The times., 1899-12-24

been n-ad- 10 spend q shocking amount this
season. Interrupted Nalsie repsntautIy.
Il am afraid he begins 20 think that sue
cessfuI dzbutaute daughter is q rather ex-
pensiVe luxury and that he would hay= done
far better to let me go in for training as
hospital nurse. However. now that We
have put or hand 10 this social pow ]
wa-n him there is nothing gained by look
ing back, but this timz it is not gowns. its
house waists. smart little blOusCs of which
I am quite shsmefully in need and ! Eave
permission 10 buy TWO. They must be chic,
and they must be becoming aud I've regis
tered a truly solemn vow that the bin for
them both shant be OF r size TO lessen il
The smallest degree paPa's appetite for his
Christmas turkey.
What I really want is a house blouse Of
cloth c0l0red cloth but the style must
not border al ali on the shirt waist. ,e
discovered by very EhreWd investigation
thar the smart house blouse for dubu-
Jaute is not cf silk and not a shirt waist.
ii is cloth OF a light becoming tint made
u7 with what I call dressy effect, and is
worn with q dark silk or cloth tailor skirt
iL The morning and sometimes in tue afJc--
noon when one is very informally az home
DO just a few dear friends"
Or in other words, % explained the
hostess. squirting one handsome grey eve
at q biz OF sky-blue crepe cloth spread
on her pink palm. when one is At
home in the bow window with 02='5 b5s.
man eh, BY dear 5laisie, in q mClherly
tone. I've been a deoIfdHte myself and. %
pretending not TO observe The warm iush
ia the cheeks Of the girl opposite. Il would
have blouse Of that pilk cloth you boye
JUST laid on the green cushion. Brown
eyed. fair-slduned women always l0ok lhclr
best iu Caressiug sEalCs Of rose or bland
Ind I irra fa fz-,sl
Of makeup for that svelt little figure Of
yours"
-At an opera matinee last week" she
continued. I saw q woman quito your
age and build, wear one Of pink and I took
down its chief and most charming features
while Cslye was WarbliIg the jewel song
lH Faust. The body itself was Of cloth.
having plain French back and a cluster az
the quee-zsL, dearest little slaEting tucks
under either sleeve. These Jucks threw
just the requisite fuliness and stiffness into
the fronts that opened well over the bust
10 reveal iull vest OF cream white Liberty
silk. Onto the edge Of the clotH fronts
were seWed stihencd wavy bands OF stitched
pink glace silk. A folded band OF Elace six
finished Of the waist line. the collar and
cuffs were Of six and the WearCT OF this
fetching body exhibited a small chatelain
Of gun metal caught 10 one side OF her belt
and her gloves. I observed, were Of that pc
Culisrly fashionable color known as gun
metal grey and were fastened with one
very large white pearl button. The skirt
that went with this Was q plain black in
conspicuous affair and must confess I eX-
sracte1 almost as much pleasure from the
sight Cf that tidy. modish little waist as 1
did from e sweet thing in pauIc on my
IeN."
Tell me about it instantly" demanded
u ID HrH ra
last agrd TO be sai5 as 10 the cloth waist
Pink it shall be- and noW for the panGa. I
can put panne inside ms limit for Tie next
blouse quite as easily as q place silk. lt's
not IS costly as the best taffeJa and care
fully worn waist Of this new velvet VIII
see q trio Of tancta garments retired 10 the
raE-bag iu disgrace and tat-ers.
Besides" pat 10 the hostess. "there is
nothing more novel than silver grey pa8He
that is tucked. Tns tucks Iaust be- well
spaced and so narrowly pinaaad shat they
gsill stand up ike cords all over the sur
face of the material But 10 return 10 the
waist on my left il was q .ilver grey
Uauue and the tucks ran from throat TO
Hait enhancing the slenderness Cf the
Hearer's figure. Tn front over the bust the
uauuc was cleft apart 10 reveal an inter
IUde of accordion pleated chiffon of the
most heavenly shade of blue Baby ewes
blue is what the dressmakers call IL. A
wedge OF cream EltFIre spread DN8r tEC
lower portion Of the family azure vest
boat it was the only other note iu the blue
aEi grey symphony that was accompanied
bg q grey cashmere skirt showing p,eated
tack"
who Is wearing plCated back cues
si0Eed Mrs. Van ELickerb0cker. dropping
With o sign OF acute exhaustion into a
mOtheriy looking arm chair. why. every
body" came the answer as cup Of the
most fragrant tea Eas set on a tiny wicker
stand before her. "Oh. nonsense. j think
TEey are ugly and clumsy. I've not seen a
really BGih rloated back this seos0n. and
I've just come from a tea where all the
women Were wearing shaded ostrich feath-
ers in their hats Last week I saw the
neW Henry Arthur Jones play and not an
actress showed any but habit back skirts. %
There now you are out Of sorts and
tired began the hostess soothiugly
You've been too hard worked over Christ
iass shopping"
In ADDITION 10 having fitted out my
d hole flock Of small daughters with new
costumes for their cousins wedding, no
small job in Itself. can as
sure you" added the weary one.
although don't know that any
thing gives me greater pleasure than a
long morning al the children's outhtters.
for Juvenile fashions are lovely nowadays.
Such smart picturesque suits as the chill