Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-14
FLOWER OF THE GORSE

The artist was acquainted with everyone
present, and Tollemache was no stranger to
the majority. Nearly all were of the we'll
TODD yeoman class; for Mere Pitou be-
longed to an old family, and her husband,
farrier, had been well thought of in Pont
Aven. Men and women wore the national
costume, and appeared that evening in grand
state. The women full-skirted dresses were
of black cashmere, trimmed and slashed with
deep bands of black velvet; but this somber
setting was merely foil to aprons and over
bodices wrought in gold, silver, and bright
hued silk threads, the whole blended in
pretty designs with an oriental laVishness of
color and sheen.
The ccifs, though bearing a general SINH
larty of design, varied for each district. The
abundant and jet-black hair of these Breton
danes and demoisecs was waved over the
forehead and coied somewhat toward the
back of the head Round the twisted tresses
was placed, in the first instance, the petite
coife, a stiff white linen band three inches
deep, which, pinned securely, served as the
basis of a dainty superstructure strip
of silk ribbon, cream, pink, or light blue, hid
the petite coife, and showed its tint through
the meshes of the coronet of fine lace and
cambria forming the grdnde coitc, with its
coquettish white streamers falling below the
neck.
Round the throat, and deeply cut, was the
broad linen collar, highly starched, and so
wide that its wings projected over the Shout
ders, leaving space across the top OF the
breast to reveal the lace cdging of an UNDER
bodice. These collars would puzzle any
laundress who was not Bretonne ii she
were asked to prepare them, because their
graceful curves, nodded to the slope of the
shoulders and the straight line of the back,
oh tain a
furrowing, effected by the use of long straWs
when the linen has been lightly ironed while
it is still damp and pliable.
Age does not affect the style of dress. The
girl of eight is attired exactly like her grand
mother, the only variation being seen in the
shoes, the younger people mostly donning
white doeskin, and the older ones black
patent leather with silver buckles.
The men too, without exception, wore
tight-htting gray trousers, short Jackets OF
black cloth, with tabliers of black velvet and
ornamental buttons. Some dandies affected
gold, silver, and colored silk embroidery
down each side of the front of the jacket
Their hats were low-crowned, black felt
wideawakes, with heavy bands of black vel
vet, carrying snowy buckles of silver on a
roSette
A more ight-hearted, jovial and pictur-
csquc company it would be difficult to find,
or, considering its nature, one more expcn-
sivcly dressed. strangers, especially of the
fair sex, who decide to purchase "a Brittany
costume" for the next fancy dress ball, are
likely to be unpleasantly surprised when
they inquire the price. The materials are
invariably the best of their kind, and the
lace and embroidery are handworked. Natu-
rally one such outfit lasts several years.
TNGERSOLL moved among these free
hammered laughter-lovin folk as though
he had not care in the world Some news
of the disaster to the Stella had spread, and
he was called on for particulars, which he
gave in sufficient detail. The men appreci-
ated the peril from which the Hirondelle had
extricated herself; the women were prodigal
of their sympathy with the American woman
who had lost her husband. Tolemachc,
listening to his friends easy flow of talk,
wondered more than ever what sort of
nervous attack it was that induced that
amazing display of terror at the moment of
landing.
Supper was ended when Peridot put in an
appearance. His face was flushed, and his
gray-grecn eyes had acquired rather sus-
picious lustcr. In word, Captain Popple
had discovered the excellence of liqueur
brandy, and Pcridot, ordinarily an abstemi-
Gus fellow, had proved himself a less sea-
soned vessel than his host.