Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1896 — GOSSIP FOR THE FAIR SEX [ARTICLE]

GOSSIP FOR THE FAIR SEX

ITEMS OF INTEREST ON THE FASHIONS. 1830 Bodices—Care of tha Eyes—Taß Beauties of the Time —Oriental Needlework. IS3O BODICES. Bod ices recall ingthest y les of 1 SdO are in vogue. One worn-at a .small dinner is described as being of black tulle over a black silk waist, with round deeolette: the tulle was put in plain and quite full slightly drooping in front and beaded by a dainty narrow, full ruche of tulle. Straps of turquoise blue velvet extended over the shoulders. A black satin skirt completed the costume.

CARE OF THE EYES. Read, write and sew with the light not falling upon the eyes, but upon the work over the worker's shoulder. About once in every two hours elose the eyes for a five minutes’ rest. Bathe them in hot water when they are tired. When they are sore bathe them in water with extract of witch hazel in it. When one has been weeping, bathing them in rose water cures the smart and sting. - TALL BEAUTIES OF THE TIME. The Duchess of Portland is nearly six feet tall. Lady Beresford, Duchess of Marlborough, although far beyond the medium height, is so graceful that it is not noticeable. Lady Wolverton. and her daughter, the Countess of Dudley, are magnificent specimens of womanhood, each being just short of six feet in height. The well-known English society leader, Lady Francis Hope, has a commanding presence, and literally looks down upon her lesser sisters. Miss Julia Nellson, the well-known English actress, measures five feet nine inches, but so graceful her movements that she seems not an inch too tall.

ORIENTA L NEED LE WORIC. The constant demand for new covers for the multitudinous pillows which nowadays Infest one’s home, adding greatly to one’s comfort thereby, is a problem to the housewife with slender means. A charming one was recently made with some bits of furniture plush of a golden brown shade with Turkish 6atine in ecru. The pieces were all out into triangles, stitched on a machine, the seams pressed open and appliqued with Japanese gold thread. On each triangle was outlined with Asiatic Roman floss In self tones, an Oriental design. copied from an Indian rug. A ruffle of golden brown brocaded silk, the best of an old dress, finished this pillow, which was octagonal in shape.

CURE FOR BLUSHING. A very curious feature of some English weekly papers is the number of advertisements for the “cure of blushing.” In a recent number of a London weekly we counted seven such advertisements. One will serve as a sample for all: “BLUSHING. —I have perfected a positive cure for this ridiculous complaint, which in every case gives immediate relief, and will send full particulars for home cure upon receipt of stamped addressed envelope. Address, Dr. , Street, London.” It is most extraordinary that the women of England should desire to be cured of blushing. What is the matter with blushing? It is certainly a girlish trait.and occasionally,an atttrnctive one. Many a middle-aged woman would give her ears to be able to blush. We cannot understand the desire of the British maiden for being cured of this virginal trait. SCHEMES FOR BUSINESS WOMEN. A newspaper recently offered a prize of .SIOO for the best answers to the question how could a woman with a cash capital of SIOO best embark in business. Hundreds of replies were received to this interesting query, and among the schemes suggested that met with the favor of the judges as being practical was home hair-dressing and barbering, making a specialty of home-made bread, soliciting the coal trade of neighbors, gardening, a new scheme for selling groceries, raising small fruits, raising onions, a laundry for fine work, and a store for pure table supplies. Not all the women who suggested these various plans claimed for them that they were any more than theories in which there might or might not be money. Several, however, declared that they had tried gardening, flower and onion raising and found them profitable occupations which women could carry on with little capital.

PIN MONEY FOR THE GIRLS. Any woman or girl of average intelligence ought to be able to gather up quite a little cash in the course of a year, by raising either poultry or posies. A well-cared-for hot bed that would grow cabbage, tomatoes, and cauliflower plants would pay well. A little more space well handled will bring early lettuce that would command a good figure. In order, however, to succeed, all articles must be the best of their kind, hardy, strong and in excellent condition when they are ready for market. One woman who has more brains than money, has had what she calls an addition built to her cellar. On the the south side of the house the cellar window' has been cut down to the floor level. Through this one passes into a space twelve or eighteen feet square. This is as deep as the cellar, and has a concrete floor and a good stone wall. There is a suitable frame and a glass roof that takes in the kitchen windows and slopes from just below the sill of the second-story window's. The pitch is quite abrupt, and as there is uninterrupted sunshine all day long there is a fine field here for good work. One of the pipes from the,furnace leads into this addition, and besides this, there is a large coal stove at the opposite side of the building with a chimney, into which the pipe enters just below the roof. There Is good drainage, one corner being lower than the rest of the floor, with a very gentle slope. In this corner is a Httte cistern or tank, in which

water the olants is kept. There are shelving and trellises all through the huiMing. and three galleries run across on the side next to the dwelling. These are quite wide enough to afford ample space for seedlings aud plants of all kiuds. Being next to the house, there is contiuual warmth in the wall, which makes the heating problem easier to solve than when the entire structure stands out by itself. In this twelve-l»y-eighteen sjiace this woman raised several hundred tomato plants, aud sold them sit good prices. Cabbage plains brought the highest market price, for they were strong, tinerolorcd aud of good size. Inded. every - thiug she put out was up to or above standard, otherwise they would not have been sold by her. She gave away everything Inferior, being unwilling to destroy anything that might benefit people in the neighborhood who were unable to buy the plants they needed. Violets, chrysanthemums, carnations and a few bulbs flourished and brought praise and profit to the little establishment. The second year this capable woman paid the entire expenses of her place and put several hundred dollars into the bank, all from the products of her greenhouse and garden. Bulbs were forced; early blossoms came into the market; the wge tableplaatswerenhead of almost everybody else; and in the fall she had strong and thrifty tomato plants in large tubs, that came into bearing when those in the garden were going out. From these she gathered during the entire winter the most wonderful crops. Fresh tomatoes in midwinter bring good prices, aud few people find themselves able to grow them. Indeed, raising tomatoes in cold weather Is what one old gardener called "mighty ticklish business." The plants may grow never so thrifty, the blossoms may come, but the fruit may not. appear. There is a field for women in the culture or all garden stuff, and but few of them have learned as yet to take advantage of their opportunity. ODD NAMES FOR WOMEN. Walter Besant has made an interesting study of English women’s Christian names In the early centuries, add from his research a new and striking selection of names is given for infant daughters. First of nil. the favorite and most common names were then those that prevail at the present day—Alice, Agues, Isabella, Sibil, Edith, Lucy, Beatrice, Matilda, Amy. Agatha. Anna, Mary. Eva. Felicia, Helen, Mabel, Muriel. Margery, Margaret, Ida. Kntlm- r line, Emma, Rose, Sarah. These we have with us still. Many, however, of those which have dropped out of use are ’quite worthy of being restored, ns the following: Athelena. Alditln’i. Avclina. Alfreda, Anabel, Aiiulee, AmiHa, Aviee. Clarice, Clemeuce. Elicia.ldonia, Enrilda. Basil In. Kthoklreda? Erueburge. Denys, Olive. Nlcliohl, Kustachia, Roesla, Petronilla or Pernella. Saline, and Theopliania. Others there are which are quaint, but not very pretty; Alianora, Allesia, Annullia, Albrica, Bonejoyn, Cassandra, Ernotn, Evota, Bona, Imanca, Kgidin, lsonde, Leusta, Diamanda, Gena, M ell via, Lucekynn, Kayna, Juetta, Castania, Scolastica, Swanilda, Salernn, Willelmu. Others, again, nre simply dreadful. Fancy calling your lovely daughter Gunnora, Gunnlldn, iMagota, Mazera, Orabilia. Itieholdn, Massilfa, Ileliwysn, Hnwisla, Diouysia, Lecia.Roesiu, Wylenoita or Freehesannchla!

FASHION NOTES. The rage for fur trimmings Is on the Increase and it is impossible to tell where it will slop. Pearl embroideries are the height of the fashion, as well as net and chiffon worked with sequins. The jacket effects are seen on gowns for every possible occasion. Sometimes they are very severe and again as frivolous as any debutante could wish. Black velvet is very popular for dinner gowns, if one has some fine lace for trimming. It makes a magnificent combination, and sable fur is often added. A charming gown of blue cloth is prettily trimmed by bands of Russian embroidery, in which there is a good deal of bright blue done on a heavy ecru linen. AY hat we termed the bertha effect a few years ago is very much used now on evening gowns. It is a pretty fashion, and has the merit of showing off to perfection the beauty of a lace flounce. A charming chapeau is made of black chenille and green ribbon, and the trimming is a black lace scarf with white figures in it and bunches of bluish velvet violets. On one side is a cluster of black ostrich tips. A bias waist of silk plaid silk has a yoke of white satin covered with white chiffon wrought with threads of gold. Taffetas of large plaids are very much used in Paris, and will be an important feature of the drosses of next season. London milliners are making bonnets and round hats of taffeta. Sometimes a yoke of ecru lace over yellow satin is preferred to a vest for youthful gowns, and the round waist is made to hook invisibly on the left side or in the back. Shades of yellow seen in the nasturtium are now much used in flaring collars and ests of black wool frocks, not only by brunettes, but by blondes. Louis XV. coats of black velvet are among the late importations, and are much longer than the shorter Louis Seize coats, with their full-plaited back. ■ >;./• Tn buying crepons at the low prices during the demi-season, probably the best choice will be those with large crossbars, blocks and plaids generally, as these are announced for the- future by men who have seen the productions of European manufactories for the spring and summer seasons.

Rhinestone buttons are employed to button back fur revers. Buttons show no happy medium as to size; but are either very large or very small. A swagger dinner toilet is a combination of satiuy pearl-gray Irish poplin, Lyons velvet iu electric blue, and dusty--looking, time-worn real lace, which is now so much in vogue. The gowns for the girls who (line and dance from the latest debutante up to those of the young matrons, are this year more often of white satin than of any other fabric, and are varied iu many ways. Long side combs are used for a double purpose; tirst. to keep the parting even and smooth and keep the hair*tn place back of the ears. Side combs studded with a double rim of small rhinestones are pretty Iu reddish-brown or black hair. New tulle sleeves are quite transparent. showing glimpses of pretty arms inside, and are made of three or four broad tucks tlmt are gathered to have the effect of ruffles, and are then caught in at the elbow by a bracelet band of white satin. Small affairs of lace and muslin, excellent devices for brightening up a somber or monotonous gown, are exceedingly numerous and dainty at the present time. Combinations of black mouaseliue with white or yellowish lace are also much in vogue.