The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-05

and on that stage. with effective
flashes Of Hme-light played from the
wings at intervals. and the accom-
panlment OF a Hungarian band, young
ladies wearing creations" IN costume
and finally walked down the room
between rows of Spectators to show
themselves and the gowns they car
ried, to the best possible advantage.
The whole thing was much better than
a stage comedy. Nothing could sur
pass the quaint peacOck-1ike vanity OF
the girl minneQuins who strutted
up and down, moving their arms about
TO exhibit their sleeves and swaying
their hips to accentuate the fail and
flow of flounces and draperies. It
was a marvellous sight to behold, and
it irresisubly reminded one of a party
| of impudent children trying on for
fun all their mothers and elder sis
terS' best Tong dresses" while the
unsuspecting owners were out of the
way. There was a programme" of
the performance fearfully and wonder
| fully WOrded. the composition SO we
were afterwards with bated breath
/ informed. of Madame la Modiste's sis
I ter, a lady who by virtue of having
written too small, rather clever slits
on the manners, customs and modes OF
society," is. in some obliging quarters
of the press called a novelist" This
programme instructed US as to the
proper views we were expected to take
of the costumes paraded before us as
follows:
For the Dinner Party.
1 ELUSIVE Joy
! Pleasures Thrau
Red Mouth of a Venomous Flower.
The RED Mouth of Venomous
Flower was harmless, somewhat
sheepish-looking girl in a bright scar
let toilette-neither the toilette nor
the sensational title suited her. But
perhaps the "Cult of Chiffon" pre-
sented the most varied and startling
phases to properly receptive mind.
Thus it ram
The Cult OF Chiffon.
The Dirge Ger the Death of Pleasure
The Fire Motif
The Meaning of Life is Clear
Moss and Starlight
Ineessant Soft Desire
A Frenzied Song of Amorous Things
A Summer Night Has a Thousand
Powers
Faint gigglings shook the bnsons of
the prOfane as the "Incessant Soft De-
sire" g1ded into view, followed by "A
Frenzied Song of Anorous Things, -
indeed it would have have been posi-
lively unnatural and inhunan had no
one laughed. Curious to relate, there
were quite a large number of gentle
men" at this remarkable exhibition of
feminine clothes, many of them we'll
known and easily recognizable. Ger
tain fianeurs of Bond street. various
lOafers familiar to the Carlton
lounge" and celebrated Piccadilly-
trotters. formed nearly one-half of the
audience, and stared with easy inso-
lence at the Red Mouth of a Venom
GUS Flower" or smiled SUCCESSFULLY at
''Incessant Soft Desire" They were
invited to stare and smile, and they
did it But there was something re-
markedly offensive in their way of do
ing it, and perhaps if few thick boots
worn on the feet of rough but honest
workmen had come into contact with
their smooth personalities on their
way out of Madame Modiste's estab-
ilshment, it might have done them
good and taught them a useful lesson.
Needless to say that the prices of
Madame Modiste who could set forth
such an exhibition of melodramaticaI-
ly designated feminine apparel as 1.-THE
Night Has a Thousand Eyes or
Springs Delirium," were in suitable
proportion to a "FrenZied Song of
Amorous Things''-such amorous
things as are tscreateds in her esta h.
lishment are likely to make husbands
and fathers know exactly what "a
frenzied song" means. When the paw
ment of the bills is concerned. thew
/ will probably sing that ''frenzied song
| themselves.
/ 1t is quite easy to dress well and
I tastetully without spending a very
/ great deal of money. Tt certainly re-
/ quireS brain - thought - foresight -
/ taste-and comprehension of the har-
| mony of colors. But the blind fol-
lowing of a fashion because Madame
This or That says it is chic or 'Ie
dernier cri'' or some parrot-Ifke rec
! ommendation of the sort, is mere stu
pidity on the part of the followers.
| To run up long credit for dresses.
without the least idea how the ac-
count is ever going to be paid, is Moth
ing less than a criminal act. It is
simply fraud. And such fraud reacts
on the whole coD1nlunifxr E37,vfra va -
! CANT taste in dress is infectious
Most of US are impressed by the Kings
sensible and earnest desire that the
press should use its influence for good
in fostering amity and goodwill be-