The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-11
ideas tor U1Nn111e11.

NJ Is very interesting 10 note the vari-
Gus changes of fashion in woman's
handwriting. and the gradual evolution
from the crude chirography of the early
part Of this century to the conventions
mannerism Of the Italian and EngliAh
schools and finally the freedom that has
obtained vogue in the bold, free writing
OF the present time. 1t Is only very
recently that teachers nave allowed
their pupils to be original.
The family scented old letters kept
among the family archives and written
by the fashionable ladies of the days of
Dolly Madison show the p~ainstaking lines
of the copybeok in every letter of their
yellow, faded words-wFfting that today
would seem uniformed and childish.
To ibis succeeded the italian method
In polite society, a perfect marvel of
delicate execution, with fine hair lines
and pointed letters that made a beauti-
fully neat-looking page, but was tedious
to degree to read.
The English handwriting. with its
free, flowing lines and 1egibly- formed
letters, was a vast Improvement, and 1t
Is a question whether that of today is
SO desirable. As far as regards style
and general appearance It probably is
not, but there is always a great charm
In Individuality, and the latest teaching
aims to develop this characteristic.
After careful teaching Of the forms of
the various letters to the children, copy
books are dispensed with, and with due
regard to Eligibility and ~neatness pupils
are allowed to develop their own hand-
writing, being supposed thereby to ac-
Quire an individual and characteristic
chirography.
This is the latest fad of a very up-te-
date teacher, who numbers among his
pupils the children of many prominent
people in society Vertical copies are
now substituted in fashionable boarding
schools for the sloping pothooks and run
ming strokes, but in public schools the
old-fashioned style is still preferred.
That character is shown in handwrit-
ing Is often asserted. and certainly those
who read or who intend to read Its signs
often make wonderful guesses. but that
heredity should show itself in these
strange little -hieroglypiics which ex-
press the thoughts and feelings of the
writer is still more wonderful.
A w~eil-known artist IN New York,
whose father was a Pole, received some
papers relating to an old family estate
in Poland. On examining the documents
he was startled to see his own sigma
ture, faded with time and yellow with
age, but line for line identically the
same as his own
1t proved to be that of his grand
father, whom he had never even seen.
but whose namesake he was and whose
temperament he doubtless inherited, If it
is as so many think, that ones writing
is a test of character.
-.
One of the newest wraps for the boudoir
IS a casaque built of deuble-faced cash
mere or camel's hair, and edged with a
fine silk cord. 1t is urslined and reaches
to the knees, the fronts open. the back
fitting loosely, but with gracefully curved
seams, or. again. quite straight behind,
either plain or with a doublesbox plaat.
The sleeves are angel AFFAIRS, small all
the top. very wide at the wrists and lined
with bright, soft silk. A thick rucae of
lace finishes the throat Sbecomingly. This
Is thrown on over the p~etticoat and cor
sets for Iounging, or during the process of
Crossing or Is worn over one Of the
dainty white robes, which are half night
gowns. half robes de chanabre.
The oddity Of these laes in the fac THAT
they are knee length, and tthey are most
when loosely fitted behind with neither
Watteau nor sack effect. Edged with fur,
they are more elaborate, and the idea