All prayer books do not cost 800. Many
there are in white kid, morocco and gold
and Russian leather that will suit the
fair ones heart.
And I know many such books that will
be held for the first time by gentle hands
on Easter Sunday, and perhaps the ser
vice will never have looked so beautiful
to certain eyes.
The monogram of the owner can be put
into the cover in gold. or gold and blue.
letters.
Silver ware shows dozens Of tribes for
gifts. Hardly new, but Just as accept
able to the girl who hasn't got one. A
novelty is a finely carved silver penholder
run through an Easter card; another. a
~cut-gIass mustard pot. with repousse sill
sSr top.
o. @-nan. who was badly In need of
money. S~%sd a novelty for sale. 1t is
is a lampshade made of a large butter
ny. Cringled Japanese paper, put over