- , v ., -- "' - i-ii i " - - - . - -- ----. k. -- - - wj I FANCIES FORJHE FAIR. Gossip of Society and Fashion That Is Going; the Rounds of the Exchanges Just Sow Designs in Millinery and Evening Wear Odds and Ends. IS this a bat? Im possible, but still it bears the name; the small, flat, round plate is made of royal blue velvet edged with astrakhan. Black velvet bows are placed both on the crown and at the back. Of late mil liners have discov ered how to handle birds properly. The poor little thincs are given as much freedom as possible now and naturally they take up all sorts of pretty attitudes. I saw a pretty flight of birds on a broad brimmed hat the other day, says a London fashion writer. They looked as if they had just alighted. One bird had his beak in the cup of a flower; another bad cot under the brim, and two or three were hovering about the crown. They were gay little birds with pretty plumage. Birds are imitated in jet this season. Tbey look rather well on cloth bonnets. Of course, they were designed for those who object to wear real birds. Bnt X fancy a true Selbornite would decline to wear even a jet bird in her bonnet Jeweled passementerie is much worn on bonnets this season, especially as a border. The salient point about evening dresses is the pretty Watteau pleit at the back, says a fashion writer in the Pall Mall Budget. Most women will be glad to hear that the "Wat teau costnme is being revived. There isn't a style irore graceful, more picturesque, or wore universally becoming than the Wat teau. Tea gowns and evening cloaks are following in the wake of dresses in this re spect. A c harming tea gown, made of a so't, woolen, peach-colored fabric, is ornamented with the Watteau pleat and a high collar. It is lurther adorned with floating ends of creaii ribbon falling from either shoulder to the hem of the skirt at the back. The gown has a rich lining of cream-colored silk and duplicate sleeves. A dinner dress in old rose bengaline, made for a brunette beauty in London recently, was festooned in a dainty fashion about the hem with black chiffon and jet bows. This material softened the top of the bodice. The short sleeves were shaped like a butterfly. Shaded velvet is a iresh material. I can't say that I think it pretty. I saw a reception dress made of this material recently. It was green, relieved with pink silk. The front breadth of the skirt, the front of the bodice, and the sleeves were of the last material, draped with creamy lace. The wrists and the col lar were edged with cream feather. Long watch chains are being worn again, hut not in the old-fashioned way. They take the shape of a loose necklace now. Princess Victoria of Prussia had a large and extravagant trousseau. Even in the matter of shoes she was extravagant. She had 20 pairs from a well-known firm in Lon don. I was just in time to get a glimpse of them Inst week, says Miss Mantilini in Pall Mall Budget. There was one pair of gold kid shoes and two of silver. Her Koyal Highness was married in a pairof these last. Silver kid is fast superseding plain white kid. No woman will-put her feet into white kid shoes if she can help it; they accentuate the size of them so dreadiully. The silver kid shoes, on the other hand, make the feet look smaller. There were four pairs of bou doir shoes to matcn the Princess' tea gowns. They were made of plush pink, light blue, dark blue, and cardinal plUBh. The pink pair were trimmed with light fur, the light blue pair with snowfl&kc fur, and the other two with real beaver. Then there were two pairs of tartan shoes, several ot bronze, and half a dozen pairs ot black varied. The Princess takes sevens. She has not quite the foot of a sylph, has she? . A pretty article of dress is the Bernhardt anantelttte. It is eomething between a cape and a collar, and is, most becoming to any one who, like the celebrated actress, has a long slender throat. Jtaicnticood. It has been the dream of Sara Bernhardt'! life to play Cleopatra, and for years she has been collecting jewels, girdles, armlets, ' bracelets and necklaces. Every dress con sists of a diaphanous piece of material seven yards long, embellished with metallic or silk embroidery. This lone strip of gauze is wound and draped about her lithesome form and held in place at the hips, belt and Shoulders with magnificent fasteners, brooches and girdles, incrnsted with stonps of every couceivable shade. Through the garment other jewels, buc,kles and embroideries, used to ornament and secure an undergarment, shimmer and shine. In her hair, about her fingers, .arms and ankles bandeaux, bangles and (bracelets blaze and the eandali in which her r t P Bildred, feet are slipped are also finished with rain bow effect. Bow after row and chain upon chain of jewels encircle her cbestand breast, and the unparalleled display of opals, turquoises, topaz, scarabees, corals sapphires, amethyst, rubies, sardonyx, malachites and pearls produce the almost overpowering sense of luxury. One dress, an Egyptian robe, is certainly a most won derful creation. The material in itself is of gold-colored gauze, appHqued with a de sign of laurel leaves. The Belt of pearls and turquoises that holds the delicate fabric in at the waist also secures a barbaric drapery at the hips made of a tiger's skin. Fancy the contrast of embroidered gauze and tiger's fur! For a head-dress she wears a skull-cap of pearls, fringed with coral and turquoises. Antique buckles are the fashion now on "dressy" shoes. . Among the latest accessories to evening dress are floral rufiY and , muffs, says Pall Mall Budget. Tbey are made ot any flower that looks seasonable chrysanthemums, asters, marguerites, carnations, violets and the like. A muff made of the palest pink carnations adorned with a bow ot ribbon, and a ruff and a tiny coronet for the hair made ot the same blossoms, to wear en suite, were shown to me at a milliner's this week. A muff formed of white chrysanthe mums with white ribbon strings was charm ing. These delicate- trifles are expensive, and it goes without sayiog that they are only intended for vouthml wearers. Doctors declare facial neuralgia to be greatly on the increase, and sternly and stubbornly refuse to lay the cause at any other door than that of the milliner. At a H o'clock tea "recently, says the New Tork Post, attention was called to an artis tic but apparently careless arrangement of flowers upon the richly-papered walls of the reception room. They appeared to be trail ing down the wall, bnt presently the hostess explained to an admirer of the effort pro duced that the, flowers and vines were ar ranged in a bamboo cane about three feet in length. The hollow cane was notched here and there, and an arrangement made for holding a quantity of water. Then flowers were lightly placed in the notches. From a little distance, or if the flowers and vines are deftly arranged, the bamboo is invisi ble, and the leaves and blossoms appear to be actually growing upon the wall. 'A genuine woman in this country is safe anywhere," says the Rev. -T. De "Witt Tal mage in the If ew Tork TTorW, in reply to the question: "Should ladies patronize pub lic places unattended?" He continues: "It is better that they have escorts, but if they are not to be had I do not see why good women should be denied the pleasure of at tending places of healthful entertainment, even if they have to go alone or accompanied by one of their own sex. Woman and I mean the woman of character may fre quent public places without fear of insult. Much of this talk concerning women being insulted on the street is often the woman's fault." "To what do ypu attribute this feminine weakness?" "No true woman," replied Dr. Talmage, "would encourage the attentions of a stranger. Flirtation is damnation. A to morrow follows to-day. Will it find the participant better or worse?" London housewives are trying to outvie each other in the quality and decoration of their table linen. Table linen is becoming moree la borate and more costly every day. Latest and Handsomest. When you make chocolate now of an evening, sprinkle a little cinnamon on top after the chocolate has been poured in the cup. It adds the same piquancy and charm that nutmeg adds to lemonade, 'lemon juice does to Vichy, sliced lemon does to tea, or, to come nearer home, that salt does to an egg. Some time aj6 the Ladies' Aid Society of this city agreed to invest a nickel in some kind of article, and sell it at a profit, and reinvest in something else, and so on, to speculate on this capital for two weeks, and see bow much each one could make, says' tbe Anniston, Ala., Argus. One lady on' tne same evening bought a cabbage with ber nickel. She carried it home and sold half of it to her neighbor for a nickel. She invested that in vinegar, and pickled the remaining half, and sold the pickle for 25 cents. She then bought 25 cents' worth of cloth, and a spool of thread and made it up into three aprons, which she sold for 25 cents each, and took the 76 cents and bought molasses and gave a candy pulling to the children, making them pay 10 cents a plate for the candy. The molasses made 21 plates of candy, so she made $2 10 on one nickel in two weeks' time. How money will grow if properly handled, Large eardrops are coming into fashion again, says Miss Mantilinie in Pall Mail Budget. This does not sound as If we were growing more civilized. Eardrops are a patent, form of f iTBgisou Sat, blinking the fact that they are absurd, eardrops spoil the shape of the ears. ,Kn owing this, aane women will surely refuse to wear them. Dowagers of course have a penchant for ear drops. Having worn them all their lives, thev consider they do not looked "dressed" without them. e A very desirable and sensible fashion was started some time ago in regard to the christening gifts of godparents. When a child is christened it is the proper thing for one of the godparents to give a teaspoon, and to announce the intention of repeating the gift on each anniversary until the dozen is complete, then to begin to give some other kind of a spoon. By carrying ont this idea, by the time a girl is launched in society, 'engaged and married, she will have quite a store of silver, endeared by astociation. If the child is a boy, after the first gift of a piece of silver the anniversary is to be re membered with the presentation of a gold coin, Saturday is growing in favor as the day for weddings, receptions and teas. Sfi A maid of honor at Versailles was once asked by Louis XIV. what o'clock it was. Her reply to the question was often after wards quoted as the very perfection of com pliment "Whatever hour Your Majesty pleases." It has beeh reserved for a Lon don correspondent, and, of all London cor respondents, for that of the Leeds Mercury, to rival this delicate flattery. He an nounces that the future dinner hour will be whatever tbe Prince of Wales , pleases, and tbat the Prince's pleasure is for 8 The news is reassuring. Oar fin de siecle ban quetinjhours have lately been too much retarded. The Prince will serve soeiety if the dinner hour is pushed forward. Of course this is very important in American bociety. w The commonest kind of ink bottles are transformable intoharlcqnin perfume casks. After the ink has been withdrawn from their depths the bottles are cleaned and painted in stripes running from the neck of the bottle to tbp lower edge. The stripes are silver, gilt, bronze, scarlet and blue. . For the style of hairdressing shown in the accompanying illustrations', which does not require very long hair, the whole mass is parted across the head and both halves pinned at the top of the same to a small Dressed Sigh With Natural Flowers. braid foundation." If the hair is not very thick it may merely be tied together here. Single, pretty thick, strands are then curled ronnd the first fingers' of both hands begin ning at the ends, as seen in the illustration. The curl thus made is then divided in the middle with both thumbs, and the open ends Showing the Curls. of the same turned upward with both bands, each half being held tight between the first and third fingers, so that the root of tbe hair strands lies between tbe two halves of tbe O) Curling Strands of Hair. curl, in which a bow is made. Several such bows are to be pinned beside each other, yet so that the hairpins are seen as little as Dividing the Strands. possible. A small wreath of fresh flowers fastened on at the side with a thick orna mental pin, completes the coiffure. MES. WHITHETS DIAMONDS, Many of Them Were the Gift of Ber Ador ' ins Brother In Cleveland, HwTorkWorla.3 One of the most valuable collection of dia monds in .New York City is owned by Mrs. Whitney, wife of the ex-Secretary of the Navy. She has an exquisite diamond neck lace, worth $35,000,and solitaires as large as hazel nuts. One single diamond.setinapin, is reputed to be worth $16,000. The entire collection is appraised at $100,000. Many of these gems were the gift of Mrs. Whitney's brother, a Western oil king, who adores his sister. One of this generons brother's gifts was the mansion on the cor ner of Fifty-seventh streej and Fifth ave nue, which is the Whitney winter residence. At another time it was a check for $100,000, "to be used in entertaining friends." Especially serviceable at all times is Dr. Bull' Cough Byrup. Keep it always nanoy , Jf t THE DAY. FOR GIVING. Appropriate Gifts to Piie Up on Santa Clans' Big Sleigh. SUGGESTIONS PROM WASHINGTON. Mrs. Harrison and the Majority Believe in Home-Mado Presents. LITTLE THING8 THAT SERYE WELL tCOEEESFOXDENCI OP TUX PISrJLTCB.'l Washington, Dec. 13. Great prepara tions are being made in the homes of our statesmen for Christmas. A score and more of the Senators have their families here, and there are perhaps 2,000 little ones whose fathers are connected with the Government, who dream every night of Santa Clans. A great many presents are given in Washing ton among friends during the holidays, and one of the leading snbjects of discussion to day is Christmas presents and how to mace them. Mrs. President Harrison believes in the celebration of Christmas. She gives a great many presents and she tells me that the most of her gifts were in the past, home made. She gave away a great many of her paintings as Christmas gifts, and she tells me that she would like to paint to-day for Christmas, but that her public, duties compel her to purchase such presents as she gives away. She has a large circle of pen sioners to whom she always presents articles of food and wearing apparel on Christmas, and she says that she taces great pleasure in doing so. She does not believe in ex pensive gifts among friends, and she thinks tbat presents made with one's own hands convey a greater compliment and form a better token of friendship than any other kind. OBJECTS TO PEOSIISCUOUS GIVING. I find that many of the noted ladies of Washington deprecate the growing custom of promiscuous giving on Christmas. I asked Mrs. Senator Sherman her opinion of the subject. She said: "I think that Christ mas presents should be confined to relatives and personal friends, with, of course, the privilege of extending the remembrance to others whom we may choose to compliment. Bnt as to making indiscriminate gifts, it ought to be discouraged. To friends at a distance a little memento of the day, in the shape of a small card, is always acceptable, and any little home-made article, either for practical use or ornament, is much more valned from the fact that the recipient knows we have taken pains and thought for him in making it. "Certainly there is no pleasure in the receipt of a gift which con veys an obligation, and thus makes one feel that she has incurred a debt in get ting it. I don't like indiscriminate giving. Almost anyone can make something of one kind'or another that in the motive induced by the effort, will awaken a responsive chord in the breast of the recipient, and I seldom, if ever, make Christmas presents unless prompted by affection or the desire to give a proof of esteem." MES. SENATOR DAVIS' SACHET BAGS. I called upon Mrs. Senator Davis to learn her views in regard to the making and giv ing of Christmas gifts, and was rewarded by a sight of a variety of dainty articles prepared by her, own hands. Mrs. Davis said: "I always make the larger unmber of my Christmas presents as I know from personal experience how much more pleas ure a gift conveys that has been made by a friend, and," as she picked up a sachet bag, "in my opinion there can be nothing more appropriate to send a friend than one of tbese simple little bows of satin ribbon which conceals beneath its tie, a fragrant sachet of violet powder or other sweet scent. These you can easily send through the mail and they make a pretty ornament forthe back of a chair, when pinned at a becoming ancle on one side, "Then as you know I am very fond of oil painting, and as I possess some degree ot original talent, I often occupy my leisure hours in sketching flowers and other designs upon bolting cloth which I lorm into sachet bags for the handkerchief drawer. The suggestion of sweet odors at tbe holy feast of Christmas transports one in imagination, back to the first Christmas morn when the wise men laid their tribute of frankincense and myrrh at the feet of the Christ-Child. A PEEP INTO HEE CHAMBEE: "One of my favorite ways fit remember ing the occasion is by Christmas letters, and if you will accompany me upstairs I will show you what I mean." Upon this we went to the second floor. Beaching her chamber we found the maid was engaged in sheeting herbed in its sable coverings of Elack China silk, aqd pillow cases relieved by richly embroidered letters ot yellow floss in the center of each case. Over the sheets was thrown a warm comfort of silk in the same somber hue tufted in yellow. These, Mrs. Davis says, she pre fers for use during the winter, varied by white silk in summer for each season, hav ing gowns of corresponding shades, orna mented with dainty bows of bright ribbon. This fact, I believe, has already been given to the public and caused quite a flut ter of interest among the fair sex generally. My hostess also explained that she wore black silk underwear from preference, and found thijt the absence of flannel did not aflect her health. Returning to the subject of tbe Christmas letters, they are simply ex tra large-sized sheets of letter paper in the varied tints of gray and stone blue. On the upper left hand corner of each is a raised clover leaf in white, and the writing is in white ink, which produces a striking effect. Mrs. Davis said she generally makes up an appropriate blank verse or a few lines ex pressing best wishes for the season. MRS. MILLER'S CHRISTMAS GIFTS. One of the daintiest pieces of home manu facture I have seen lately is a sofa cushion made by Mrs. Miller, wife of the Attorney General. It is of blue jeans embroidered with asteroids in white linen flosST Around the edtre is sewn a twisted cord of white and gold formed of the floss. The great beauty 'j ot this simple but enective combination is that it may be easily slipped off at pleasure, and it can be washed without injury. An other piece of Mrs. Miller's Christmas handiwork is a coverlet or short comfort of this same blue jeane, which, though inex pensive, is very artistic. Jake a square of the jeans somewhat larger that the desired size to lay across the center of the coverlet, select the wrong or lighter side of the mate rial and tnrn a broad border all around and fasten down with a cat stitch in white. In the center embroider a conventional design in white linen floss and the effect is beau tiful. Mrs. Morton, Mrs.KIaine and Mrs. Noble each show marked talent in this line, and numerous piepes of embroidery and paint ings upon silk, the work of Mrs. Harrison, are still to be met with. She made these while she was in the Garfield Hospital Sewing Society at the time of her husband's term in the Senate. REMEMBERING THE BABIES. Few Washington hostesses possess a more marked talent for tasteful fancy work than Mrs. Albert A."Wllson, wifeof the ex-Marshal of the District, to which fact her at tractive home on Q street gives ample testi mony. When I called one morning, not long since, Mrs. Wilson had just completed a handsome array of Christmas presents to send to friends at a distance. One of the latest novelties in tbe list was a rattle made of an embroidered hoop, covered with bine ribbon about an inch wide, satin edged, wound round and round the wood until completely hidden, two bands of the same beinc stretched face to face across tbe center each piece hnng with six tiny sleigh bells that tinkled with every movement. On one side was fastened a bow and ends. Another of Mrs.- Wilson's presents is a baby-carriage band made of white gros grain ribbon with picot edge. Upon this is em broidered rosebuds, daisies or violets, as' jJancT may-dictate, in colored silks; a narrow piece of white ribbon, about a half a yard in length, being fastened on either end to attach it to the carriage, and the connection bidden by Dig rosettes oi tne same color. Mrs. "Wilson also (showed me a lovely tea cloth of white linen, with broad insertion set just within two inches of the edge, in the form of" a diamond. CHRISTMAS CARDS AT -WASHINGTON. I asked one of the leading-booksellers in tbe West End whetherthe sale of Christmas cards was not decreasing 'with each succes sive season, and was informed that on the contrary, the demand for small cards was never so great as now. The large fringed cards and elaborate designs at high prices meet with small sae in comparison with former years, and books and other illustrated prints seem to have entirely superseded the more expensive cards as holiday gifts. "Few of the stationers have as yet displayed their assortment in this line, as the rush is usually so great at first for the selection of the freshest novelties that often the stock is exhausted before holiday week, add many whose means will not per mit of an early choice, are thus deprived of a chance to indulge the fancy. A dainty novelty in the way of a Christ mas gift, which some young girls are mak ing, is n white silk cravat, crocheted in crazy stitch, with heavy white silt:. These cravats are made in the style of the popular "lour-m-band," and were in high favor with the Bar Harbor beaux last summer, where they were sold for $3 each. They are especially suited for summer wear with white flannel boating suits, being light and easily washed without ironing, and of late the fad has started for wearing them in full dress upon the occasion of weddings and evening enter tainments. USES TTP SOME SILK. I am told that each cravat nses up about three spools of silk, and the rest is all clear gain to those who crochet rapidly. There could be no prettier Christmas present for a young lady to give to her fiance, and the gift would have the added attraction of being her own finger work. Many dainty sachet bags are made of point d'esprit in delicate tints, filled with the fluffy pods of the milk weed to pin upon the piano or mantel cover. The same material is also used for double photograph cases lined with silk of a corre sponding color, and wadded with perfumed batting, decked off with rich bows of satin ribbon. In fact there is no end to the pretty things which our gay girls find they can con coct with a little taste and skill. Mrs, Stewart, the wife of the rich Nevada Senator, says: "I usually give a great many presents, but I am determined not to do so this year. I do not think that Christmas is looked upon to-day as it has been in the past. We give too many costly presents, apdwe are losing sight of the sacred asso ciations of the day in the effort to accom plish too much wsrk." BELIEVES IN SANTA CLATJS. Mrs. Cockrell, the wife of tbe Senator from Missouri, is a great stickler for Christ mas observance, and she has enough young children about her to make the day a lively one. Said she: N"I always warn my servants not to undecieve my little ones of their happy belief in Santa Clans. I be lieve in giving presents to children, and I believe in all the sweet illusions of this kind that can be thrown around childhood. The child-life is tbe happiest life, and we ought to cultivate its happiness in every way. I believe in giving but not indis criminately, and I think everything Bhould be made subordinate to the children's festi val." "When I was a nurse at the hospital in Philadelphia," said Mrs. Senator Hawley to me last night, "I made with my own hands one Christmas 72 Christmas presents for the patients. The day was a great one to them. The hospital had been badly man aged before this, and it was the first real Christmas celebration it had bad for years. We got up a Christmas feast, decorated the wards with holly, and had the young society girls of Philadelphia help us as waiters. I believe in giving Christmas presents, and I like home-made ones iu preference to those which come from stores." Miss Gejtndt, Jr. ITS OXYGEN WE HEED. Oat-Door Exercise is Infinitely Better Than In the Best Gymnasium. To any girl between the ages of 15 and 20 the opportunity for out-door walking, say from two to three hours a day, is worth 10 years of new life, and is of more apparent value than all the in-door physical culture exercises to develop every muscle in the body. Why? 'Because, oxygen is the chief agent, the great purifier and stimulator of the bipod and in-door air is poor, very poor ifl oxygen; and with our present system of ventilation it is far poorer than it should be. Iu tbe past 10 years I have seen many a pale-faced and nervous adherent of physical culture; but never a walker who was not rosy and wholesome. Their digestions are active, their bodies firm and solid, not bulky, their senses keen, and their brains healthy and nble. When they sleep, they sleep soundly, and when they awake they are wide awake. No gymnasium, no system of physical cnlture can give the excitement, the' celf forgetfulness, the glow and the stimulus of games in the open air and of long, pleasant walks. No exercise can be beneficial as long as there is a conscious observance of systems. Exercise must be hearty and various and self-forgetfal; it must be largely in the open air; there must be breathing to the full ca pacity of the lungs; there must be free per spiration at least once a day, and a thorough rubbing afterward, and so far as any system is desired, you will soon find that you have established one of your own, and one which will enable you to use the time at your dis posal to the best advantage. Use some gymnastic exercises, if you like all are substantially the samejind aim to develop the capacity of the lungs and there by the heart; but do not depend on them for physical health and development, WAS KILLED BY A KISS. An Instance Establishing the Fact That One Can he Shocked to Death. The snow came down like a fine gauze. The people flitted by the Coroner's office windows with collars tnrned up and beads bowed to the storm. "This weather reminds me," said Jenkins to the group about him, "of such a day about two years ago. I was requested to in vestigate a case of sudden death. I had often heard of persons dying ot fright, but I was not prepared to believe it. Upon being conducted into tbe parlor I was informed by the owner, a well-known merchant, that his daughter had died under peculiar circum stances. She had arisen apparently in good health and high spirits. While she was seated at the table talking with ber mother, her brother, who was about to leave for bus iness, came up behind her stealthily and kissed her full in the month before the was aware who it was. The 'girl screamed, sank back in a dead faint and when she was brought to went In convulsions and died be fore medical attendance could arrive. The whole family were of a highly nervous tem perament, very excitable and subject to hysteria. The autopsv showed that the girl had been perfectly healthy. Death was un doubtedly dne-to a nervous shock," IJIPEOvISED WATEB W0SKS. An Abandoned Gas Well Utilized by a Hoosler Town. Gfia'rlestownflnd.j is experiencing a water famine on a limited scale' During the summer montb, says tbe Louisville Courier Journal, some enterprising citizens con structed a tank, holding 250 barrels of water, near an abandoned gas well which was a tailnre as far as securing the illumi nating vapor was concerned, but which sent forth an everlasting stream of sparkling water. A windmill attachment was util ized to carry the water to the reservoir, and then pipes were laid all over the town. Houses were furnished and on 'every street corner fountains bubbled over with tbe pure spring-like waser. -Sunday the tank collapsed, and now shares in tbe Improvised water works pro ject caa be secured at a figure considerably below par. CUPID IN iNEW ROLE. A Beanly Makes the Little God Be move fier Surplus Adipose. ll'ALLISTEE AND THE AST0KS. A CInb of Young ladies Who Wore Dag' 'gers Up Their Sleetes. COL. 1NGEES0L18 HiltfLECTED DINNER IcoBBZSroxDxncx or toe dispatch, i ' New York, Dee. 13. EAUTY. doesn't al ways wait for age to disappear. P.eally it is a sad and de pressing thing for a young and beautiful girl to grow stout, unless plumpness is becoming to her style of loveliness. Some of us look bet ter fat and some look better thin; and for one oi tbe latter sort to watch her Grecian profile sink into a pudgy pinkness of flesh while her slender graces bulge into superfluous billow, is worse than the dis covery of silver threads among tbe gold. .So it befell that when a tender beauty ot 22 anmmers, who made a sensation when she came ont three years ago, found the delicate lines of her form expanding with balloon like promise, she wept bitterly and did everything in her power to arrest the aggre gation. Nothing availed for a long time. She tried patent remedies, and athletic ex ercise, but still she waxed fa,t, and it seemed as though her reign a3 a belle had ended. When she had quite despaired of training herself down to classical limits, she fell in love with a clubman who had the reputa tion of being the handsomest man in town. SHE -WORRIED HERSELF THIN. This fellow bad treated half a dozen girls most shamefully. One was said to have committed suicide for him. Fathers loathed him. The young lady who suffered from obesity loved him, and 'he led her a terrible dance. For months she tossed upon her sleepless pillow and sat dejectedly be fore her untouched plate at table. Jealousy and chagrin always controlled her, and the object of her great love only laughed at her anxiety. In a thousand different ways did his tyrannical cruelty show itself, and he took a grim pleasure in ' watching the tor ture of his worshiping sl&xf. A night came when the pitiless man found himself alone with the girl in the conserva tory at some one or other's ball. He looked upon her, and in her found a perfect loveli ness that he had not before been aware of. Such symmetry had not fallen under his eye In many a day, and as thebeanty turned her irresistible great eyes upon him in the tender lantern light he leaned toward her, and would have taken her hand, but she stepped back and 'avoided bim. Seeing her recoil from him he started with amazement and said: "Why do you shrink form me? Be Demanded Ber Season. Can't you see that I am overpowered by the beauty of your presence? Don't you see that I love yon?" The girl laughed. "I am very sorry for you," she replied. "I have quite got over my sentiment for you." Tbe blow to the man's conceit was com plete and terrible. He clutched his brow, staggered back and demanded of the girl a reason for her change of heart. "Why," she said, as she sirnck a bewitch ing attitude, "do you not see tbat I am now as slender as I ought to be?" WARD M'ALLISTER'S FATE. Mrs. Astor has' issued invitations for a ball on January 12, and this social event is exciting double interest, because it is ex pected to determine tbe future of Mc Allister. That his book, while it has made the judicious laugh, has given grave offense to society leaders is no secret. One of the many burlesques upon it, that of Alfred Thompson, is said to have been inspired by a social queen and is printed in her colors white and gold. McAllister fixes his own social status in bis boot. He confessed that, instead of dining with the Qneen at Windsor Castle he dined with two of her servants at the village inn npon a pheasant presumably shot by Prince Albert and stolen by the keepers, and that his visit to Windsor Castle was confined to the kitch ens, from which he was ejected as soon as the footmen passed tbe word to serve the royal dinner. Americans, who are born sovereigns, have not been in the habit of occupying such a position in English society, and it has be come a question whether the American queens can afford to admit to their boudoirs a person who associated with the menials of the Queen of England. The fact that at the opera McAllister now frequents the Vauder bilt boxes, and not the Astor box, is pointed out as emphasizing this whispered gossip. Mrs. Astor has only to orderher own servants to arrange her ball and omit McAllister's name from the list of invita tions to canse tbe ex-director of society to be dropped by all of the other 399 social mag nates. WHY PAGAN BOB DIDN'T HE. Colonel Ingersoll was invited to dine with a party of literary and scientific peo ple, and heartily accepted the invitation. The dinner hour came, but not the Colonel. He was telephoned, and arrived nearly an hour late. "I left Washington this morning," was his explanation; "reaching hoaie very tired; took a rest'; did some work; dressed lor din ner, ana forgot all about your invitation.' As 1 was seated at the head of my own table, I received yonr telephone message and was dismayed at my negligence. The .party at my table kindly volunteered to furnish me with acceptable excuses that the train was late; that I had overslept myself; that I was unexpectedly detained by business, and so on. But my daughter looked at me with her gentle eyes, and said: "Do you think, papa, that tbey are the sort of people that one can tell a lie to satisfactorily?' Gentle men, I do not think aoi and, therefore, I tell you the exact truth and throw myself upon your mercy I forgot all about this dinner." For his daughter's sake, Ae was excused. "Look ont for the girl with a dagger up her sleeve." It was at the corner of two crowded thoroughfares, and a policeman was stand ing near at hand. Someone, it is impossible to say who, bad uttered the above cry, and jnst as it was done a long, glittering knife fell at the feet of a beautifully dressed and refined looking young lady who was pre- farms to crow mo meet, -xae 'police! Mr iSJr v ff r" M i ffiiWi3i x i I 1 jPkSwhDLi Iff stepped immediately forward and picked tbe knife from the pavement, catchinir tha girl by the arm at the same time and look ing about for the person who had given the warning. JfJST A CBAZT PAD. "Is this your knife, Miss," said be, ad dressing the young woman, who was tremb ling with fear and seemed terribly em- harassed bv tbe , curiosity of the crowd that was quickly collecting. "Yes, she replied, "it is, and it belongs up my sleeve. Give it to me." The officer smiled and told the young lady she would have to go with bim to the station house. To have a knife concealed ud one's sleeve was not only illegal bnt especially sus picious. Humiliated oeyonu expression, tbe girl followed the officer up tbe ' street. Her efforts to explain that she belonged to a young James dagger society only increased tbe susnicions of tbe officer, and he carried her relentlessly into the presence of the police sergeant, -lo bim she gaye her name and address, and requested that her father be sent for. This was done at once. When You Must Come With fie. tbe old gentleman arrived, and showed con clusively that his child had only been com plying with the rules of an absurd club that a lot or" fashionable girls had organized, and was carrying a dagger in innocence of tbe law forbidding her to do so, the sergeant smiled grimly and said he believed an ar rest was unnecessary. Tbe fad came about through the action of a fashionable belle who wasbeingpersecuted by a man whom she believed crazy, and, fearing personal violence from Bim, she hid a tiny silver-handled dagger up ber sleeve. She never had occasion to use it, bnt all her friends were so fascinated by the idea that they all declared tbe world was filled with crazy men and it was necessary to be pro tected against them. About a half dozen of tbem went seriously into the thing, and tbese were happy in the consciousness of doing something new and delightful until their rather dangerous joy was cut short by the sad experience of one of their number, as above related. The girl that was arrested declares she will coutinue to wear her dagger, but in a safer place than up her sleeve. THE VOICE AND THE GAIT. "Our girls are bright and charming," said a lady at luncheon the other day, "but how bad their voices are, and what dreadful gaits they have. Why will they not study their English cousins and try to remedy the defects that make them unattractive?" This remark opened a subject tbat was discussed interestingly, and npon which many usefnl opinions were given. The lady related how a young beauty lost an En glish Lord by her voice and walk. Her voice was the result of being permitted to talk loud at home, and her bad walk was the outcome of tight shoes. Nearly every American miss shouts when she wi'hes to say anything, and insists upon wearing small shoes with high heels. The remarks made by the lady at the luncheon were eagerly heard, and every pretty girl there resolved not only to modulate her speaking voice in the future, bnt to invest at once In a pair of shoes of great length and breadth, and also flatness of heel. "I've just learned of a strange occurrence in actual life, and I give it to you, of course substituting fictitious names for the real ones. Christopher Bleyer is a retired New York merchant of large means, whose daughters are married to well-known men and whose son Fred is a popular club mem ber. Although Christopher has been a grandfather ten years and more, and is pressing 70, yet be still remains an ardent admirer ot the gentler sex, and may often be seen taking young girls to the theater or opera. Clara Belle. CHAMPAGNE OK THE DS00P. The! New Tariff Besnlts In Only Five Bottles TVhere Before There Were Ten. New York World. The sales of champagne at $4 a quart are nothing like as great as they were at $3 50, and there are lookers-on in the metropolitan circus who say not more than half as much of this wine is sold now as before the in crease in price. Whether Mr. McKinley's 7 cents a quart increase in the champagne tariff is helping to raise the quality or quan tity of the American champagne Crop there seems as yet to be little evidence. Mothzes, do not be witnont Sbiloh's Cure in yonr house, it will enro croup and whooping congh. Sold by Jos. Fleming & Bon, 112 Mar ket St. KNABLE SHUSTER'S HOLIDAY-GOODS SALE .IS A GRAND SUCCESS 1 Their store is crowded all the time. IS IT ANT WONDER? Notice the bargains they-are offering. All-wool Dress Goods, doable width, 25c; regular 45o quality. 64-inch Tricot Cloths, not quite all wool, but very strong; only 25c. Surah Silks, all colors, 29a ; Black Cashmeres, Colored Cashmeres, Black and Colored' Silk Warp Henrietta Cloths, Blaok and Colored Silks, all markeid very low ior quictsales. , - i Great bargains in Wraps, Jackets, Coats, Shawls and Furs-i Special offerings in Hosiery, Underwear and Gloves, alio Umbrellas. Smoking Jackets in great variety. Ladies' Silk and Linen Handkerchiefs. Men's and Children's Handkerchiefs. All kinds, all prices. Ladies' Initial Handkerchiefs, 15c and 25o, all linen. . . Men's Silk Initial Handkerchiefs- Blankets, Comforts, Linens, Towel3 and Napkins. t KH MUSTER 35 Fifth Avenue, CHEEKS LIKE ROSES. As Soft as Tel yet and Plump as tbe Luscious Eipe P each. MASSAGE FOR GOTHAM'S MAIDS. A Fad That Enhances Beauty and Brinsi II. LeHassazenr Gold, BEEP AKD BEEU AS AIDS P0E BELLES Facial massage is the latest fad to assume great proportions, writer T7rwa from New York in the Boston Globe. Prove it? Of course I can prove it. Tbe massageur formerly worked for dear life from morn to midnight for bread and butter. Now he rides a fine animal in the park in the fore noon, lunches at Sherry's, drives in the afternoon and has the audacity to make many a fine lady await her turn in his chair. Tbat is what it means to have control of a fad in Gofnam. But the massage. I followed a charming belle and her maid to the place. It was a fine-looking private residence. There were no gilded signs about, bnt at tbe curb was a marble horse-block bearing the word "Dermatologist." My lit tle lady gives her wraps to the maid and is placed on the chair, as if she were to have a tooth pulled. Every bit or the'lovely gown is covered, and towels are tucked in around her throat. Steaming hot cloths are ap plied to her face for several minutes, to soften tbe cuticle, which is then washed with soap and water, that any alter process might not rub any dirt into the pores, to make un sightly blackheads. Then a preparation of oils is thoroughly kneaded into every muscle of the face. MEM, WHITE MASCULINE FINGEES. M. XeMassageur is fine looking, of course. For half an hour this delightful process goes on. The firm, white masculine fingers stroke the pretty cheeks and tbe white lids droop in languorous pleasure. To be sure, there must be a touch of tbe scientific, and this comes in the little instrument which is next nsed. Compression of a rnbber bulb forces a vacuum in a glass bell and the flesh is drawn up into the interior of the bell. Atmospheric pressure dilates the capillary veins beneath and induces perfect circulation bf tbe blood. This process is scientific to an extreme, yet withal very simple, as the doctor admits, and can ba done as well and as readily by anv one at home. it is demonstrated In old physiologies that after such treatment the skin becomes more than usually adsorbent, and itisnext treated to a bath of rose water and new milk, the favorite cosmetic of the famous Ninon d'En clos. It is wonderful bow those tiny coiled snakes that science calls sudorific, or sweat glands, will drink new milk. TEED3 THE 1IUSCLZS. Put a drop of the liquid upon a piece of gloss, and another npon the face, after a good rubbing. In two days the milk upon theglass will have evaporated and left a white residue, part cream, part sugar, part curd. In half an bour the little snakes will have licked up every trace of a similar drop on tbe face, and, of course, they grow iat, the muscles beneath fill ont, and the cheeks become rounded and tinted as only nature can tint them. After the belle had laid a 32 bill on a silver salver and departed, I said to M. Le Massageur that I noticed that New York women generally have well-nourished facial muscles, and I asked bim if massage was responsible for it. "No," he replied. "Not altogether. It's due to beer, too. Not champagne; not brandy; nothing but plain,. every-day beer. Of course, you will find that malt liquors do not give strength. Some authorities will say they are unhealthy. But what doear" girl care for strength? "And as for heajtb, not many of them seem very sickly, I asbara yon. Then they take lots ot eierclss nd eat good, plain food. More than one realizes, does the girl of to-day take heed that her food is nourishing and plentiful, and more and more is the roast beef of Old England becoming the food of Americans. EIEEK TEESTS BB0KEH TOE. A Trying Situation in the Childhood of the) Great Actress. London Tlt-Blts. When Ellen Terry was a little girl about 11 years of age she belonged to Mrs. Charles Keau's company at the Princess. She was one evening acting Puck in the "Midsummer Night's Dream," and had to come up through the stage floor on a trapdoor, standing on a mushroom. The trap door was shut too soon, and one of her feet was caught. She screamed with pain, and her sister Kate, then acting Titania, ran to her and threw her arms round her. Still the child continued to scream, and Mrs. Charles Kean, seeing what was wrong, came on the stage and struck with her heel for the trap door to be opened. The man naturally mis took the signal, and shut it tighter, and the child's screams redoubled. Mrs. Kean, whispered to her: "Be a brave girl, Nellie, and finish your part, and you shall play in "King John." The trap door was by thin time opened, but the little girl's toe was broken. She finished her speech, however, thonsrh she fainted when she got off the stage. Later on she played tbe part ot Prince Arthur. j Pittsburg, Pa ,n, SstJi'' n - a HwkL J-.'y' wj j& f. ts, lj-i(V. a W- a ?fifcjiCBfcj JsM"itlP WwfeJfr.M-3W? wflfr. M 'JKPMl5Mfls'MEfflH3s3i 'iJiSiMjftirfF5PS