The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-10
The Dover Chest
Girl Of 1904
Got the Fad from Her Grandmother, Just as She Has
Copied Her Worthy Ancestors Fashions in
Dress These Last Few Months.
BY LOUISE ". DEW.

Elaborate. made to order trousseaux
are going out of fashion, and the good
old German custom of using the dover
chest is fast coming in. In New Eng
land the dover chest has long been
concrete expression of a pretty senti-
ment, but it is only recently that the
idea has spread over the whole coun-
try.
This revival has inaugurated a new
feminine type-the charming Dover
Chest Girl Unlike her German cousin,
she does not exist solely for marriage
even bachelor girls have the fad
but, nevertheless, she tucks a hope
down snugly in her heart that some
time she will meet her Prince Charm
ing
Fortunate is she If her mother has
instiiled into her sentiment to put
much value on association instead of
ever looking for the new. If so, she
will take to her future home a store
of things, every one of which will be
dear because of some sentiment con-
nected with a special event of her life
1t will. therefore, be an ever recurring
plasure to use or handle them in her
married life.
An American Type.
The Dover Chest Girl, as an Amer
lean type, is distinctive. AS a rule she
acquires her chest by purchase, rather
than by inheritance, as does her Ger
man prototype, but she takes quite as
much pride in its possession as If It
were an heirloom. If she can afford
it, her chest will be of mahogany or
oak, carved or plain, to suit her fancy,
In any event, 1t will be cedar lined
and have cedar trays, the pungent
odor of which moths eschew, and
which clings to the garments she
places therein as persistently as her
favorite sachet perfumes her bureau
drawers.
Sometimes she buys her chest ready
made, but more often she plans it her
self and has 1t constructed to suit her
individual preference. If she is an
enthusiast about wood carving, she
has her chest handsomely carved, or
does 1t herself. Her idea is to have it
so decorative that il will never be
awkward or out of place in the recep-
| ton hall, living room, bed chamber
or wherever she may choose to keep
| it, for ornament as well as use.
Whether decorated or plain, it must
| have her monogram on 1t in silver or
copper to match the trimmings, or
carved on it.
Artistic burnt wood Chest.
An artistic burnt wood chest was
made out of an old oak bedstead,
| which had been in the family so long
| that it had become endeared by asso-
| citation. 1t was made to fit under
wide window, where it served as a
commodious seat. The design was
| burned by the girl herself. and was a
conventional one of peoples sprawled
| over the cover and down the sides.
| Copper mountings were used, and a
| lock, made after an old-fashioned
model. decorated the 'front.' The
wood was stained to look like wealth
| cred oak. and the chest itself was lined
| with cedar.
Another chest was of mahogany,
| polished so highly that it reflected like
/ a mirror. 1t was perfectly plain ex-
| cept for brass mountings and the
monogram of its owner in brass at one
end. 1t and the trays We're lined with
| pale blue quilted satin and delicately
scented with sachet powder. This
| chest sat in an alcove in the hall.
which was furnished in mahogany, and
1t gave an air OF elegance to the room.
These chests may be inexpensively
| made, and serve their purpose, or
| they may be constructed with a view
| TO using them as heirlooms. in which
case they are best bound in copper or
| brass.
,, Contents of the Chest.
! Next to the question of the chest it,
self, the contents are of the most inn
portance to the Dover Chest Girl. If
she is thrifty she will turn out many
dainty bits of needlework. in all of
| which she will take much pride. 1t is
| quite the fad at present to hemstitch
linen towels by hand scailop The hem
and then buttonhole stitch them. The
monogram of the worker-or, better
! still, a design Of fleur de lis. shamrock
| or clover--is worked on one end to
stamp the owners individuality. Even
wash clothes are treated in the same
manner.
The Dover Chest Girl makes all her