The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-01
Some Things For The
 Little Folks.
Fashions That Are Exclusively
 Their Own.

What with all the fuss and feathers of fashions for the grownups. 1t Is q re- lief to turn sometimes to what Dame Fashion plans and carries out for the little inhabitants of the nursery and schoolroom.
 There is a shop-or, rather. a parlor f1oor-on Fifth avenue. In New York city kept by an elderly French woman. where the most distractingly beautiful conceits for smal folks are displayed. Everything in clothes Is seen here. from the needs and necessities of the new conner from Storkville up to the party and dancing frock for the miss of 16, who is looking forward to making her bow to formal society in a year or two.
 Madame is French, and so thoroughly Parisienne has she remained in spirit that in all her long residence of a quar- ter of a century in New York she has steadily refused to learn even a word of English.
 why should IF" she asks. "All of my business is done with that class of society which is brought up to speak French from infancy, and all of my em- ployees are French, my goods are French and I myself am French. So why should I learn English? Whats the user"
 Lying on the polished table that an- swers for a counter were some exquisite little slips in a linen batiste. Although intended for the new arrival in the nursery, the skirts were rather abbre- yiated. compared with those we have been accustomed to. From shoulder to hem the little garment was not more than three-quarters of yard long. There was a little yoke of fairylike tucks done in groups. with tiny sprays of forget-me-nots worked between. The small sleeve was so fashioned that 1t ran up to the neckband. thus doing away with the necessity for seam upon the shoulder; and. instead of collar band, there was q little real Val enciennes whipped to the rolled edge all around. The sleeve was put in with fine beading, all the edges rolled, in- stead of turned, and the skirt has the f11Iness taken up fin tucks of marvellous fineness. every one of them with drawn threads hemstltched. The entire little garment was so sheer and fine that 1t could be drawn through the traditional finger ring without at all mourning dam age; and yet it's price was such that even a modest purse could pretty well afford more than one.
 The sailor dress is one that is in high favor even with the mother to whom expense is of no particular moment. To skeleton waist lining the skirt Is pleat- ed and this lining also carried the shield and collar, the blouse being drawn over the head and fastened to the shield with buttonholes that are worked beneath the broad sailor collar of the blouse.
 For wear with these Madame is show ing some exquisite broad collars with cuffs to match. These are all of them in linen. of varying degrees of fineness according to the price. For the boy there is q collar of coarse Russian linen crash, with buttonholed edge. and per- haps, a petit pous or two for the sole decoration. The cuffs match this. and are supposed to be caught together with links, two sets being necessary.
 The small girl, though, will revel in the. sheer handkerchief linen sets. with oftentimes finished with real Valen- ciennes edge. The. vogue of the bare and open throat. which prevails among the children ot the wealthy. even in the present bitter weather. Is rostered by the sailor dress. for the shield is about as often omitted as 1t Is worn.
 The French apronA Madame aayA aro