Evening star., 1919-11-30

had wrapped her head in
close fitting gold turban, minus trim"
ming or veil. 1t was viewed with eS-
ceeding interest by the multitude. IL
was the most, one might say the only
significant note in her costume
Therefore, the American public got
the touch quickly.
The queen was in the street at the
lunch hour. when all the working
part OF the city was on parade. 1t
was only a knowledge of human ma
ture, especially American nature, to
prophesy that the hat would be
quickly offered to all who wanted 1t.
1t was. ,...
One large shop sold out a batch OF
such turbans In one morning. From
the small shops in the outlying dis
tricts to the equally small ones below
the fashionable limit one could get
the metallic turban. Let the milliners
thank the Belgians for this hot cake
sale, therefore.
We on this continent exercise air.
plano methods in passing q fashion
over a huge continent. SO 1t was not
surprising to one who travels to see
this turban drop from the air, as it
were, into the small and large towns
that run like a shuttle from ocean to
ocean. ~
America is totally unlike tho Euro
pean countries In this attitude toward
fashion. Our rich people, our social
centers, are woven In the very warp
and woof OF the great, gigantic land
in which We live, and as every coun-
try boy, every worker in each and all
forms Of labor Is said to see the pos
sibility of his becoming the President
of the United States. so each woman
wherever she has her corner of exist
ence. thinks that no millionaire has
any lien on any fashion. At price COM
mensurate with her income, she buys
what the millionaire wears. If she
wants 1t.
We have no peasantry In fashion.
We SEQ to it. through the vast ma
chnery Of the ready-to- wear depart
ment of American industry, that all
women are free and equal. Mollie of
the mills appears ate dance wearing
the gold thrban. OF a. queen 1t may
be topsy-turvy world for kings and
queens, but it is, "a powerful good
world for the workers thereof. Which
reminds the observer of a remark
that Albert, King of Belgium, made
one day in the presence of few SOL
.diers and American surgeons. The
fighting was fearful up. on the Bel
gian front when the news came of
the Russian debacle. 'It Is a ter
rible day for the men, sir" said an
officer.
ITS a terrible day for kings" said
Albert, with a twinkle Of the eye.
No ono would be more delighted
than Elizabeth OF Belgium that she
had given impetus to the trade in
metal turbans. or that she had in
terested the American public In what
she wore. and she would be heartily
disappointed to realize that when
she came out from the afternoon tea
given by Mrs. Vanderbilt to appear
before the great crowd that stood
in front of the house the fact that
she covered her hat with a swath-
ing veil and her frock with a motor
coat was distinct blow to the Curl
1 Gus.
One also wonders If she and the
king would not have been vastly
4 amused at the pleasantly Of a huge
Il policeman who was among those
keeping guard. He evidently saw
\ his chance to divert attention from
y royalty and keep the crowd amused
while it wait ed
'Is the King of the Belgians in
Mrs. Eandcrbilt's house?" he said,
4 In answer to question.
D '"Fhe king?' he repeated. II am
n sura you don't think he'd be bother
u ing swith q. sport like this-a tea
Il panty. Wasn't he out the first night
4 he hit New York until late, when he
9 was supposed to be home in bed?'
X X y *
The crowd shouted it's delight. This
q was far better than seeing royalty,
and infinitely better than being in
n side. And, mind you. there were
Il many grades, of society standing
u there. The masses and classes were
4 as mixed up as at Versailles that
Il day that the peace treaty was signed.
n And there were many celebrities that
day who were packed in with the no
N,<l r-