Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1899 — HEWS FOR THE FAIR SEX. [ARTICLE]

HEWS FOR THE FAIR SEX.

ITEMS OF INTEREST ON NUMEROUS FEMININE TOPICS. A Queen’* Hobby-Fancy of the Hoar —Reads Fortune in Ten Grounds— Siffns Her Full Name, etc. A Queen’s Hobby. The Queen of Italy has a peculiar hobby—a collection of gloves, boots and shoes which have been worn at different periods by royal and imperial personages. She has a pair of white slippers and a fan which belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots; also shoes worn by Queen Anne and the Empress Josephine. A Fancy of the Hour. One of the newest fads is the collecting of belt buckles from different parts of the world as souvenirs. Travellers can pick up curious coins in odd places, and many bits of tine silver and gold are found in old junk shops and pawnbrokers’ shops. Uncut jewels are seized upon and set in unique designs, and each of these tells its story to the owner and forms the subject for interesting tales. Reads Fortune in Tea Grounds. One of the newest devices for the woman anxious to know what fate has in reserve for her is the fortune-telling teacup. This cup, which is wide and deep, has its inner surface covered with a network of lines and a border of stars, fishes, lions, serpents and other signs of the zodiac. If the tea leaves rest on certain lines near the signs certain things may be surely expected to come tojiass, and the fortune teller, upon consulting a mysterious booklet in scarlet covers that comes with the cup, will authoritatively announce the advent of sweethearts or gifts, or bid the inquirer “beware the dark-eyed stranger whom she is soon to meet,” The cup is a popular addendum to the afternoon tea table.— New York Tribune. S4k»* Her Full Name. There are styles in which a woman signs her name, just as there are styles in everything else; and if they have changed less frequently than have the fashions in dress, carpets and wall papers, they have changed no less surely. In times past women not infrequently subscribed themselves by using the initials, one or more, as the case may have been, of the Christian name, but since women have entered so extensively into the professions and employments and have become accustomed to handling business correspondence and signing checks, Al. Smith and E. J. Jones are rapidly giving way to Mary Smith or Elizabeth Jamison Jones./ Changes in the character of the names themselves are no less observable and equally interesting. There seems to be a reaction from fancier names, such as Gladys, Beatrice. Pansy, to the Mary, Margaret. Elizabeth and Katherine of our grandmothers’ time. Even the once much despised Sarah, now spelt without the “h,” has become fashionable. Nor are diminutives as popular as they once were. In this direction the influence of higher schools and colleges for girls has been exerted to excellent purpose.—Philadelphia Tidies. Some Handsome Fan*. The Parisian fanmaker is the designer of the fashions of the present day, and Duvelleroy, in England, is not only a designer, but lias a rare collection of old fans. The lace fan is among ftie finest of the Duvellroy fans, the sticks being of tortoise shell or mother-of-pearl. This artist also shows some beautifully painted fans of the Louis XVI. style and Vernis Martin. In our own shops we find a splendid collection of the most exquisite designs. There is a black and violet fan of the “Cabriolet” style, which is very beautiful. The pearl sticks are inlaid, and upon the mount are painted dainty Watteau figures. Another is of black gauze, with tortoise shell sticks. Upon a Louis XVI. fan of black gauze are green medallions, upon which appear lovers with chubby cupids holering near. The fans are from njpe to ten inches In length, the tiny empire fan not being as popular as it was several seasons ago. -There are many pretty chiffon fans, one having a pretty pastoral scene painted upon it. Another of white chiffon has white silver spangles decorating it. One very unique fan is made of silk, upon which are appliqued designs in Chantilly lace, and alternating with the lace medallions are pretty little hand-painted figures; the Inlaid sticks are painted and spangled. A pale cream-colored silk fan, elaborately ornamented with figures In the style of the Vernis Martin fans, is among the most expensive. Paillettes of shining steel arc used to sew the delicate patterns of flower sprays appliqued on the net and chlf- ' -son.—Washington Star. Mew French Lingerie. Very dainty underwear in colored lawn is sold nowadays. Figured nainsook is also used and makes charming nightdresses, as well as chemises, short petticoats, etc. For wear with linen and muslin frocks long ruffled petticoats of buff, pink, blue, green and lilac muslin are sold. They look well when the dress skirt is raised, and wash as well as white petticoats. The new chemises taper at the waist line or have belts of ribbon beading to draw in the fulness of the material. They have elaborate yokes of fine tucks, rows of insertions, ribbon beading, etc. Tiny puffings between rows of transparent lace flowers are effective, and, little epaulets and revers of lace or of muslin much inserted with lace

or embroidery are new and dainty. The low corset has given a new Impetus to designers of fanciful chemises, and even the woman who has thought an embroidered monogram and a narrow edging of hand embroidery the acme of elegance in lingerie succumbs to the fragile beauty of the new French underwear. In batiste and lawn and soft China silk the new nightgowns are made empire fashion, with short waists and low necks and short puffed sleeves, the belt, neck and arms edged with trails of embroidered flowers. The fronts are laid in fine tucks or narrow accordion plaits. Nightrobes, with wide collars, fichus and long stolen with frilled edges that fall from the neck and taper flown to the feet are very soft and becoming. Some of the short sleeves are slashed and hang loose, angel fashion, from the shoulders to show the arms. A good deal of lace insertion and frills of fine net are used on the revers and collars of nightdresses. A pretty gown has a transparent lace yoke lined with white net, with a small turned-down frill at the back of the neck tied with narrow ribbon, this terminating in a rosette at either shoulder seam, while the gown itself hangs straight from the yoke, a ribbon being drawn round the waist from the back to the front.—New York Commercial Advertiser. A Mendlug Factory. Buried tn the heart of the quiet residence portion of Boston is the oddest little factory in the world. There, in a little aleove overlooking Governor Walcott’s mansion and adjacent”dwellings of fashionable Back Bny, unbeknown to many of its nearest neighbors, Is a reconstruction factory—a tiny laboratory where heaps of worthless fragments of glass and china are annually reconstructed Into hundreds of thousands of dollars in the form of beautiful vases, highly prized statuary and other precious bric-a-brac of stone or vitreous material. From the outside you would never recognize the little factory, for the single window, though fronting the street, is at the top of a fine old mansion, and is bordered by ivy without and a trailing vine within, back of which are lace curtains. A glance into the interior after laboratory hours would scarcely suffice even Sherlock Holmes to tell its true character, for all that any one sees is a luxurious divan, a harp, a carved bookcase, a heavy mahogany table and a leather covered chair. But should you happen to visit it when the proprietress is then* and the door of a rather spacious closet is open you would see within kaleidoscopic rows of precious placques and vases, ancient and modern, upon the shelves; drawerfuls of piebald pieces, and here ami there a pile of fragments assorted so carefully that even you yourself could reconstruct the form of the original cup or statue. Day after day shattered fragments of rare ornaments that have once beautified high places of the earth are collected here. Some come from India and far Cathay; some from ancient Egypt; Some from Caves and ruins of Etruria: some from modern courts of Europe a-ut the Vatican, and some from the famous art centres of America. They are first sent to a great emporium of Boston, which immediately packs them in a bandbox or something similar and delivers them to the queer little factory by a private messenger, just as a Paris milliner delivers his marvels to wealthy patrons of his fashionable establishment. When they emerge from the factory they have been fitted together with such marvelous skill and rare artistic judgment that none but the most practiced eye could tell that they had been fragments. Labor and capital are in perfect harmony in this little factory, for the two functions are united In a single person —Miss Anna B. Smith, proprietor. Consequently one workman, or rather workwoman, is all that it can boast, but judging from the value of her finished products and her luxurious style of living, wages there must exceed those of an ordinary laborer. This tailoring capitalist, or moneyed laborer, just as you are pleased to call her. Is perhaps th? most aristocratic factory girl in the world. Besides earning a competence that she would be foolish to exchange for that of her neighbor, the governor, she Is a graduate of Wellesley College, has a coachman of her own and travels with the smart set of the Hub. Chicago Record.

Gleaning* From the Shop*. Crystal fan chains with heart-shaped pendants. Foulard batistes in polka dots, stripes and figures. Tie-chains In gilt or silver with jewel-mounted pendants. Quilts of all descriptions in shades of white and gray for sailor hats. Printed batistes in innumerable designs reproduced from choice silk patterns. Broad displays of Plauen allovers In cream and white as well as fancyfigured nets. Bathing shoes and caps in all colorings to match the flannel and brilliantlne suits. Much neckwear made of lace and cotton point d’esprlt nets of varioussized meshes. White pique suits made with tunics elaborately trimmed with white Hamburg embroidery. Gilt bracelets with crystal, amethyst. sapphire and emerald charms of various shapes attached. Silk organdies showing beautiful and rich perstan designs accentuated by vari-coldred silk polka dots. A great variety of cotton veils in cream and white, as well as In taste-' ful combinations of black and white. Light-colored and white taffeta parasols, plain and dotted, with graduated stripes in contrasting shades.