The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-25
for dNnmen

fined. the informal five o'clock tea wnlcn
is hardly considered in the light OF an
entertainment, being merely an exeuse
for receiving ones friends at aEstateo
hour. Some OF the old families who make
a point of keeping up their traditions
have retained for Sunday evening the
american tea''-a meal that is to mos
people rather u welcome change from tne
conventional and formal dinner.
1t is very seldom that one sees in these
up-to-date days the old regulation tea
table with its dishes of cold tongue anc
cold chicken, thinly sliced; snowy Dis
cults, light as a feather: golden butter
homemade preserves that are the pride
of the house mistress and delicious cake
made by her own fair hands. All these
dainties and more of the same klnc
tastefully arranged amid flowers anc
fruit and silver c~andelabra on the pol
ished mahogany which reflected in its
mysterious depths the candles and theiI
myriad radiations. with the milder sheer
of the highly polished silver-nothins
could be prettier and more restful than
the tea tables of yore. This dainty, old
fashioned meal was as different as pos
sible from what is called in England
high tea," which is really a rather "hlg-
glety-pigglety" dinner with hot, smoking
dishes of meat and vegetables, all served
at once, and which, although under GER
tain conditions may be convenient, can
never be elegant, the latter quality being
d distinctive mark of a typical American
tea.
Il should love to keep up Sunday even
ing teas says many a housekeeper, but
my husband insists. upon having his din
ner; he says it upsets his digestion to be
fed upon biscuits and preserves and cold
meat; whereas, if. the truth We're told,
such abstemiousness practiced every day
would save lii from many an ill that his
oyerfed body is heir to-"
~
The hostess who cut of kindness of her
heart assigns a girl visitor a maid to look
after her things frequently causes twin
ges of apprehension and embarrassment
that she never dreams of. In large es-
tablishments, where wealth is evident on
all sides, there is pretty apt to be con-
siderable snobbery among the servants.
They discuss the guests among themselves
and although they sometimes seem to de-
tect shams and airs they are usually
ready to respect most the person whose
HdTurODS Is Liz udllQSOulCSt Gin Uh0Sc
toilet articles show the most silver in
their mountings. The poor girl who is
visiting rich frienas-and her name is le-
gion at this season-knows that she is
liked and appreciated for herself and
her true worth in the drawing-room, but
poverty is usually sensitive, and it is not
pleasant for her to think that possibly
Abigail is telling her fellow-servants over
l. kL-% IA o--,s xrhffa
satin frock is a mere whited sepulchre or
that her dainty skirts are only percaline.
The newest convenience for the baby's
boudoir is a big bowled, long-handled
spoon of yellow wood. The bow is a
painting of a scene from the land of fair
les or nursery ditties. The classic cow
performing her aerial feat, Simple Simon
Little Boy Blue, Little Nan Ettycoat and
other familiar ~personages ornament the
bowl, whose curling edges make a frame
for the gay little figures. All along the
handle of the spoon are placed brass
hooks, and when it is fastened TO the wall
by q larger and more solid hook placed
at the back it makes an ornamental and
very useful little rack for the children's
clothes.
The Prince of Wales occasionally en-
joys a Joke over the Queens propensity
for giving away indian shawls. At the
Henley regatta he was on a steam launch
with a merry party. engaged in scrutin-
izing the other craft on the river. Their
attention was specially drawn to a boat
containing a pleasure party, one member
OF which was an elderly lady bearing a
remarkable likeness to the Queen, and
she seemed bent upon doing all in her
power to heighten the resemblance. One
of the company on board approached the
Prince and ventured to drnw his atten-
tion to the lady in question, jocularly
suggesting that it was the Queen, review
ing the regatta incog. Just as his Royal
Highness was leveling his field glass upon
her she arose, and, taking the shawl on
which she had been sitting, threw it
around the shoulders of a young girl
who was with her. 1T is undoubtedly
the Queen" replied the Prince, quietly;
'.she has discovered herself; l see that she
has just presented one of her Indian
shawls."
There is generally a decided difference
between street gowns and reception
gowns, but this season the street or walk
ing gowns are SO elaborate that it is a
trife difficult to decide which is which,
says Harper'srf"Bazar." However, the
gown that is worn every day is not fresh
enough nor is it smart enough for after
noon and for receptions, so that there
must be a different costume for the vari-
Gus occasions; besides different materials
can be used in the gowns worn for what
might be called dress-wear. This season
the styles are very difficult to describe,
because the beauty. of the gown consists
so much in the hanging of the skirt, the
folds of the waist, and the combining OF
the colors. There are only one or two
distinctive points which are new, and,
with the exception of the sleeves, last
winters gowns are not markedly un-
fashionable. The waists of almost all the
have the blouse effect in front, or
some soft folds of drapery; the blouse
back is not seen on the handsomest
gowns. Every sort of trimming is used,
and a perfect hodgepodge of materials is
combined. In one frock poplin, silk, vel
vet, lace. embroidery, and passementerie
are all put together-cleverly, to be sure;
and only an artist could. combine them
all satisfactorily. Lace. both black and
white, is used in the most reckless man
ner. Altogether there are wealth and
luxury displayed that will make the fash