The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-19

2B4 48 ~
on the question of the conventional and
old-fashioned ways OF having their DIM
ner and luncheon tables set. They say
they are tired to death of the everlast-
ing round and square tables, which are
so hard to arrange in san original way
So they have started the fashion OF shap-
ed tables. and at one or two functions
lately they have been most successful.
The luncheon and dinner tables for young
neople's parties will all be shaped this
winter according to the hostess wishes,
and the girls are beginning to have the
shapes made to correspond with the style
of entertainment they are to give. For
instance
A dinner was given the other evening
Nv a Young girl to one of her friends wEo
has been studying for some years in Par
is to be an artist. Her success has far
exceeded all anticipation, and she returns
to omen a studio in which will hang some
pictures which have been most highly
spoken of by the best men in the profess
sion. The Dime table at the dinner giv-
en- in her honor was in the shape Of an
easel, and the thu1nb-hole was the place
where the flowers were put The menu
l. HAT0S were tdIQDOdId CdSNA@ -
and all painted on them, and the din
ner favors were artists caps made OF
light colored silks and filled with bon
bons. This may sound very complcateu
hut it is not so in reality. All this artists
friend had to do was to go TO 70 a local
carpenter and furnish a design win
proper dimensions; then to get him 70 cut
out of plain pine wood about two inches
thick an easel just the size required ms
was placed on top of an ordinary round or
square table and the shaped board was
complete.
Very few people can go to dine with a
newly married couple without feeling the
truth of the funny mans remark that ne
didn't enjoy himself because ne was oc-
| cupied during the courses in a close CAR
c~ulation so tina he wouldn't come out
with an oyster fork for his after-dlnier
coffee. Such a miniature show wlndoW
as is distributed impartialiy around the
plates of each guest Is calculated "
make the bravest man reeoil-
If the inventive jeweler would only
cease inyenting or the designs on the inn
elements bear some remote relation TO
their uses, life might not be a desert
waste to the diner-out.
If two-tined affairs were confined to one
! course, say fish, and three-tined to an
other. as fruit. a little ray OF sunshine
might be interjected into his miserable
existence. Ia as none of these is likely
| to happen the victim of hospitality may
ward off the insanity that he feels is likely
to be his portion by watching the hostess
out of one corner of his eye and initiating
her actions closely.
Ten to one she has surreptitiously
lugged her gifts to some friendly silver
smith and learned their various uses from
him. II then she eats her oysters with
what is apparently the ice cream fork and
! shreds her lettuce with a claw-like affair
that common sense would indicate be-
longed to an entirely different dish, it is
part of prudence to say nothing and fol-
low suit.
A Baltimore girl who was dined by a
bride the other day found that one spoon
wat left over at her plate after the last
walnut had been cracked and the coffee
| served. She gazed about in dismay. only
to find that the same condition of affairs
! existed at every place but the hostess
1t was a dreadful moment for all the
guests. who have not yet discovered to
| what this lost implement belonged, or
whether it belonged to anything or was
merely interpolated by a maid ambitious
to display all the family silver at one
time.
How anyone can engage IN the frivolous
conversation that marks the end-of-the-
century dinner while his mind is taken up
with wefghty problems or with the solving
of conundrums is in itself a nut to be
cracked by the clever hostess-with silver
galore.
The high back comb is edging its way
again in fashions favor, and is seen both
plain and in elaborate decoration of jew
els, cut steel. pierced silver n gold,
says the '1Woman's Home Companion"
Sidecombs will not be downed, and their
designs grow more intricate and beauti-
full with each importation. Speaking of
hair ornaments, there is nothing more
modestly ornamental and pretty than the
stiffly wired bow-knots that are so much
worn now for both full and semi-dress.
They are worn, too, for the theatre in
place of a small bonnet, but take on
larger proportions than those intended
for hair decoration alone.
go
As the season progresses the popularity
Of velvet trimmings for almost every
style of headwear becomes more fully APP
parent. Velvet as a material for bodice,
jacket, cape. skirt or full costume has
aided velvet as a garniture for hats, I'M
doubtedly, yet it is altogether probable
that the latter use would nave become
general this season irrespective of the
other, SO various are the dainty and
sometimes gorgeous offerings in ribbon
widths. The reds-from rose pink to deep
coral, from poppy to ruby-are very
strong favorites. After them come glad
lola shades in beautiful variety. Many
other colors are favored. velvets dot
ted, striped, checked and plain, velvets of
solid shades to match the tailored gowns.
yelvets rainbow-hued or sombre black-in
short. velvets everywhere. The latest
offering to join this multitude is a plaid
velvet ribbon with fringed edges-pretty.
but striking. The artist in millinery who
aims at a harmonious whole by produce
ing a contrast in color combinations new
er had a better opportunity to exercise
her talents.
The vogue of Amazon ostrich p1umes
continues undated. Following Partisan
models at the opening of the fail season.
dealers on this side of the water went in
for fancy feathers. Al first they were