Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
BRIDES
Cost of the Gift is of Minor I'M
portance.
our OF THE ORDINARY
The Very Latest Method Of Framing
Pictures.
GIVING MIRROR EFFECTS
Tapestry Articles and Lingerie Are
Popular Presents From Girl
Friends.
MIRROR
EFFECTS
GIVING
Written for The Star,


you to do favor for me. The invitation
for your cousin Mary's wedding with Mr..
B reached me last week, and / have
been racking my brains ever since to know
what i should send them. Now, will you
be SO good as to relieve me Of this difficult
task? / feel sure that you will know i'm
mediately what will be to her liking, and
l shall be more than indebted to you IL you
will see that she receives 1t with the In
closed card Until week from Tuesday,
am sincerely, L. b. Z.
Mrs R threw the letter rather impa-
tiently on the desk before her and sat back
In her chair.
Bessie" to her daughter, who was read
ing a letter of her own in an opposite part
of the room. Here's a letter from T
c. asking me to select a present for him
for Mary, and l haven't yet decided what
I'm going TO give her myself. It's shock
ingly late, too, to be sending gift to ones
own relative, but can't make up my mind
just what to give on the money your
father has allowed me, and now with an
other one to choose l shall be at my wits
ends
Il wouldn't give any present at all II 1t
was as hard work as that" interrupted the
daughter Of independent spirit I'm sue
If IT was my wedding l shouldn't care %
receive q gift which cost any one as much
worry as this seems to cause you, mother.
laughing. there is nothing in the world
enjoy more than buying wedding presents
but between you and me, L m bound that
whatever we send shall show up as we'll as
any other and finer gifts which Mary may
have. All of which means that / must buy
something out OF the ordinary which must
still be useful and within my price"
Don't you remember at Dorothy's wed
ding last year the most striking thing
among the display of presents was huge
solid gold pitcher sent by her husband 8
college chum who is so very rich? Yet,
with all its unusual magnif1cence and cost
Illness, 1t was not a bit more remarked
upon nor admired by the guests than pair
of antique candlesticks duplicates of which
I found later at a curiosity shop. and they
cost only $10'
A Vexing Question.
This question of wedding presents, which
comes to the average person at least once
or twice year. is vexing to the individual
and to the family alike. Should the indi-
vidual be a man 1t is always an unsolvabie
enigma, and he generally falls back on
some woman friend. The result Is that
upon the mother or feminine members of q
household devolves the task of selecting
not one, but many gifts at this season when
wedding Invitations are making their APP
pearance, and in case each person In the
family gives personal remembrances the
problem does indeed become brain rack
ing
Novelty this year Is unquestionably the
keynote to the smart offerings to the Easter
bride. Costliness has long determined the
value of the wedding present. Neighbors
and friends have We'd with each other to
have his or her gift outshine the one of
the persons next to theirs. Employees have
delved deep into their pockets to find a
dollar or two more which would increase
the elegance and showiness of their presen-
tation, out of respect to the bride or bride
groon's father or mother whose favor they
sought School friends renewed the rivalry
of student days, and sent this or that
costly souvenir that 1t might reflect the
present prosperity Of the sender. And,
lastly, the maids and men who assisted at
the ceremony felt that this, above all oc-
casions, was the time when they must spend
the last cent, If necessary, on q really
splendid token Of friendship which would
show their appreciation of the honor &C
corded them as well as prove a fitting me-
mento Of this important event.
A Passing Custom.
This custom now, however, is quite out
of fashion. Showiness and tawdry expense
no longer characterize the approved wed
ding Gift of the hour, and the conversation
given at the beginning presents the gist of
| the problem which is being discussed seri-
| ously in the average middle-class house
hold these last weeks before Easter gayeties
set in. What can we give this or that
cousin or friend or acquaintance which Is
out of the ordinary and still within sdpu-
lated sunni"
The amount of this stipulated sum has
very minor Importance. Whichever MEM
Der of the household has charge of the
purse strings allows much or as little
money as can be readily spared at the mo-
ment Then 1t Is the duty of the feminine
contingent to put their heads together and
study out the very smartest most unique
bridal present which their imagination can
conjure up. And woe betide that adviser
who has her suggestion accepted, and final
w ahar of -anL
similar offering in the brilliant array spread
out to the view of curious guests on the
day of the wedding!
Crystal Leads.
And now to the component parts of
that array which is of such a different
character to its predecessors in years past.
Crystal is the very favorite gift this spring,
and among the many offerings In this trans
parent substance is first and most novel
of all cutlery service for the table, with
strong oblong handles of clear, bright crys-
tai. The knives and forks are most prac-
teal, and, glass plays such large part
IN table decoration. these new additions
serve admirably TO carry out the scintilIat-
ing prism effects which beautifully cut bowls
and compete dishes shower on the snowy
cloth. Handsome carving knives and forks
with the best quality of steel blades also
make wonderfully acceptable gift. Rock
crystal salad bowls. drinking glasses de-
canters. etc.. nvaling as they do the very
finest of the more usual cut glass are
coveted by every young woman who loves
perfectly equipped dining room.
Distinctive Articles.
Another charming gift ana one which is
seldom thought OF Is q serving. tray Of some
sort or description, and the crystal variety
find favor ahead Of all others. Circular and
diamond shaped trays OF heavy plate glass
show nickel frames with plain or twisted
crystal handles, and the more costly ones
reveal exquisite carvings. Quite the newest
silver tray Of the season Is for after-dinnef
coffee service and Is two or three feet long
and not over eight inches wide. Thig holds
a tall. old-fashioned corree pot with sugar
bowl and cream pitcher, and, in the case of
the large size trays. six or seven after
an set a