The San Francisco call., 1899-01-29

before an open fire, the shopkeepers have
ueCn unpacking the new summer mate
rial%.
For it is a law as unbreakable as those
Of the Medes and Perslans that the light
and airy materials must be ready to dis
play 10 a few exclusive customers during
Lent They are not shown to public gaze
until some weeks later. But ii is habit
Of some OF our grand danes to select their
summer frOCkS during Lent.
Balls and parties are eschewed during
Lent. But the penitential season is not
devoted entirely 10 solitude and medita-
ton. Some time is devoted to designing
gowns for seashore cOnquests. This
means if you belong to the favored few.
that you can do your summer shopping
during Lent and have first choice Of the
exclusive novelties.
Il also means hobnobbing eternally with
mantua-makers. And this is really an
Rll-su:ftcient 1.lode of doing penance. For
not only IS the dressmaker most exact
Ing in her demands on time and patience,
but one has to practice self-control TO
meet her bills.
II is still a week too early to share a
private view of all the sheer summer i'm
portations. But l mad the privilege of
see ng those that are already in order for
exclusive display. So III serve you the
hors oeuvre Of the feast, a s 1t were, just
70 sharpen your appetite for what's com
K great many of the new organdies and
dimities show the Dolly Warden" pat
tern. This, the shopkeeper assured me-
Is going to be the favorite pattern in
summer materials. Flower designs seem
TO have entirely displaced the dainty
stripes and plaids Of last season. Won
drously beautiful are some Of the bios
SONS that trail in exquisite colorings over
a dainty but contrasting background.
Then there are some so dazzling in their
color scheme that The person who is
color blind has the best Of his less for
tunate neighbor. Brilliant caTmine. burnt
orange. sapphire and castor are spilled
together on a shrimp pink background! I!
However. SO little of the foundation color
shows and the other shades are so
,a off fC OF ulo p.tr,.y ,+
q distance. We shall probably even
l.ern to gaze upon it at closer view with
out shading the eyes.
as surely as the swallows homeward fly.
The new models differ somewhat from
their sisters Of summer ago. There are
akin to the genuine brother article 70
ratisfy the masculine longing of any
maiden. The sleeves save the Guns and
the back. are made OF perfectly. plain
material and have very little starch The
front is stiffly starched. is or the same
color material. but ornamented with n
inv design of some sort The front
fastens exactly like those that heretofore
have reposed only at mems furnishing
stores Madras and pique, the latter en-
broid red are by. far the smartest, prod
ucts the loom for shirt waist making.
Another point-the milliners have a
soothing syrup Tor the wal r ths{ snd Ti yal1s ase
tCQues must be laid aside for unmanage-
able straw. II IS built on the same lines
as the winter toque and is just as wind
proof
One model Is made entirely of lace. with
stalks OF the tasseled wheat. But the
most beautiful one, and especially appro-
pirate for Easter. is a toque made en-
tirely Of green leaves. And .springing
from this mound Of natural looking leaves
is a single stately white water lily. worn
on fair head what prettler herald. Of ap-
preaching spring could be imagined.
I'm almost afraid to say II, but as IL
really isn't my FAULT l shall be brave;
Dressm- ',ers intend to button all the