The age-herald., 1898-01-28
VANITY FAIR

I1a1r reading Is the latest fad. The eX- pert claims to tell the subjects character and disposition instantly after slight ex- animation of the hair. It may be sur prise to many to learn that red hair, in- stead of denoting hot temper, means honesty and ceverness. Fine hair denotes gentle blood; curly hair, grace and po- etic nature; straight hair, a steady and practical disposition, while lusterless black hair is generally owned by jealous and treacherous persons. This is accord ing to the newest edict, yet every one can name friends whose characters and hair disproye this latest oracle.
 A resident at Sandie near Havre, France has found in his house painting which is attributed to Rubens The canvas is four and a half feet by three, and it's subject is the death of Dido. The French minister of fine arts has sent a represent ative to examine the painting with a view of securing it for the state if it is genu- inc.
 The custom of living out of town is on the increase. Not twenty years ago the | rich man of New York if he took his fam fly to a summer hotel for two or three months, thought he was doing his duty by them like a good man and true Now they spend less than that time in their own house The country place has be- come the fashion. People are furnishing their country houses with loot from their town houses. In the English style, they fill their villas with a continually \ sue ceeding round of house parties. The dis tances here are a great disadvantage. Newport, for example is good bit away from New York. Lakewood which is nearer, is only just coming up as one of the popular suburban places. The George Goulds are building a winter palace there. Lenox which is as cold as Greenland in winter, is no longer popular. But all through the beautiful suburbs that lie about the city on every side the country house is rearing its brick walls and the shining angles of its greenhouses and grap- cries catch the pale, Wntry sun. Among the very rich, the restlessness, variety and fullness of their lives have brought about this change. They do not stay long any where. Newport knows them only in sum mer. Their steam yachts blow the seas in every livable zone of the globe. They move from Florida to Europe with speed and comfort that sound like a fairy tale. They have friendly relations with people of their own order all over the civilized world. The annual visit to New York is not a triumphal and gay home coming, but a casual stop-over where they meet at dinner the man they hobnobbed with few weeks ago in Calcutta, and in the in- tervals of a, cotillion murmur a nasty How dye do' in the ear of the woman they were dancing with month ago in Cairo.
 St. Valentines day is the next occasion for pretty dinners. An account of charming one is given by What to Eat, copied after the Danish custom. In Dem mark the lover sends his sweetheart on the eve of St. Valentine bunch of snow drops with a card attached bearing verse and many pinpricks as there are letters in his name. If from the num- Der of bricks she guesses his name all right; if not, she is fooled and at Easter sends the giver, who discloses his iden- tity, a forfeit of colored eggs. The invi- tations to this Amercanized Danish din- ner bore some painted snowdrops in the cover and inivted one to a Danish va.en- tine dinner. As cherry and white are Denmark's colors the dining room was adorned beautifully with the two shades. The candles had cherry shades and in the center of the table was a square of cherry velvet on which snowdrops and ferns were banked with dainty effect. The menu cards were shaped like hearts, tied with knot of cherry ribbon and edged with painted snowdrops. Across the top in gold letters was the word "welbe- komin'' may it agree with you).
 It is the custom in old Danish house. holds for the hostess to shake the hand of each guest leaving the table and say "wel- bekomin'' but this hostess found it too long mouthful, so it was written above the menu instead. At each plate was tiny heart-shaped cup of cherry crepe pa
 
 The ices were in the shape of hearts, with a candied cherry in the center of each. Heart-shaped cakes were iced in pink and mingled in the salad were tiny hearts cut from slices of red beet. When all were assembled in the parlor the little daughter of the house came in. dressed as a fairy with basket from which she gave each guest a square white envelope inclosing a card. knot of snowdrops was tied in one corner with cherry ribbon and below was a verse and numerous pin bricks. The diners were asked to guess from these the name of their companion for dinner. The decetful little marks seemed to de- light in playing pranks and making pug zles and several were troubled to the amusement of the more fortunate quicker witted.
 The woman who possesses vase of ancient origin nowadays is thanking her lucky stars and hurrying downtown with it to one of the numerous shops which advertise in the windows: Lamps made from old vases'' The connoisseur in lamps is turning his back on the subjects in the shop and hunting out rare old French pottery, has lamp fitted to the top and standard of old silver brass to the bottom and possesses an ornament which cannot be reproduced. A vase of any ware-Sevres, Rookwood or Dresden may now be turned into light-giver and if it be tall and hideous, the more novel the lamp or if it is low and squatty like jardiniere decorated with sprawling drag ons, the happier the owner.
 
 MRS. WlNSlOW'S SOOTHING SYRUP Has been used for over FIFTY YEARS