The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-12-14
MISS DE- MARS HAT.
Il Cannot Be Talked Through but Il
Can Be Seen Through.
Frame Is Made Of Glass That Is Flexible
and Capable Of Being Rolled.

does a man want to know about cos
tunes. except paying the bills like
good boy?" laughed Carrie De Mar In
her dressing room at Keith's.
The public? That's all right; but
do you suppose / would trust man
TO discuss inteligently. even for the
benefit OF the dear public, those intri-
cate, complicated and mysterious con-
coctions with which we women excite
ate before marriage and frlghten af-
ter marriage the lords OF cre-
alton? Not |. Why, my dear fellow,
you would be telling about "a skirt OF
changeable ecru, CUT in accordion re-
vers, with bias Hamburg IN the lower
cores and iiounces EN- traine at the
waist, with taffeta percale dinner plates
down the back and the whole set out
with bias lingerie around the middle
breadth. i don't have any such magni-
ficent outfits, any such tailor-made
poems, as that; and, as L don't like To
deceive the public, l don't want you
10 attempt it,"
Miss DeMar, who is Mrs. Joseph Hart
in private life, gave coquettlsh toss
OF her head and burst out In peal
OF that indesirably merry laugh OF hers
that is at once so jolly and yet so re-
fined, and which makes one long TO be
able to do something TO keep II ring
ing continually in his ears. She is just
the same bright, vivacious little woman
off the stage that she is on IL, with
the merriest twinkle in her eye, her
mobile features never In repose but
constantly giving expression TO her
feelings and thoughts even more quick
ly and effectively than her lips; and
she never discards that bewitching De-
Mar smile. that smile that is present
in every picture you ever saw or her,
that you never miss for moment
when she is on the stage, unless for
the time being IL is replaced with some
amusing contortion OF the pretty face
TO emphasize a comedy characteriza-
tion--a smile that is known the country
over and which would have been her
fortune on the stage were she not even
possessed Of her other exceptional tall
ents as coincidence, vocalist and dan
Ger.
With all her buoyancy OF spirits. her
effervescence and jollity, she Is abso-
lutely unaffected i'm manner. her gay
ETY. never approaches boisterousness;
and her natural refinement and mod
esty shine through il all.
Really. IL was good OF you to take
the trouble to come on such "a hazard
Gus undertaking as writing up lady's
stage wardrobe" said Miss DeMar,
with just the suspicion OF a wink in
her eye; land, II you viii promise not
TO attempt to write any description of
it, / will show you something of a cur
iosity. But, mind you, no description
OF IL. You wouldn't make out half so
well as with the dresses"
She opened a large trunk, and from
a compartment apparently built for
the purpose took out the large picture
hat" she wears in the last part OF DIR.
Chauncey" and held IL up To the ad-
miring gaze of the writer who had
previously been dazzled by its beau
ties as seen from the front" This is
the hat that has occasioned SO much
talk among the lady patrons OF Keith's
this week. and which even the gentle
men readily recognize as being decid-
edly fetching" even If their critical
powers can go no farther in its con-
sderation.
She held Il out toward the writer,
who. manlike. stretched forth his hand
TO take It,: and the expression that
came over the pretty face of its owner
as she lodged back out of reach would
make a hit reproduced in "Dr. Chaun-
cey' or quiet Mr.. Gay"
The writer was mystified at once as
he realized that he was looking through
the body of the hat itself, which was
as transparent as a window pane. upon
the magnificent ostrich feathers and
rich-hued roses with which il was ad-
orned. Miss DeMar smiled mischiev-
ously as she saw his bewilderment.
and said: You see this isn't the kind
of hat you men have-not the kind you
talk through. I've heard many man
say he could never see through il, how
a hat could cost so much; and so /
thought I'd get a hat so that my hus-
band could see through IT, See?' and
the little woman laid the hat down on a
chair and outspread her hands in front
of her shoulders after the manner of
the most approved stage Hebrew.
ha
continued soberly. but still wearing
that same smile; "and there isn't an
other one in this country. It's gem
uine Paris millinery confection, termed
la militaire' by its CREATOR and it's
made of glass. OF course, IL cost a
heap of money but Mr.. Hart is one
OF those men who think nothing is too
good for their wives, and he said I
must have II. and so there il is A
good many people think the frame
must be made of isinglass but it's
real glass, ] assure you, made after n
secret process. which renders IL quite
flexible, as you see;' and she bent the
apparently fragile rolling brim quite
as freely as If IL were made of paste
board or some other millinery material.
There is hardly any danger at all of
it's being broken, If one only takes de-
cent care of IT,
"The trimmings? Oh. ] told you that
you lnuStn attempt 10 ueScflDe III at
ALL but I'll tell you about IL If you
wont try to remember il and write II
up afterward. These are white and
blue ostrich plumes. and about as hand
some ones as I ever saw. too: and the
frame Is bound round the edge with
yellow shirred chiffon, while these half
dozen roses give Just the necessary
bit of color for my complexion. don't
YOU think sou
OF course the writer agreed to this.
In fact the man who would not agree
to almost anything suggested I'm Miss
DeMar's charming way would be u
wonder.
What did I get IL for? Wei. now.
I'm n woman. Did YOU ever see one
who didn't like Just a little bit to out
shine her sisters. Ia have something TO
wear that they might envy? And did
YOU ever see a woman who didn't de-
light i'm ANYTHING that she fancied
might make her look pretty? Even the
ugliest woman fancics she's pretty
when she's attired I'm the latest wonders
of millinery or dressmakcr's art: and
I must say Of YOU men that you're gen
orally good enough 60 let her think So.