The age-herald., 1898-12-18

Paris, December S-It is charming to mo- tice how Paris wakes up at Christmastime, for the French-who are none too devout- never forget to observe Christmas by Christmas dances and Christmas parties. Indeed Christmas is the Paris season, for Paris is never so gay as in December.
 It is said that the French girl buys her waist first and then selects a skirt, the lat ter not being worth special description This year an exception must be made, for the skirt is really very pretty. It is plain that is, the skirt-to within few inches of the hem, then 1t is ruffied very daintily and neatly with soft ruffies that make it full and fluffy around the foot.
 But the waist is the beauty of the Christ mas fete gown, and this year it is really charming in delicate designing.
 One very beautiful waist was made of pink figured silk with the designs in white. The yoke was trimmed with puffs of pink silk, extending across it, and the shoulders were puffed with the same. There was vest of white silk, very full reaching from the bust to the belt.
 A WAIST TRIMMING.
 Across the foot of the waist there was
 
 velvet lined with pink. Bands of the velvet were stretched across the waist, terminat- ing in big rosettes of black velvet. The belt was of black velvet, and the collar was also of black velvet. Black chiffon ruff1es fin- ished the elbow sleeves. The stock or neck band was trimmed with very large ap- pliqued velvet daisies, which also formed a border for the sleeves and vest.
 This young woman wore in her hair a af tla4 fastened into the coifrure like a coronet. At one side there stood a branch of soft rose leaves. Nothing more beautiful than this rose leaf design could have been inn agined or more dressy.
 Since the hair dressing is so elaborate and so floral 1t may be mentioned that these flowers are almost always artificial. The fresh flowers droop so soon in the ball room. Fancy seeing a coronet of these roses all faded, and fancy how antiquated a girl must look few hours after they are fastened in, fresh and fair. The roses arc made of delicately tinted silks, perfumed and fastened to the coiffure.
 Another waist was made of blue and white striped silk in pin stripes, which were gathered into the belt line. The vest was of pale blue silk, embroidered also in daisies and finished with a ruffie of plain blue silk. The sleeves were of the embroid- cred silk gathered very full up and down the arm so that they made the arms look rather large and full.
 belt of robins egg blue velvet was worn and there was a high stock of silk and chiffon.
 A SAFFRON BODICE.
 Still another bodice was of plain saffron which was crushed and put upon the lining crosswise, making deep, dark folds, as saf- iron will. The effect was almost that of a striped goods, for the folds lay so deep in the material. This was fastened invisibly on the left side with two very large rosettes of saffron chiffon.
 The yoke of this waist was of plain saf- iron colored silk with bands of black pas sementerie laid over it. At each side there were revers with passementerie laid over silk. The sleeves were the same shirred pattern, the goods being gathered over the lining. This style of making the sleeve Is called the ''Washerwoman'' sleeve It is very becoming to the slender arm, but dis astrous to a stout one.
 The cuff that is worn with this sleeve is very striking. It Is of heavy material pointed and turned sharply back.
 The waist, that was certainly worth de-