The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-08


wear the most expensive and beautiful
models are the three-qua1ter lengths
and longer. One in a gray green covert
lined in hunters green satin comes to
within six or seven inches OF the bottom
of long skirt. is very full in the back
and has a single wide shoulder cape,
giving the fashionable effect of extreme
breadth across the shoulders. In black
silk or velvet lined in white or pale gray
these wraps are very stunning for car
rage or evening wear. Double and
triple shoulder capes are more fashion
able than ever and the sleeves are invar-
aggerated flare above the wrist and,
usually, a wide reversed cuff.
But the American wife? Henry James
has summed up the American wife in just
one sentence. He says: THE American
wife knows nothing of her husbands af-
fairs-except that they are of not the
slightest consequence"
This IS both epigrammatic and exactly
true The American wife has quite a
genuine affection for her husband Even
after years of marriage have gone by. she
thinks of him with unaffected friendliness.
He is so useful. She credits him with al
most all the virtues, except perhaps the
virtue of being interesting and she over
looks that one defect of his with charita
bic liberation She sees him come and go
each day with clock-lilze regularity. She
vaguely knows what his profession or vo-
tdliOH OIlc LINKS DttleT OF
him if i is a profession or vo-
cation that is generally regarded as quite
creditable; but this is practically all she
knows or cares about it. She sees him ris-
ing early and hurryinE - hi office She
hears him sitting late into the night in
the room overhead; and she is probably
aware that he is Immersed in a great sea
of papers and documents Of some kind or
other-tiresome and stupid things that he
will persist in bringing home and fussins
over.
She finds that he must sometimes stay
in town all through the summer when the
thermometer is in the nineties and when
the sickly heat aweats OF the very walls
or sizzles on the pavement. She thinks
it very inconsidcrate of him to do this.
She would really rather have him go with
her to the cool, wind-swept nook that she
selects for her own summer outing Just
why he does not go, she cannot possibly
imagine.
1t is one of the curious, irrational traits
which he possesses and which prevents
her from taking him quite seriously. Per-
haps he will run up there for a day or
two, and when he does come she is very
nice to him, apart from scolding him a
little for getting so hideously thin and sal
low. But he is not particularly comfort
able there. He follows her meekly into
the dining room three times day for u
while and then he has to go back to what
ever it is that he does in town. Just what
it is she doesn't know. The household bills
are paid; the checks come to her regular
ly. She does the things she likes to do,
and sometimes dimly recognizes the fact
that it is pleasant to have somebody to
see that her various projects and arrange
ments all come out so nicely. Her hus-
band is really quite what a husband ought
to be- He does his duty perfectly and
she has a very accurate notion of what
that duty is. To provide whatever she re-
quires, to fetch and carry out her bidding,
to leave her absolutely free from care,
sponsibility or worry-such is the whole
duty of the American husband.
And then, she is so very sure of himi 1t
never enters her head that he has any
thing to wish for. that he can possibly be
conscious of a void somewhere in life, or
experience even the faintest stirring of
dissatisfaction; that he could ever imagine
anything different from what he has;
that he might ever dream of an existence
where he should be something better than
the household banker. a glorified butler.
superior maitre dhotel She is absolutely
satisfied with herself and absolutely sure
of him. She does not want another kind
of husband, so why should he desire
different sort of wife?-Ainslies Magazine.
The fact that the latest of rugs comes
from England and that the handsomest
examples are in shades of royal red is
no doubt responsible for the name, Cor
onation.
The handsomest ones are in two or
many rooms done in colors which would
swear" at this shade the rugs in varf-
GUS greens are of equal value. Indeed,
green goes with anything, and is, there
fore, always safe These are in two or
more shades each, being on the olive.
empire, grass, reseda and bronze tones.
Heretofore about the only rug one
could get that looked well with the
lightest Wilton carpets was a silky
white goat skin or Polar bear. Polar
bears, unfortunately, do not grow on ev-
cry bush. Even if they did. one would
like one of these new little rugs in adj
dition, since with rugs it is as with fine
laces and CHINA woman never gets
enough. These newest of mohair plush
rugs are delicate cream white in
broche effect.
Outside of the white fur rugs and the
palest, silkiest and most expensive of
Oriental rugs. it is next to impossible
to find one that is in perfect harmony
with the almost white drawing rooms
and boudoirs now in vogue. These are
the newest of the mohair pushes.
In a Dolly Warden room the walls are