Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1896 — GOSSIP FOR THE FAIR SEX. [ARTICLE]

GOSSIP FOR THE FAIR SEX.

ITEMS OF INTEREST ON THE FASHIONS. The Fate of a Flirt—Newest Mourn* inf Bonnets—Church Women to Cut Wood— Few Women Breathe Properly THE FATE OF A FLIRT. An exchange tells of a young man it refuses to name who has long held the role in the village ns "heart smasher,” and “imagined that half a dozen of the choice specimens of womanhood were anxious to hear a proposal” from him. Times were hard, and he finally concluded to make a selection. “He went from one to another, until the entire six said “no,” and has reversed his opinion about girls.—New York Advertiser. NEWEST MOURNING BONNETS. The widow's bonnet in mourning continue to be either the Mary Stuart or the capote shape, simply covered with English crepe, having the white ruchlng in front and with dull black ties. The veil, of course, hides all but the extreme edge of the bonnet. For lighter mourning, where no veil Is worn, the small poke shapes are seen, having their edges defined with dull jet anil decorated with high loops of dull black ribbon. The silk bonnets, no matter how light the mounting may he. are no longer counted good form. The French milliners are using quantities of dull jet and much silk crepe upon silk bonnets wd dw dw dw wdww on crepe Itonnets. hut this rather elaborate style of trimming for mourning Is not counted good form by either the English or American milliners. One rule always stands; a mounting bonnet should always have the ties of the dull shade of black ribbon.—Ladles’ Home Journal.

CIHJRCH WOMEN TO CUT WOOD. The ladles of Equinunk, Wayne county, Penn., have adopted a novel way to secure money to build a new Methodist church in that place, liy entering Into a contract with the Equinunk Chemical Company by which they agree to cut and pile 250 cords of acid wood, which belongs to the company and Is located near that village. The cutting and piling of the wood are to he done In a workmnnltke manner under the direction of Mr. Green, of the chemical company. The ladies have sent circular letters to their male friends to assist in the work, In which they provide that “the best of the chopping is reserved for the ladles.” The letter further says; “In order that there may be no failure on our part to fulfil this contract we appeal to you to help us. If previous engagements prevents you coming,kindly send us by mail one or more dollars and the work will be done for you.”—New York Herald. WOMEN BREATHE IMPROPERLY. As a matter of fact, not one woman In a hundred breathes normally. The respiration of the average woman varies with every change of mental state or physical condition, and It is a rare thing for a woman to use her lungs to the best possible advantage without a previous knowledge of physiology and an appreciation of the merits of physical culture. * Desirable as Is a thorough exercise in breathing. It is not safe to experiment in the matter. A very little Instruction on the subject will enable any woman to comprehend the precise art of filling and emptying the lungs on scientific principles. After this has been acquired, the chief thing Is to breathe In as much sunshine ns possible and to believe in the efficacy of oxygen as a remedy for nearly all the ills that are fashionable. The following are some excellent rules for improving thp respiration ana bringing it up to a normal condition; Stand at an open window or recline on a couch, with the waist and chest unconflned; hold the chest walls high and inhale in slow, long breaths; exhale as slowly, three times only at first. Gradually the number of times may be increased and the time lengthened for the breathing exercises. Fifteen minutes, twice a day, at least, should be devoted to this exercise to accomplish the desired result.—New York Journal.

WOMEN AND THE BICYCLE. A woman should always select a machine with a wide space between the steering center and the saddle-post truss, said a veteran instructor, as it makes mounting much easier. You know a woman mounts from the front, pushing herself back on the saddle, while a man mounts In exactly the opposite way. If your wheel has this wide space, and you put your right foot on the pedal, pull your skirt around in the back, and press the bust hard against the handlebar,you will find that mounting is easy, and that four-fifths of your skirt won’t be hanging on the left side when you get up. The fashionable way to ride now is to sit well forward and erect in the saddle, getting the full reach. A full reach of the arm is also desirable, for besides being the most graceful way of riding, it Is the easiest If the arm is bent, one soon becomes tired, but if it has full play, and the handle-bar is grasped very loosely, it becomes a simple matter to ride any distance. Many ride with the handle-bars too high. The proper way is to put the post of the bar well down into the head of the wheel, turning the adjustable bar up to meet the reach. Then, too, in selecting a wheel, never buy one with too long a crank, and one over five and a half or six inches gives too wide a circle and throws the knees tip in an ungraceful way. If possible, get a crank without pins through it, for then you are in no danger of getting your skirts caught. In selecting a saddle, get one with a backward and forward adjustment, and let It be pretty Wide, with a short peak. A narrow handle-bar is mneb the best, as a wide and high one involves a great deal of lost motion. TAILOR GOWNS. The tailor gown, In all Its simplicity and beauty, is fne of the favorite spring costumes, and deservedly so, for there is nothing prettier nor simpler than a well-made tailor gown. -

Skirts are to be narrower this spring, but will be out in very much the same way, fitting smoothly over the hips, the fullness all in a small space In the back. The bell skirt, somewhat fuller than it was two or three years ago, is to be worn, and Is one of the most becoming of all skirts. Park blue is to be a favorite color, and a great many costumes have already been made up.with plain skirt and smart little jacket trimmed with black braid. The effect is somewhat of a military jacket, and the braid is put on in front and around the coat; sometimes frogs are used in place of the braid. These jackets are always tight-fitting. Tan and gray cloth are also made up in these gowns, and there Is a certain shade of warm chestnut-brown serge which is also fashionable. The Eton jackets will bo worn with the spring»costumes, and an unusually pretty style has the skirt very much gored, and opening at the side of the front breadth like the Wcycle suits. An Eton jacket, tight-fitting at the back, has revere turned back from the waist to the shoulders, and lined with blue satin. With this is to be worn a silk blouse of blue and white checked silk. Odd colors ore combined in these costumes; blues are lined and faced with green and heliotrope; browns also have heliotrope or yellow or red, and although there are only glimpses to be seen, these glimpses give a touch of color which makes the gown chic, or otherwise. Shepherd’s plaids and checks of all kinds are made up into skirts to be worn with fancy waists and black jackets, and there are some entire costumes of the plaid. One of dark green and white fine check has linings, facings, and bauds about the skirt of dark green satin.—Harper’s Bazar. FASHION NOTES. The next season will be characterized by the prevelance of ribbons on all garments, and especially on capes.

I.ace net crown pieces, embroidered In mock jewels, black spangles and jet, nre very elegant for dressy bonnets or toques. - Hound capes of cloth nre trimmed with a neck ruche and jabot ends down the front, of changeable or chameleon taffeta. Graduated loops of ribbon are a sea ture of hats that tend to broaden the effect, as they nre placed in sets of three loops, one set on each side of the crown. Tigre aigrettes—one color striped with another—also tiquote aigrettes, are Innovations of the season. Black aigrettes, tipped and decorated at the base with turquoise, constitute another diversion. A new veil, which promises to catch fashion’s fickle fancy, has been introduced. It is a black net with white embroidery effect and applique border. Also a plain black having only the applique white border. Persian printed cambric waists are seen in a very handsome assortment of dark colorings. Dark birds, with effectively pointed wings, are on round summer hats. Bows of very wide light ribbon and straw are set on top of the crowns. The late hats from Faris and London nre exceedingly gay and bright. They nre of silk straw, as light as possible, delightfully lustrous and beautifully braided or plaited. Odd toques in black and yellow or green and white, edged with cuba-loop-ed braid, have rosettes of the same braid already in place at each side of of the back beneath the rim. Bold stripes and big checks aro looked upon with favor by all classes of buyers. White collars and cuffs on colored waists are by no means unusual. and a tiny piping of the material used for the body of the waist is sometimes introduced into the collars and cuffs. London and Tarls tailors nre adopting smaller sleeves. In London they call them coat sleeves, while in Paris the Marie Antoinette sleeve prevails—an equally clinging sleeve, with two odd little puffs around the elbow and perhaps a graceful ruffle of lace falling on the band. An English walking hat has a moderately high crown and straight, rather narrow brim. The trimming is a band of velvet put smoothly around the crown and finished with wide,flat loops and one end. These loops are not drawn in but laid flat, and over the middle is a feather ornament with standing quills. An evening dress of velvet has a plain skirt,close-fitting body and puffed sleeves of the velvet. The corsage is cut square, and the back sections, wide shoulder straps and pointed fronts are of very rich brocade. There is a ruffle, basque skirt lined with plain material the color of the brocade. Now that almost everybody has gotten rid of her bracelets, these ornaments arc again coming into fashion. They arc shown in a heavy, twisted bars, a favorite style being a' Spiral through which the hand is slipped, the spring of the metal causing it to close around the wrist. A new glove has a very long wrist, edged with fur and open on the outside of the arm, instead of the inner side, as usual. This opening is cross-laced, thewrist being loose, the opening beginning just above it, j A novelty collar is made of very close-ly-plaited silk, lined with some supporting material. At intervals among the plaltings of silk are set #ny ostrich tips, either matching the silk In color or in s6me contrasting shade.