The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-04
4 IDEAS for dWn1nen

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There is lust time enough, but none 90
spare. il you are thinking OF the table
decorations Of a Valentine breakfast par
iy. II takes time 10 order the heart
shaped moulds for a bonnie glace, or the
paper cases Of sweetbread pate, the
heart shaped boxes and baskets OF sweets
commons, used on the occasion.
The bow and arrow is the alternative
idea in I st. Valentines party and oc-
casiosally the old. old dove dhe turtle
dove OF ancient English poetry, IS per-
mitted 10 figure as a device. Even the SOU
venirs that are carried off BY the guests
parsake of these embfsms. The bow and
arrow must not be SO conspicuous as to
be e~anfounded with the tomahawk hatch
et so much in evidence one week later at
the next February festival. known as
Washington's birthday.
Give now the order for your "petts
fours' at your confectionery. and consult
with him about the icing. He will try TO
induce you TO awe green, pink and choco-
late brown icing on the heart cakes, but
be firm in standing out for plain red and
white, the true eolors of st. Valentine. II
YOU choose to nave the centre of the table
occupied by a large loaf cake. baked in
the shape of a heart, you can hide therein
the mystical gold ring.
You will not want a large centre-piece
of flowers. Have the tablecloth overlaid
with a lattice of carnations pink or red
ribbons. of narrow satin, Joined at the
acute angle of the diamonds by two Or
more carnation pinks. They lie upon the
snowy cloth like a rain of flowers. II
Won have pink and white carnations at
each angle, the effect is as pretty, bur not
more so than If red alone were used. A
very little greenery, maiden hair fern is
sometimes combined with these ~nosegays-
The idea is to do away with the formal
centrepiece and to have the dining table
a-sparkle with diamond shaped pieces OF
white damask, seen through the rich lat
tice of flowers and shining satin ribbon
These lattices are made to order in differ
eut colors at the leading florists. who sug-
gest decorations for entertainments. The
charming lattice of violets is unfortunate
" not appropriate for Saint Valentines
Day.
Instead of formal cards have small ar
rows of gilt pasteboard, the length OF a
girls finger, inscribed with the name OF a
guest. Finally. rob the baby's bassinet
of the milk white dove that seems to
brood eontentedly overhead, and poise it
aloft beneath the chandelier among the
green over the table.
So
The wit of the family is pressed into
service to compos a short verse in honor
of each guest, or if this cannot be de-
vised, short quotations of a sentimental
turn are copied from the English poets
Burns and Tennyson. Herrick, Waller
and Suckling-are freely borrowed for the
occasion. These. valentines are folded in
cooked hats and sealed with red, per-
fuTned wax They are not placed at the
napkins of the guest, but are served IN
a china bowl, passed about like a dish
of -mayonnaise. by the walters who see
that each visitor takes a billet from the
postal delivery bowl.
The souvenirs offered. ARE usually trifies,
as pretty as possible. but not costly. Bon
bonnieres. pocket mirrors a visiting card
case. or some little basket Of flowers not
more than four inches across. may be
given. but generally a pretty box in
shape of a hearf is offered on this oc-
casi6n-
Fourteen is the proper number for the
st. Valentines breakfast. Matrons are
net regarded as hors de combat. and
a chaperon is usually present not as
moderator of the assembly but as the
leading spirit in the outburst of giriish
mlrth and innocent revelrg.
For morning wear-that is to say, be-
tween the hours of breakfast and lunch
eon-there is nothing nicer to slip into
than a well ert and nattily made fan
= 49, o,,.. - a =
skirt in cloth or serge. These blouses
can be easily made at home and it is
nice to possess half a dozen or so in
pretty colorings. OF course they must
be made without any Celebrations. the
only decoration employed being tucks,
stitches and tiny buttons The flannel
employed must be OF thoroughly good
quality, or it will not be found to pay
for making. wearing thick and rough
looking after a little time.
A red and white stripe of narrow
width looks well made up; blue and
white is also nice; while a black and
white striped hannel, the stripes run
ming about a quarter of an inch in width.
is extremely smart worn with a soft
scarlet tie and stock. Linen collars and
cuffs are still loved by many. but the
~softness of the same in white washing
silk. hemstitehed, the collar finished in
front with a loose cravat bow of the
silk. is often preferred. Some of the
shawl pattern thin woellen fabrics make
up most becomingly- One much admired
was in shades of blue, green. red. made
up with a box pleat down the front, and
little frilled turnover collars and cuffs of
bright scarlet silk. edged with narrow
Valenciennes lace and insertions of the
same. the waist finished by a narrow
scarlet velvet band fastened by an an
tique buckle. Another with a background
of bright scarlet and small pattern OF
royal blue on it was daintily finished
with hemsiitehed collars and cuffs in
white washing silk with bands of scarlet
edging them. while a green tartan had
a Inc of yellow through it and was worn
with tucked silk cuffs in palest yellow,
with d stock and soft tie of the same,
and q belt of oxidized silver.
In an article on Nervous Tension in
the February sTWoman's Home Compan-
ion,', Florence Hull Winterbnrn thus ar
raigns the woman active in church, sos
c:ai and pfilantilropic iife:---