The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-11-25
WASHINGTON FASHION LETTER,
FADS AND FANCIES OF THE
WOULD BE UPPER CLASS.
Gossip Concerning the Abruzzi- Ell1ins
COurtship-HOw Old Man Ell1ins
Disposed Of One Fortune Hunter
The Sheath Gown is Chilly Raiment
For the Winter Season.
BY Catherine Altman.

| attracted a great deal Of attention;
more notoriety, in fact, than the FAM
| lily pines for. 1t has been hinted that
pator Elkins looks askance at this
| foreign alliance, that, in fact, it is
only because he is an indulgent and
| hen-pecked husband and father he
has been brought to sanction the
match
experiences Of former brilliant inter-
| national matches that have snuffed
out only after singeing cruelty the
| wings Of our dear little American but
| terfiies.
While abroad Miss Elkins was prey
to many fortune hunters impecun-
! ious mobiles with titles for sale. She
was fairly besieged by one insig1iih-
cant French count who followed her
| about refusing to be shaken off. Miss
| Elkins finally decided to put an end
to the annoyance and suggested that
| he first run across the pond and TASK
| papa"
The count, spry as a cock sparrow.
/ took the next steamer for America
| and arrived in this country with IT
| trunks. He invaded the Elkins do
main and requested an interview with
the Senator from West Virginia. He
got 1t. The ardent suitor found him.
self facing man as hard as flint:
enough to make the dapper little
Frenchman quail in his dainty boots,
but he plunged volubly in
M. Elkins. I. ze Count de
come to seek ze hand Off your loafiee
| daughter, Mile. Elkips. I, ze Count
de -. NJ. Elkins, have re nobiliti
| re haute mode, ze titles, Monsieur. es-
tates; cumber-red ct is true. but es-
tates. I see Mam'selle. 1 adore. II
| give them all, nobiliti. titles, estates.
| all -" he made a grandiloquent ges-
ture, "for re exquisite hand Of re most
char-r-ming beautiful lady. Ah-h-h!"
Senator Elkins lacks the polish of a..
French noble. He glared at this i'm
pertinent little cock sparrow, then
| showed his teeth omniously.
you are too generous, M. Count
| de, de Frenchy." he snapped. my
| daughter has informed me of your
| persistent annoyance. Now, 1 refuse
you Miss Elkins' exquisite hand dis
you put it. but cordially promise YOU
| her fathers uncultured boot if 1 find
you prowling around her again. Good
day."
What subtle change has crept over
| the spirit of our fair Americans that
| they have come to disport themselves
in such scant garments as the sheath
skirt? Is it possible that our modest
| once baked at the chaste habit back
| Modists inform us that petticoats are
de trop this winter. Milady's coming
will no longer be announced by a
frou-frou Of dainty silken skirts. Nor
| is the end in sight, as the boa-con-
strictor said of his TAIL
Il was sent to interview a great
lady Of fashion the other day." con-
fided a ''woman's page" genius TO me.
'She is the daughter of a famous ma
val officer, now retired. She was Just
in from a round Of calls and received
me In her budoir, where she was shiv-
ering and slipping hot whiskey
punch. preparatory to changing her
gown for dinner. Her maid unlocked
the dress she was wearing, a very
| near Empire chiffon broadcloth that
seemed stuck on. 1t fell to the floor
and she stood before me wearing a
long suit-of-mail corset reaching near
ly to her knees-and silken hosiery.
That was all. 1 strained my eyes to
catch even a glimpse Of filmy linge-
rie, hint Of baby-ribbon, but there
was not even a clue.
is that all?' L gasped politely.
"All?" she returned with upljfted
eyebrows, why, 1 can scarcely move
gracefully in that dress with these
undergarments. II worst comes to
worst, the well-dressed woman will
have to remove her outer cuticle.'
But arn't you cold clad in such
scanty er-raiment?'
Cold. OF course. I'm cold,' she
said, slipping the hot toddy critically.
but l expect all Of us will be a good
deal colder before the limit is reach
ed"
am going to tell a story just as II