Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-12

I occurring at intervals Is Of the palest
green. and surmounted each time by a
delicately tinted lace Of guipure charac-
ter A jabot of flmy lace partially con-
ceals the inevitable rever of green velvet.
Everything of the future and nothing OF
the past lurked. too, in the folds of a
pretty picture hat. A transparent crea-
ton this OF black Chantilly, with a
skilful and artistic adjustment of white
ostrich feathers, rising almost out of the
centre of the crown, the whole completed,
and with much telling effect, by extrava-
gantly large rhinestone buckles.
1t was whilst yearning over this hat
that 1 saw a frock of rose-pink canvas
that had a wonderful applique of black
lace in pointed lines. alternate with black
ribbon velvet. its skirt finished by
a front panel Of ecru guipure and having
a pretty sash of black lace and velvet at
the back. The same lines of applique
were carried out in its bodice. opening
over a chemisette Of finely-tucked lisse
and finished at the bust by butterfly
Of lace,
l must not omit to mention an ex-
quiste yachting gown Of white pongee
trimmed with small pleats and gold but
tons; on the blouse was cravat of white
satin passing beneath a collar OF black
MORE, bordered with gold braid. / am
afraid this lovely gown will lie unworn
this summer.
The question OF muslins confronts us on
every hand. have already told you that
this is to be q muslin season" In
times gone by muslin was wont TO be the
exclusive wear Of youth and inno-
cence. But we have changed all that.
Nowadays the rl-grandmother," that
wonderful product of the end OF the nine
teenth century, not only wears muslin,
but contrives to look well in II, too;
while as for the young unmarried woman
of thirty, she. who in the days gone by
before alluded to would have been ION
the shelf" a hopeless old maid, with
mighty little chance of ever getting
down from that uncomfortable eminence.
is now in the zenith Of her charms, and
will wear muslin with a grace and dis
tincton impossible to seventeen, whose
angles are often too prominently dis
played and who does not possess the as
surance born of-politeness forbids me to
say how many seasons. To my mind
this is as it should be. AT best, the sum-
mer Of a woman's beauty is such a
short one that If she can extend 1t by
any lawful means / think she should do
SO.
The new plaid muslins are in the most
lovely combinations, as for instance,
apple-green and white, pink and cream,
and black and white. One most charm
ing and uncommon design was in two
shades of pink and palest heliotrope,
and another of which 1 shall have more
to say anon, since i met it made up
later on In my travels, was OF deep yell
low with a touch of orange about IL,
and cream. AS for the sprigged mus
lins-what a fascinating sound the words
have-they are all the rage now, as they
were sixty years ago, when our grand
mothers were girls. One, in especial,
caught my fancy particularly. 1t had a
white ground wherein tiny pink rose
buds ran riot, tied UP here and there by
ribbons of palest blue; another bore
punches of forget-me-nots, with their
pretty pale-green leaves; while yet an
other, whose ground was a cream so
deep that it inclined towards yellow, had
buttercups scattered over it's surface In
groups of twos and threes.
AS for the embroidered robes, well,
words almost fail me. These. in some in
stances, were left plain, having for sole
ornament only a scroll-like design
upon the deep hem. In others the hem
became a frilled one, greatly to the ad-
vantage of the robe. A plain muslin hem
Is so apt to give a limp look TO even the
most carefully -thought-out gown.
Some-needless to say these were the