davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1897-11-07

FOR heasy cloth dresses. A handsome brow n
cloth with a blouse waist has such yokei
made pointed, and continued almost tn
llie w aist In q frog of heavier braid. The
same pointed yoke effect is repeated on
the skirt, with three frogs on the front,
below tie yoke. The blouse S flashed
ut the waist with girdlc consisting Of
folds Of black SILK. The sleeves are plain
coat sleeves, with circular cuff cut at
the tor and bottom.
Long shoulder effects are produced in n
peculiar way on cloth dresses. IncuttinE,
the shoulder seam is made to extend five
OF six inches beyond the point of the shou
der. Tie edge 5 then bound, and when the
sleeve s sew ed in, the lining only is fast
ened at the arm s-eye, while the sleeve
proper s cslIghtas FAR out as possipie0n the
edge Of the shoulder flap. The space under
meath Is usually filled in with a putting
OF silk, thus forming pad to extend the
shoulder beyond its natural size.
All sorts OF oId-fashioned things are
coming in again. Real lace tabs are
sued for neekscarfs liz the manner OF those
previously described. Skirts dip down i'll
the back 10 forln trains, and the back o.
Gle opera cape follow s the same line, sloping
from therein a curved line to the chin W th-
ont forming any corners i'll front. a blIe
one, cortled around the yoke and in the
headings OF the ruffles which came oat
OF a carriage at the theater door theother
night, might easily have belonged to Dolly
Madison herself.
The times., 1897-11-07
Trained Nurses.

According to the superintendent of one
of the largest schools for trained nurses
in New York, their occupation is not the
easiest work Ia the world. 1t requires al
most an ideal woman TO make a good
nurse. She must not only have all the
qualities that go to make up the good
woman, but size must have in addition the
special qualities that are necessary for
the nurse. She must, ia the first place,
have perfect self fcontrol and patience.
There is much that is dishearteniug about
nursing the sick.
The man or woman who is suffering
from disease Is a Transformed being. Sick
folk lose control OF themselves and do and
say things for which they cannot be
held responsible. Particularly is this so
in the case of the very porto say nothing
OF the depraved classes, who are often
treated in great hospitals
nurse must always be cheerful, al
ways sympathetic, bic OF mentally
putting herself I'D her patient place. Tn
der her pleasant exterior she mnst also
hayea will ofiron tina tcOmpels the obedience
OF her charges.
Women who have been teachers make
the best nurses and, in fact, large per-
centage OF the nurses have been teach
ers A curious fact is that there are
few New York girls among the trained
nurses serving in New York hospitals.
Most Of them are from the country or
smaller cities. One reason for this, OF
course, s that many girls born and
brought up III a large city are not up
to the phys;ca. standard required OF a
trained nurse
The times., 1897-11-07

that every beauty Of field and garden is
being Worn in wreatls, especially and in
some quaint designs for dress decoration
never seen lefore. one of the dressmaker's
pretty deH ices is to decorate a white
gown with foliage only, and q simple
white muslin, fairly wreathed in arti.
siCial sn,ilaX, was one of the most snr-
cessfJl gowns that ever opened q season
A gay little rrock Of lier lace, draped
over 4 skirt OF figured benga line, is
sketcheh this week, chiefly to show the
scheme or flower decorat tion so typical
Of the new designs. A wreath of pink dog
reges fails over one hip and holds a tiny
white floral la sket, filled with the same
blossoms. A similar inexpensive bit
or snow wlitt. wicker work rests on the
shoulder and trails OF roses decorate the
Simple bodice.
Yet another method of flower decDiation
is displayed IN the gown OF accordion
plated liberty silk that shades from poppy
red To rose A wreath of poppies, graduated
in size, ornaments both skirt and waist
here, white, as is now the fashion, a few
blooms Ike those on the gown are worn
In the h;ir. Pink wisteria and creamy
aracia flowers, with their graceful foliage.
anc trails OF honeysuckle. both red ana
white, with clematis, all these fashioned
In muslin, are among the most popular
flowers.
They decorate the bodices very elaho-
rateiy and are chiefly woven in w-eaths.
Always q spray of flowers is tucked in
the lair, which for balls seems invariably
10 be worn as nigh as it can be piled
With very few exceptions the bodices
are cut 10 pouch ia front and a few pretty
ones show round tails rufflmg out about
the hips. BY far Tie greater number
are cut short and finish with q
crush girdle. There is just the slightest
putting Of sleeve tops on the shoulder.
OF, where no sleeve is worn, a fri or two
ls let out upoL the arm. Half sleeves are
never seen.
A BAN dress has sleeves either extending z
fGlly 10 tie wrist or there is mere fin
ishing friIl about the shoulder strap. The
majority uf costumes show the long trans
parent sleeves, fun gathered or net or lace,
Completed with double frills falling over
tic iand. Ia some shops it is possible t.
huy net TT lace or chiffon sleeves all read;
made, which proves tremendous boon 10
the wUaan WHO does over her party dresses
at Aorue.
As a las; touch TO dancing gowns, it must
be mentioned that invariably something Is
Worn around the neck. That something
May be satin ribbon tied in a bow be-
hind, or q ribbon with lace lappets falling
over az the back. Occasionally a piece OF
bias satin is used, drawn through a heart.
shaped rhinestone buckle in front and
knotted large in the rear. a scarf of chif-
f1n often serves, and some women Wear
stock collars tn balls, all made OF shreddings
from pink silk rCses or ostrich feathers.
Fut whatever the collar may ba. 1t is
chose:. in a very bright color, ana in a
shade .iiat sharply contrasts with the gown
Worn. 4 p0ppyred velvet collar is Sc
lected for wear with blue or green gown.
and an orange satin one with "a lavender
or black costume, for especially with
young girls, This brilliant touch at the
throat takes the place OF any Jewels
The times., 1897-11-07
srnv ANTS IN ENGLAND.
\ Question That Is Causing Some
S.ir Abroad.


New York Nov. g. Over in England
said the newly returned exile with an air
OF conviction what impressed me most
vas not their chilly catbedrals, intolerably
bad food and very much overrated bicycle
roads, but the mastery manner in which
they are graphing with the servant ques
tion. Being q housekeeper in nay native
land, ana dying daily in the cause of pro
yiding decent hired help for my family S
needs, decided to look into British meth
ods OF domestic service while | stopped
in that benighted island.
What ! saw, | am free to say, filled
me With awe, envy and admiration.
am not going to tell you that there are
not poer servants in England, bat the
good, even the perfect, footman and but
Ter, coaehman, cook and maid does still
exist, ana they are taking every precau'
titI to preserve the species, and mem
bers OF that class are not hard to find In
London.
There are three ways of discovering
hinl ana her. One, and the cheapest, plan
is TO secure what you want through the
advertising sheets OF the important daily
papers, another, and more costly, process
is TO 60 fer your man and maid to one OF
the department stores, while a third and
most fashionable resource is the very upto
date employment agency.
The only domesties who do not advertise
aud are not advertised for in the papers
are the East Indian servants. They are
becoming more and more popular with Brit
ish householders. A dozen years ago, 50
was told there Were not ten of these tail.
dark, capable creatures to be found in all
LoB,lon, but nowadays they are very much
sought after, promising TO become as com
mon in English households as negroes are in
our Southern homes.
onIy recently IL occurred 10 number OF
British natrons that so long as Queen vic
terra had found her Indain servants useful,
they, too might try the experiment. aud
now in the season there Is scarcely smart
London house that has not one Indian serF.
AMI ia its employ. They are usually uti-
lied as buffers In tie houses of title people,
aud are obliged TO retain their native cos
tune, dressing all in SHOW white. With huge
turbans wound round their heads, gold
rings or buttons in their ears, aud bare
brown feet thrust into embrodiered d hcelless
slippers. The Duchess of Devonshire em-
plc VS. an East Indian butler who stands on
bare heels, 6 feet 6 inches in height, and
wbc occasionally rides on the box beside
her pow cred coaehinan when she drives
In nyde Park.
But l Was informed that only an heiress
The times., 1897-11-07

servants through the newspaper columns
Very rarely viii an English lady answer
a servants advertisement. They believe
It's unprofitahie and beneath their dig
nifty, unless the servant comes recon-
mended. That is when, for economy or
because of breaking up d household, a
number OF servants are about to be turned
out Of their places they come to their
mistress and beg her to recomm end then.
In the want" columns.
II she can conscientiously do so she
will write out an advertisement saving
that lady Brown-Jones wishes to recon-
mend Coed parlor maid, excellent pla tie
Cleaner ana waitress, early riser, good
Character twenty-five years old l.
tentive, obliging, no beer, no fringe, no
followers, able to valet, and does nos
object to dogs; wages, e22 year" This
paragon Of q parlor maid would come for
q little ever 50 month, and you may
laugh at all those items set down in the
advertisements but | assure you that is
the thorough English way of doing it,
Such an advertisement viii merit an
answer, but as rule the housekeeper
stick IT, her cwIi advertisement and some
Of the requirements they make fill an
humble, Thoroughly serVant-coWed Amert-
car woman with wonder. For instance.
1t is the custom now for the advertiser
to demand photograph of those who
answer the newspaper notice that the
girl o: serving man may prove they are all
he or she pretends. Then, religion is an
oth,r strong point and often enough the
warning reads that only good church men
or women need apply. Frequently politics
plays part and coachman or butler or
even nui seinaid, is asked to state whether
their principles are stanchly conservative
or fir,;:Iy liberal, because these are weighty
points to people who, though the most ex-
actipg masters and miStresses and paying
their servants Just onehalf the wages ours
receive, are the most efficiently and re-
spectfuliy served people among whom
have eyes visited.
The times., 1897-11-07

They are No convenient. they lend such u
variety of tone and color to a room, and.
blessed boon! they do away with the nor
roTs of houSe-cleaning almost entirely.
''Ioc don't knew what q relief it is
exclaimed one h0Usekeeper as she sat in
tile midst Of her array OF rugs few days
ago. :" hen we moved into our new house
with its beautiful hardwood floors. |
vowed that I'd never have a tack driven
into them as long as ] lived. To be sure
the rugs cost trIfle more than carpets
at the start, but I'm sure they'll last
four times as long. and they're so much
e3sie: To take care Of Instead of letting
your floor covering gather dust for months
until il is insnfferahle, and then having
your house torn up for days while it is
being cleaned, you can have your rugs
thoroughly busted every day, and they
can be sent 10 The cleaners, one or two
at tiiac, without being missed. I've
grown younger every day since / gave
up having carpets on my floors"
TkiS seems to voice the general sentiment
of househeepers who have tried the eX
pertinent. One cause of the increasing
popularity oi the oriental rugs is doubt
less the greater variety of texture and
patterns witch mas come with the growth
Of the trade. This season there are more
different kinds OF rugs than ever before
The great importing houses have We'd
with one another in securing unique and
striking pa tterns. Their buyers have
secured the Orient, from Turkey 10 the
China Sea, in search Of odd and pleasing
things. One large firm in New York has
arranged for the exclusive sale of the
whole product of II certain village in
India famous for its rugs.
just at present the most popular thing
| in expensfy rugs comes from northern China.
| II was discovered couple OF seasons ago
that in Some Of the small villages in the
| interior OF China. rugs of beautiful colors
and striking antique patterns We're being
/ made. A number Of them Were brought
| to this country, where they have attracted
| favorGb ble notice, and have brought large
! prices, selling easily ut $500 apiece; while
| the finest ones bring more than twice That
amount.
The weaving OF oriental rugs is as truly
an art the making Of tapestries or the
painting of a picture. Many families in
! Persia and India have been weayers for
| generations, and the present members are
quite coutent Il, copy tue designs originated
by some distant ancestor OF artistic temper
The times., 1897-11-07

guineas the proprietor presses button,
speaks through a tube, there is wait of
ten minutes, and then, il it is a butter
the lady wanted, 4 man or the size, weight
height aud age she desires, arrayed in inn
naculate livery, presents himself. At \
nod from the proprietor he opens and closes
the street door, to show how he admits
visitors, nslers the lady herself into the
drawing room, goes out and Returns with
e. pretended message stands at the draw
1pg-roon door ana announces fictitious
arrivals, draws back the portieres, and
announces meal.
IN ire tlining-roon., a table perfectly
ses is found, and here the butler goes
through ell the forms OF serving meal.
10 urlhg wiae ard directing servants ander
him. IIe sets and clears table. ar
ranges q BOWL of flowers, composes a
salad. inGieates his knowledge OF wines
on descending 10 the cellar; in fine, goes
actually through every duty that could
be exactcG of butler.
If a parlor, bedroom, scullery, nursery
or lady's mad, footman, coachman, page,
herd cook, valet pr stable boy is wanted,
through a similarly segere examination
the candidates for office are put. In tfis
house there is model nursery kitchen,
series Of living and bedrooms and a sta bic
behinn and in these, as with the butler
the inen anG maids are put through their
PAGES, for nc hiring in the dark is done here.
Only the highest and most carefully In
yestigated references are offered the pa
irons or tho house. The record Of every
servan- is taken and hunted up, from the
time he rr size entered service, with the
ranee 81 their employers, trainers, etc., So
that non. bat tile most perfect flowers OF
English doinestics ever cross these portal.
As you may imagine, no plain cooks
or maids OF all work are for hire in this
establishment, 50 no bousekeepers OF
modest means need apply You may call
1t an expensive luxury, but the man who
has built up the business assured me the
ever ahead pf The supply ana like bire-.t-
hrac hunter, he never relaXes from his
search FOR good domestics.
lie gets buffers from Russia, Austria,
India, France and Scotland. His most eff
Gent maids end nGrses come from Germany
and ireland. his best Wallets and coachmen
are ENGLISH, while German or French women
are his prize iady's maids, II any servant
he recommends and places in a Iadys house
plays her false, he guarantees 10 ma ke good
any daniagc v thin the first year ofthe man
or woman's employ and replace the culprit
satisfactorily.
Now, Just suppose there was any such
employment agency in this country.
| Those women OF easy means who live
| in the country in England get their best
The times., 1897-11-07

or a nlillioHaire's wife could afford to keep
a ma like tha {. beca use the Afoha nimedans
are hated by tie English servants, for Gu
account of their religion, they have to De
provided with fire stove, food and table
separate FROM the Christian devils, and
finally owing 70 the fact that one Indian
will take no larger wages that d white
butler or valet, while his accomplishments
are simply ihnumerable. He never Cos
sips. never quarre!s is respectful to the
point 0f homage. and. i'll one household, ]
visited, the Indian butler waited on the
table, managed the dining-room, saleted
the master OF the house and any male
guests, kept the accounts, poured the tea
on reception days, laid exquisite darns In
the table linen when needed, decorated
the menu cards in water-colors. and at
ID pinch, when the lady's maid left in a
huff, did his helpless mistress blonde
locks into the most fascinating headdress
ever seen.
Naturally, you can understand why a
woman will brave the rage of her white
domesties to secure one of these treas
ures, who Will do all l mentioned and
more for the magnificent sum OF $50 a
month. To secure such a paragon,
though, you nluS6 go TO department
store or ar employment agency. At one
Of the stores there is really nothing in
the way of a domestic you cannot get,
usually good servants, at that, and this
branch OF the business is conducted on
an admirable scale. Everybody, from u
governess to scullery maid, is usually
reedy to be interviewed and investig at ed;
you can fJnd ser, ants who speak languages
fIon broad cockney English to Hindoo-
stance, who are divided into emergency,
temporary ard permanent SERVANTS, and
are all vouched fof by the head OF the do
1nestic service department.
But the place where dukes go for
valets, duchesses for maids and rich people
for private employees of all kinds is the
great employment agency ill Kensington.
1t is handsome house on a prominent
street, with very elegant entrance, and
carved oak and polished brass tablet in
the yestihule gives only the name of the
| proprietor. Within, the house is fitted as
model English home OF the very highest
| class.
On entering. a tiny office, on the firsr
floor, the would-be employer states to the
| head OF tile esta hishnient Just what she
| wants, and oil laying down fee Of two
The times., 1897-11-07


ament. In Others 5he fine sense Of hor
mony in shade and color persists, and they
turn out new patterns as artistic rs any
CT the older ones. In a few cases American
and European artists have drawn designs
TO he executed in the East, but these have
usually been for large and expensive rugs
ordered t'y wealthy customers.
For along tiIae the product OF Persia was
the finest and most beautiful, but European
dealers, in their desire for q cheaper article,
flooded the country with orders FOR an in
ferior class Of goods, and this, with the
general degeneracy Of the modern Persian
has almost destroyed the artistic skill
which made their earlier work famous.
| recently had talk with a gentleman
VINO has returned from an extended trip
Though india, Persia and China, in search
OF art treasures III this line.
Oriental rugs are like wine, said he.
IN that hey improve with age. The most
valuable rugs IN existence today are the an
tique Persians, many of them $50 to 200
years old. There is nothing that gives a
fine rug n settled color aud a gloss like
hundreds Of bare feet tramping across it
year aiter yeaI. This has led to attempts
atfictitiCus aSeinG by beating and artificial
wearing and fading, but detected by an
expert. Some Of the genuine are worth as
high a. $4,000. 1t is impossible TO Wear
out antique rugs OF fine quality. for they
were woven With warp that is like iron,
and every year adds TO the value
''Do any of these expensive rugs come to
American
''Some of them have, and more viii
when thew are found I would gladly nav
$4,000 for rug, IL / found one worth
that sum, for America is coming to demand
the very best iii this as in other household
fittings
The nlast popular rugs for the modest
purse are at present the Indian and Ar
meuian products. They are all woven hy
hand, with hand-carded warp, ana last al
most as Well as the very costly ones Snu,e
very attractive designs In rugs of medium
size are to be had for $50 or $50. Consld-
ering the amount of work lavished on them,
this is marvelously cheap; for it takes a
Hindu family six OF eight weeks to weave
an Ordinary SX10 rug. It may be guessed
from tits that the condition of the rug
weayers is not one OF great prosperity yet
1t pays as Well as most other kinds "
work In The oyeI-crowded East.
One peculiar thing in connection with
the Armenian rug business is that the
ri cent prosecutions have driven many
OF the ayers to this country, and they
are BOW TO he found In all cur big cities
Many OF them have found employment in
the great department stores, where they set
up their loon in The windows and ply their
trade, at the same time serving as a useful
The times., 1897-11-07
China Painting.

Within the past few years the aTtuf china
decoration las been a most popular pas
time and a profitable business TO many.
The mode cf cOIoring is SlInplfied and
much improved with the advance in this
Wort, and the demand is for Il better class
OF designs than We're formerly placed be-
fore che public, they being for the mosB
part decidedly crude and inartistic.
Here is conventional design for dec0-
rating a set OF plates-eiJher breakfast,
soup, dinner. DESSERT or fruit plates, and
design for decorating tea Caddy. biscuit
Jar. rose, or even a tray. The design for
plates can be easily painted by an mex
perIenced person, as 1t requires simple tint
ing and the shading of the cut VIII guide
one in shading the colors from dark to light
One desirable scheme OF color is carried
out by painting the darkest scrolls in deep
purple. the next lighter in caInation No.
/ ana the lightest scrolls in silver yellow.
Tn, scrolls should be all shaded, starting
froE The center of the design with the
darkes' shade, and gradually fading out to
a pale sliIdt at the top of the scrolls.
Another style of decoration is as fol-
lows: Tint the darkest scrolls with car
mine shading to light at the tips of the
scrolls. The next lighter scrolls should
be shaded with grass green aud the lishtes5
in a delicate tint Of sky blue. There are
many other harmonious Combinations oR
Color which WIN suggest themselves to
tile artist.
In painting the yellow narcissus design
more skill is requisite in order TO shade
the petals and cups to prevent flap aE-
pearance. One must use his own judgment,
following the shadiugs OF the drawing as
nearly as possible. The petals are OF
| bright yellow. In painting them use silver
yellow and mixing yellow. The cups Of
the flowers are tinged with deep yellow
and should l.c shaded at the base as well
as the leaves with brown green
The foliage OF this plant is naturally
stiff and is of rich green tone. Use
grass green, apple green, and brown green
In painting this 1t is always Wen to use
combination Of greens rather than "a
single shade, as in nature one finds tnat
leaves are quite varied on the same plant.
The effect of work thus executed is much
more professional in appearance. a pOinE
all china painters aim to attain.
The times., 1897-11-07
cARrETs OUT oF STYLE.
Astonishing Increase in the Impor-
tatians Of Oriental Rugs.

Astonishing Increase in the Impor-
tati3ns Of Oriental Rugs.
New York, Nov. 6. In 1876, the year Of
the centennial celebration, two bales of
oriental rugs were imported to America
They were the cheapest kinds of Eastern
rugs, known to ihe trade as collies, buJ
they marked the practical beginning of the
husihess il this country. The very few
brought here bernre that date were mostly
on private order for wealthy Americans
who had seen ana appreciated the rugs on
t::eir travels.
Last season some eleven hundred tales
OF oriental rugs were entered at the port
OF New York probably 10000 rugs alto
ecther and these were of all grades. from
the cheapest to the most expensive. These
figures fairly represent the growthin favor
of the oriental rug IN this country-a a
growth that has mainly taken place dur-
ing the past few years. 1t really begins
t. took as though rugs would supplant car
pets altogether in many of our city houses