Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1896 — GOSSIP FOR THE FAIR SEX [ARTICLE]

GOSSIP FOR THE FAIR SEX

ITEMS OF INTEREST ON THE FASHIONS. How to Combins Colors—Tailor Gown*. Stylish Pique Gowns—A Nobls Japanese Woman—Fashion Notes. BIG BEAUTY BILLS. A complexion doctor says that the beauty bills of a good many of her clients run into three figures for cosmetics and massage, etc., every year. There are half a dozen women in society who actually enamel. Several go to her to be done about every three months. It is a painful, tedious, and expensive thing. ONE NEWEST SWEATER. The newest sweater is made with a deep-pointed V-shaped yoke which la outlined with little knots of the wool. The sleeves are decidedly puffed, though it is said that before long the sweater is to discard entirely this frill of fashion, and that the sleeves iu ] sweaters for both men and women are to be made alike—small. Sweaters in two colors are much more the vogue than in one. Beige and white fawn and dark blue are new color combinations. The sailor collar is now as much worn as the one which is straight, merely rolling over a little at the top, and, of course, every well regulated sweater buttons on the shoulders.— Chicago-Times Herald. HOW TO COMBINE COLORS. Black combines well with almost all colors except those which are so lucking in brightness as to be too nearly like it. Black and pale pink, blue, yellow, green, red, lavender, and even rather dark shades of blue, clear brown and green are excellent combinations. Brown combines well with yellow, gold and bronze If It is the shade of brown which has brightness. It Is effective also with black and with certain tones of green. Very dark green is effective when brightened by linings of narrow trlining of pale blue. A medium shade of green unites well with old pink. Brownish greens look well with bronze and copper color. Darkened blue may be brightened by lines of bright, rich red by lines of old rose or of clear yellow. Blue ot the “electric” and “cadet” varieties Is best combined with black or white figured silks in which the same shade predominates. HER MALADY IS CLEANLINESS. “I have a strange case now in charge,’ remarked a well-known physician. “The patient'is a lady who lives in the fashionable part of the city, and in rather a fine house. Her malady is cleanliness, and her efforts to keep the things about the house clean are wearing her out. She labors under the idea that everything about her and her house is dusty and dirty, so she turns the contents of her entire house upside down every day. Not satisfied with the reports of her servants that thework is all done, she takes up every rug, sheet, pillow case, blanket, curtain, or any other article she can Lift from Its place and shake it vigorously out of the window. She is known in the neighborhood as the ‘shaker.’ She has ishaken herself down from the ordinary weight to almost a skeleton. She works from 7 In the morning until 6 every evening, only to go all over the same self-imposed task the next morning. Still she thinks everything is dreadfully dirty about her.—Washington Star.

TAILOR-GOWNS. The tailor-gown, like the blousewaist, is always with us, but it never looks more attractive than on spring days, when it comes out with some new or specially chic touch to announce that it is fresh from the skilled worker’s hand. Although a great many mixed Cloths, tweeds, cheviots and Irish friezes, are made up in these gowns, they have by no means displaced the smooth, fine fabrics. The handsomest tailor-gowns are made .of covert cloths, corkscrews, W’hip cords, and mediumweight plain cloths in solid colors, dark green, blue, brown and tan. These show to advantage the stitching aml cloth bands which are the favorite finish. Coats arc of medium length or quite short, and the majority have ripple backs, which flare so the colored silk lining shows effectively in every flute. The fronts of many of these coats are half-fitting and lap broadly to the left, being fastened top and bottom only with large pearl buttons. The regulation small coat-revers and turndown collar finish the neck, which opens just low enough to disclose a tiny bit of the cambric or linen chemisette worn with the new stock necktie. This is a stiffened band of satin, fastening in the back, whence the narrow ends are brought forward and tied in a prim, conventional bow under the chin. STYLISH PIQUE GOWNS. Pique in dead white, but with its cords so thick that they make it seem like cloth, is shown in white, wood, stem-green, Mazarin and navy blue, as well as in plaid designs somewhat larger than shepherd’s plaid, but with hair lines so crossing each other that an extremely fine plaid is achieved. Scarlet and white, blue and white, and purple and white, stem-green and white, and purple and white are the contrasts offered in this plaid. The pique dresses are simplicity itself, and as much care is taken to make them fit well as if they were of cloth. A typical one shows the stem-green and white plaid. The skirt has the usual flare, and to increase It there are two rows of skirt boning around the lower edge. The jacket bodice is somewhat longer than those worn during the winter, and flares away from the front to show a waistcoat of stem-green fastened with bullet pearl buttons. The broad revers on the coat are of the pique, and the high stock is of stem-green taffeta ribbon with a large bow in the back. The full sleeves shape into the arms, and each has three rows of the bullet buttons on the upper side. With this is worn a sailor hat of white straw having about it a band of stem-green ribbon; while five stiff stalks of mignonette stand up

«d the left side. The gloves are of white glace kid closing with four large buttons.—Ladles’ Home Journal

A NOBLE JAPANESE WOMAN.

AU college women of America must feel an especial pride in the career of the charming Steimatz Rama Kana, one of the three young Japanese women educated at Vassar College twenty years ago ny the Japanese government. Private letters from the island empire continue to bring Interesting word of this remarkable woman, the wife now of the Marquis Oyama. one of the heroes of the late war and beloved of his nation. The marquise seems to be. fulfilling the prophecies of her classmates of two decades ago, who felt that her personality must make an imprint on her time. Intensely loyal to her country, she yet left here thoroughly imbued with American principles, and determined to aid in the uplifting of her sex in Japan. Her last words to her friends here were to the effect that her ambition in life henceforth was to enlighten and raise her.native sisters to the American standard of education and dignity. Of noble blood, her position, with her education, has afforded her unusual opportunity to promote this desire. Her home is the very essence of refinement, with a decidedly foreign style as to arrangement, though the gardens about are royally Japanese. With three charming children Stelmatz—for so her classmates affectionately speak of her—is dispensing a beautiful and uplifting influence to all who come in contact with her. While the war lasted her practical work was constant. She sent out from her own hands, aided by women of all grades of society, enormous quantities of carbolized gauze, with great packages of other sanitary supplies, to the seat of battle. She is promoting many philanthropic schemes, but none of them has she so much ab heart as the education of her sisters. She Is using the influence of her own and her husband’s position to bring about a change of native opinion concerning Japanese women. Believing firmly in education as the chief factor In the elevation of women, in this direction she bends all her energies and arguments., There is little question that her early American education lias been, through her consistent application of it, the keynote to the growing liberality of the Japanese toward women and an American policy in general. Her progressive spirit was no transitory notion, but a deep, underlying conviction and motive of action, which she has been able to direct upon the thought of her compatriots at a most fortunate time.

New veilings show medium large chenille dots or open circles. Ribbons of all widths, flowered, striped and phuln, are a conspicuous feature of trimming on thin gowns this season. Linen collars nnd cuffs look very fresh and neat, but thqy are hardly conducive to comfort in the extremely hot weather. If It is necessary to remodel more ordinary costumes, the Insets should be made of shirred or plaited silk without covering. Coarse laces, In all the varieties of Maltese, yak and torchon, are coming into vogue again, nnd will appear on summer gowns. A few dresses have fancy cuffs made of puffs, plaited ribbon, shirred satin or India silk, and one model han a bracelet cuff made of soft silk and Jets. A new sleeve has the cuff portion slashed Into square tabs. These are corded, with the silk either matching the goods or In contrast, and have the usual lace frills. Jeweled effects are more and more In evidence on dresses as well at hats, and very dressy waists are made of coarse black net, embroidered in Jet and emeralds, arranged qver green silk. All the colors of fruits are apparently used. Prune, damson, apple and pear are shown as being the very latest, and these in a softness and a sheen over the silks that certainly do resemble the indescribable bloom of fruit. The majority of the new sleeves have ruchlngs, although they are not an absolute necessity as yet, but probably will be before the end of the season. Nothing Improves the appearance of the hands more than soft lace ruchlngs. No special departure has been made in the adjustment of hat trimmings this year, and the difference seems to lie principally in the height attained over last year’s styles. Broad effects are still sought, and cnchepolgnes of flowers retain deserved place. • Silks and velvets of all kinds and colors are utilized for making yokes. Small figured china silks are worked up most effectively in some of the cheaper lines. Lace beading, run with narrow ribbons, forms a pretty trimming on the light silks. It is rumored that the latest skirts for wash materials, grenadines, thin silks and net are made of straight breadths, shirred down five or six inches from the wallet and plainly hemmed at the bottom where they hang loose from the gored lining underneath. A close-fitting bodice of clotl»-of-gold is covered with odd designs of Mme and green spangles, outlined with Jet beads. Green velvet draperies over the bust are held by gold filigree buttons set with rhinestones, and other loose draperies of this material are over the top of the sleeves, with similar fastenings. Skirt of green cloth having a tiny panel of the cloth-of-gold on either side. Ladies who have old-fashioned dresses of handsome materials are remodeling them on a very useful and available plan. The breadths are ripped apart, and between them are set In narrow Ashaped sections of some contrasting material, covered with cascades of lace flouncing. This fashion is strictly for dressy wear, and only handsome materials should be worked over in this way. The best taste does not approve of lace on more common dresses. In sleeve shapes the leg-o’-mutton remains the favorite, although it is modified and reconstructed in various ways. A great deal of trimming is seen on sleeves, especially of cloth dresses. One imported model has a most elaborate scroll pattern done in narrow ribbon. This ribbon is dppliqued on to the fabric, and is in a contrasting color. The dress is ecru cloth and the ribbon te a clear shade of olive green.

AN OBLIGING BLKPHANT. A child at the Zoological Gardens, in throwing a biscuit to the elephant, dropped it between the cage and the barrier, and out of reach of the child or the elephant, when the latter blew the biscuit with its trunk till the child could reach it and again attempt to throw it into the elephant's mouth. This happened not once, but several times. Not that elephants have perfect reasoning powers, as the sequel to this story will show. After the small child had made many vain attempts to throw the biscuit far enough, a good-natured lad standing near thought be would help and took the biscuit from the child. This displeased the elephant, who thereupon dealt the lad a severe blow on the arm, causing him a good deal of pain. dan and onio. Dan and Chic lived in a fine house In the pretty city of Burlington, Vt. They had lots of fun frolicking in the garden, or on the green, velvety lawn, and seemed very happy. Dau was a big St. Bernard dog and Chic was a fat, fussy little pug Dan wore a handsome collar, while Chic wore a bright yellow ruffle round his neck. One day they went to the barber’s with Mr. Brown, the owner of the fine house where they lived. hen they got into the barb -r’s shop, Mr. Brown said, “Lie down, Dan!” Dan lay down right away, minding what his master said, as a good dog should. Then said he, “Lie down, Chic!” The little pug wriggled, and wagged, and fussed, and finally, after being told two or three times, lay down, just as you have seen some little boys and girls do—minding papa or mamma, because they were obliged to. Then Mr. Brown sat down to be shaved, and as soon as his back was turned Chic, the naughty little pug, jumped up and ran away. When Mr. Brown got up from the chair and saw that Chic was gone, he said “Dan, go find Chic!" Up jumped Dan, nnd off he went. In a few moments he came trotting back, with Chic, yellow ruffle and all, In his mouth, carrying him just as you have seen an old cat carry her kitten, nnd set him down with a hard thud, as much as to say, “Mind better next lime, chic."

A SUNBEAM. A sunbeam crossed my path yesterday, a sunbeam in the shape of a sweet little girl of nine years. She lived In the beautiful country, where daisies and butter cups and clover grow, and with her little hands full of these sweet blossoms, she was on her way to the busy city, to one of the large stores where her mother was taking her to find necessary summer garments for her little daughter. Alth >ugh it was a warm day. and the child’s dress was a heavy one. her thoughts were not of the pretty things she was to have, but of a pleasure so far above them, that her face was full of sunshine and smiles. She sat by me. as we journeyed along, and slipping her hand into mine, she told me of her garden at home, and of the lovely flowers she hoped tj have. “We all have gardens," she added, “Elsie and Marjorie and Hooper and I, and we dig them up in the spring ourselves. Hooper and I weed every day, and our gardens are just lovely; O. it is so beautiful!” and her sweet little face was more beautiful than any flower could be. Although she let ine peep into the big box she carried, this dear child did not tell me why she had gathered all those golden buttercups, and fresh pink clover, and bright-eyed daisies, and had so carefully placed them between wet papers in this box. When I returned to my home, later in the day, I met again this little girl and her mother. Her bands were empty, she had neither box nor flowers, and when I said; “Did you give your flowers all away, dear V she answered simply; “Yes, I did." Not a word from her sweet little lips of what cheer she had carried to others less fortunate that day. But when she did not hear, her mother told me of the child’s request to take some of the wild flowers she loved so well to the little cash girls in the big store to which they were going, and of her silent but intense joy when the little cash girls took them eagerly, with great delight. She had brought the sunshine and beauty from the field < to that big hustling store, besides teaching us all a lesson by her thoughtfulness and sweet trouble for others.

OHILDBBN OP CHINATOWN.

While the Chinese quarter of San Francisco is picturesque, and might well be taken for part of the Chinese empire, this picturesqueness covers a multitude of sins. What delights the eye oftm offends the nose; and a worse combination of evil smells can hardly be imagined than those one meets in this crowded and filthy quarter. Its picturesquenesi, however, is its redeeming feature; and the prettiest things that greet the eye arc the bright-eyed and quaintly clad little children. The streets abound with children of all ages and conditions; and while nearly all of them are born in this country, many are as ignorant of the English language as if they had been brought up in the heart of China. Others again, true “street Arabs,” though Chinese, are too familiar witli slang phrases of the language of their adoption. As a general rule, however, their education is bv no means neglected. In this strange and curious meeting of the oldest civilization of the East with that of the youngest of the West, queer neighborhoods are sometimes formed. Christian churches are found next to Chinese temples, and while the organ of the former peals forth its melodious tones they mingle with the pagan chant of priests and acolytes of the neighboring “Joss house.” There exists in the heart of Chinatown a public school for Chinese children, in charge of the San Francisco Board of Education, and it is attended by many bright, studious little pigtailed pupils, ail

eager to gain an American commoo-scboot education. A few doors from this institution is a school kept by an old Chinese schoolmaster- a wise and learned man especially imported from China to teach these little pagans the wisdom of Confucius and other Chinese sages. The pupils of the former school are taught to read and write English as well as Chinese: they learn arithmetic from our well known text-books, and also are taught the true geography of the world. In the latter school they puzzle their litt'o brains over problems in arithmetic on the Chinese counting-board. In Chinese geography they learn that, with the exception of a few small, half-civilized countries. Cbim represents and controls the world. In addition, they are taught also polite deportment, to read and write the complicated Chinese characters, as well as the teachings of their great philosopher Confucius. In other words, they receive the same education as that of a boy living in the shadow of the great wall of China. A most pleasing and notable feature in this school is the politeness with which the pupils treat one another. I have often seen a cinesof ten or fifteen of these little boys marching out of school in single tile. Each carried his countingboard and books under his arm. and all chatted merrily as they passed along. When they reached the corner of the street where one or more of them left the rest, all stopped a moment, and made a low bow to the departing ones, and theu went on tl.eir march, keeping up the same ceremony until they had all bowed one another home. The boys who went to this Chinese school were mostly the sons of wealthy merchants, while those of the public school, as a rule, belonged to the poorer classes.