Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-19
PORTALS new YORK LETTER

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| There is no place like 1t in the spring.
Each year Ii seems to breathe now at.
\ who can't go into OBSTACLES over New
York on bright srrine afternoon, pro-
| vided she is where She can view the
bien elegante, is to be pitied. The
4 parks, tho drives, the cafes and tho
shops have all on their best clothes,
and are alluring. Dame Fashion has
come out from her Lepten retreat, and
is walking abroad. arrayed i'm attract
i've raiment that causes every feminine
heart to break the Tenth Command
ment. Foulards are seen every where,
| that are Of the softest and glossiest silk,
and nothing can be more attractive
than this clinging material. They are
made with a con trasting lining, and, as
| the skirt hangs separate, the glimpse of
| the bright oolored underskirt is always
fascinating. One cachet in the making
of these foulards is thai the seams, in
| stead OF being Tapped, must be cat
stitched with a heavy button hole twist,
and the contrasting lining shows
through. This must be very carefully
| done, but it is worth the trouble, for
i it gives the new tone to the spring cos.
tune. Again, when black lace is used,
white net must be used under it, or
vice versa. This brings out the pattern
Of the lace. and gives q very French
air. Chiffon sashes with lace edges
are again in vogue. These hang from
the left side Just below the shoulder.
Beth always wants me to tell her of
the little things that 1 know. She says
she can always get along with the
gown, but it is the little things'' that
! tell and give the "air." In this, Beth
is quite tight. / wrote her that wells
| should be worn to entirely cover the
| hat, They are of very thin net, and
deep enough to reach from the chin en-
\ tirely over the flowers ON the hat. Some
! of them are spotted with few dots and
| far apart, and one must be careful how
these wells are put on, or the effect may
| be very ludicrous, with dot in front
of one eye or the tip Of the nose, or
mayhap Just In frort Of the moth,
where laugh may cause one to look
minus tooth.
I Not to have silk or satin coat is not
\ to be in it these days in New York.
saw an exquisite one at the Waldorf
yesterday, pale fawn with heavy
| yellow lace reyers, strapped with narrow
bands of 'fawn satin, and fastened
with two large gold buttons. The lin
ing was of white satin, and, when the
fair wearer threw back her coast, it
represented royal price. The tailor
made girl is still in 1T. I doubt il she
will ever leave us. And her costumes
this yeai come in infinite variety, to
suit oil tastes and figures. The Elton
model is the most universal, and is not
SO pointed in front as formerly. The
back of the Elton and the loose fronts
are often tucked, and the tops of the
sleeves are finished with tucked pointed
| caps edged with taffeta bands. The
bottom Of the jacket, which does not
touch the waist line, is also finished
with q taffeta band, and it isyquite the
thing to have a stitched band OF the
same color for a belt, as the little peep
of separate shirt between the skirt
and Elton is not neat looking.
Do you know French New York; /
mean any Of the little French cafes
where the middle-class French people
meet in the afternoon to chat and sip
their absinthe. II Is facinating part
Of New York life to watch. 1he men,
with their long frock coats and baggy
gray trousers and often shabby silk hats,
for you know o Frenohman will have
silk hat at my price, and the women
with their finery, which however cheap
always has Al chic air. They are a
quiet respectable going lot, and, though
they sit over their little drinks Of cor
dial IN tho afternoon for several hours,
they drink less than, do the Americans
IN half an hour. And this is character
istio of all their life, they take their
pleasures slowly and in sips At one of
these little French cafes down near
Washington Square, saw two attract
i've looking women, evidently of the
better class of French people, whose
costumes attracted me. must tell you
OF one 1t was o black foulard, with
large white dRshing figure over it.
The skirt was slashed, and the under;
meath one of white silk cleaned
through, The outer skirt was plain,
which is au fait this year, but the white
one was filled with such frou frou OF
ruflies Of black and white lace that only
French woman knows how to carry.
The bodice was Of the black foulard,
made somewhat plain, but at the throat
was q collar OF yellow, light blue,
pink and mauve satin. The belt was
OF this same combination. At the left
eide, snsh of chiffon Of the same
colors. The hat was made Of yellow
roses--it was mere toque, and on one
side had a little black feather caught
with pink bow. The effect was
stunning, and could only be carried off
we'll by woman who knows how to
combine such things.
One thing noticeable on the spring
gown are the buttons. Dead gold and
silver buttons and tho medallion are
the chic thing. In fsct,,,a great deal
Of gold is used everywhere. Gold braid
gives smart touch, if put on in good
taste. The petticoats one sees are
ravishine, but the woman Of taste must
remember that the petticoat should
match the lining or the color most pre-
dominant ION her hat. and, IL she can
not have variety of these silk affairs,
let her wear black one, or letter still
the dear old white muslin skirts with |
their fresh rutfles of lace and tucks. |
Nothing can be more attractive than
this, but mind you they must 30 fresh.
Portia.
Marriage is Too Easy.
"The present open-door policy for |