Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1893 — FOR THE FAIR SEX. [ARTICLE]

FOR THE FAIR SEX.

CORN STARCH AND I’OWDRUv Every season the young woman who assumes great superiority to her kind because she doesn’t use powder, “but merely corn starch,” appears upon the scene. There is no more virtue in corn starch than in well-selected powders. It does not contain mineral substances injurious to the skin, as some cheap powders do, but it has exactly the same effect in clogging the pores of the skin. It is, moreover, somewhat coarser than the best powders prepared for the face, and is, therefore, not quite so soothing. If women must powder let them buy a good, simple face powder and use it as lightly as possible. And let them remember to wash their faces very carefully with hot water after using it, in order to clear and open the pores of the skin. —[St. Louis Star-Sayings.

NEWEST OUTCOME IN' HOLLAND. The brown Holland suit, though popular several years ago, was never pretty in itself nor becoming to its wearer unless her complexion was youthful aud beyond reproach. Still, in point of cut, it was superior to the newest outcome, in holland. This has a skirt extremely wide around the hem, standing away from the feet on the front and sides. A pleated trimming divides the skirt midway of its length. The coat is shorter than an Eton jacket, so as to reveal a bit of the blouse bodice all around. This jacket has revers out of proportion to its size, and these, as a rule, are overlaid with linen gimp. Anything better calculated to cut up the figure cannot well be supposed.—[New York Post. USES OF PENNYROYAL. Sprinkle a palm leaf fan with peunyloyal extract or the oil of pennyroyal, diluted a little, and not a mosquito will dare approach you as you sit on the porch. The pennyroyal plant, like the jolinswort and the tansy, should be gathered and hoarded like gold, being careful not to tear them up by the roots, so that more will grow. Both of the former come out- of the ground, too easily for the gatherer, so take your scissors along when you go hunting them. Pennyroyal, although far too burning to be applied undiluted to the skin, reminds us of Shakepeare’s saying: “Like parmaceti for an open wound.” It salves a wound before you get it hv keeping away the noisy little winged lancet and blood sucker. The mosquito hates the smell of it, and you can easily run all such invaders away.—[New York Advertiser. PAINTING WITH THE NEEDLE. Au authority on needle painting says of embroidered roses: “Au artist in embroidery does not stop at embroidery silk for color. Whatever she feels she needs in her work she must find in some way, when it is impossible to get it by mixing colors or in the regular grades of any of the different makes or dyes. Sometimes a color is too bright; wash it and hang it in the sun for days and it will soften. Ravel dress silks, ribbons, nuy material that has the color. Furniture textiles often have charming colors that can not be found anywhere else. To be sure, these will not do to work a whole leaf or petal, but they will serve admirably for shading or touching in places. Another rule for the good workwoman is to employ more than ope kind of silk. Use filoselles or filo-fioss, as well as Roman floss and twist floss—this last being for turnovers, which, if well done, give beauty, depth and expression to rose work. Some of the Dacca silks are exquisite in coloring, but they must be split, and as they are twisted it leaves a little crinkle, which is not objectionable in a leaf. It is well, also, to remember, after your roses are finished, whether merely a spray or mass of roses, a day’s work in touching up must he done. To do this the piece should he fastened up abont as a picture is placed, and examined. Take it (town, put a stronger touch in a bud, a darker shade in a petal, deepen the heart or raise a turnover, or shade it.”

’the music myth. By the “music myth” we mean the old-fashioned idea that a young woman’s education is net complete unless she can perform on the pianoforte or some other musical instrument at least well enough to accompany her own voice in song. There is reason to believe that this myth is going out of fashion. It has long been insisted on, with a more or less cruel disregard, at times, of the wishes of the young lady herself, and of the enjoyment of the company for whom she is asked to perform. It is now seen, even by a great many proud parents, that unless Miss Mary has a taste for music, just as Miss Martha has a taste for drawing aud painting and Miss Elizabeth a taste for housekeeping, it is useless to drive her to the piano stool for a certain number of hours' practice daily; for it is the lesson of experience iu many househo’ds that Miss Mary will get out of practice just as soon as she has a sufficient excuse for avoiding her irksome daily task. And if her voice is more musical on the easy level of conversation than in climbing up and down the stairs of the diatonic scale the comfort of others, besides that of Miss Mary, comes into the question, with a title to be considered.—[New York Press. DIFFERENT IDEAq OF BEAUTY. The ladies in Japan gild their teeth and those of the Indies paint them red. The pearl ol teeth must be dyed black to he beautiful in Guzurat. In Greenland the ladies color their faces with blue and yellow. However fresh the complexion of a Muscovite may be she would think herself very ugly if she were not plastered over with paint. The Chinese must have their feet as diminutive as those of the she goats, and to render them thus their youth is passed in tortures. In ancient Persia an aquiline nose was often thought worthy of the crown, and if there was any competition between the princes the people generally went by this criterion of majesty. In some countries the mothers break the noses of their children and others press the head between two boards that it may become square. The modern Persians have a strong aversion to red hair; the Turks, on the contrary, are warm admirers of it. In China small, round eyes are liked, and the girls are continually plucking their eyebrows that they may he thin and long. The Turkish women crip a gold brush in the tincture of a black drug, which they pass over their eyebrows. It is too visible by day, but looks shining by night. They tinge their nails with a rose color. An African beauty must have small eyes, thick lips, a large, fiat nose and a skin beautifully black. An ornament for the nose is necessary for the Peruvians. They hang on it a weighty ring, the thickness of whieh is proportioned by the rank of their husbands The custom of boring it. M our Indies do their ears, is very com-

ffciJtt in several natrons* Through the perforations are bung various materials —gold, stones, a single and sometimes a great number of gold rings. The inhabitants of the land of. Natal wear caps or bonnets, from four to six inches high, composed of the fat of oxen. They thou gradually anoint the head with a purer grease, which, mixing with the hair, fasteus these bonnets for their lives!—[Kansas City Times. FASHION NOTES. The hair at present is completely waved all over the head. The dark girl is again the rage, and deep chestnut hair is the fancy of the hour. Pin-dotted Swiss muslins are very fashionable for summer gowns,. Lace is extremely popular, and is the prevailing trimming for summer dresses of silk, gingham, net, grenadine, and o':her light materials. The Infanta hats and bonnets are now the popular fanoy. Yachting costumes fpr women are far more stylish than nautical. The Isabella ring continues to be the most popular in the line of silver. A new and unique bracelet is made of two strands of tiny gold and silver shells. In both London and Paris at present many women of fashion carry a walking stick on the fashionable promenades. A new napkin holder is made in the shape of a small silver clothespin, the napkin, of course, being folded flat and thrust in between the prongs. A pretty little pocket pincushion is made in the shape of an acorn. The cup is crocheted iu nut brown silk, while the rest of it is of olive green satin, filled with bran, and the stalk is finished with ribbon. Accordion-plaited skirts of extremely thin material in very light colors are trimmed with rows of plain satin ribbon. They are worn with fancy waists mode of lace with an abundance of ribbon in rosettes, bows, loop ends and streamers, and a very wide and full corselet belt of silk to match is a necessary accompaniment. The low-out lining for very thin dresses is again approved, and it is said that we are to have bare arms at dinner and all dressy afternoon entertainments as well as for evening. The first might be tolerated, the last may be as well left out of the regulations of the American society woman. Dresses of white linen duck and serge are usefully and stylish. They are somewhat difficult to clean, however, and are better adapted to women with large means than to her who must study how to make the best appearance on a moderate amount of expenditure.

To be in the fashion one must wear flowers according to the season. The flower-garden is the milliner’s calendar, so far as trimming is concerned, and she is most in style who oan duplicate the beauties of the garden border on her dressy millinery. One of the caprices of the moment is a skirt of silk with very thin material draped over it. The silk is of some very delicate or pronounced color, and the drapery material is semi-transparent. To be stylishly dressed, it is not at all negessary to wear all of the fuss and feathers with which the shops are filled. * The fashion of wearing a cluster of real flowers pinned on the bodice has been revived again. Marguerites on snowy satin make a lovely effect. Spangled brocades are among the new silks. Gray, showered with steel or silver, is especially pretty for light mourning. Lace embroidered in colors is a fascinating novelty for evening gowns. Cream lace, embroidered in gold and turquoise, is effective on ivory brocade. All-black organdie and greaadine dresses are trimmed with ribbon and lace, as jet spoils the light delicate, effect desired in summer gowns. The popularity of the Eton jacket seems likely to continue indefinitely, as the Eton and /.ouave effects are seen on many of the new dresses. Shfrred, plaited and folded vests are worn under them. A pretty cape is made of green velvet, fringed with jet sequins and trimmed with perpendicular lines of jet. The upper cape is of coarse black tulle, with falling ends in front. Black accordion plaited lace makes a successful cape if worn under a pointed figaro with wide turn-over collar aud revers of black glace merveilleux, shot with gold and embroidered with jet.