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20
THE TEA IN LONDON.
Keally a Very Enjoyable Affair None of the
Crash and Excitement Incident to the
American ASaIt Fashion From the En
glish Capital.
COKRt6r0XDEh'C Or THI DIBPATCn.J
LoxnosAprilS.
Tea. A nuisance!
My first week in
London, and it ii
necessary to go to
such a formidable
affray as a 'tea." I
think of the crush
ing, the crowding,
and the heat, and
my American mind
reverts to the sad
misfortunes attend
ant upon a joggled
elbow and a plate
ful of jelly. How
ever, it was kind of
Mrs. Tomkyns to
call and leave a
card lor her after
noons, and it mav be a pleasant interlude
to the round ot Bight-seeing, tbeater-gojng,
and dinner eating. This was the card, just
like an American one:
.. ......""
; 1KS. BARSABT TOMKTSS,
45, The Gore, Kensington, Thursdays, 4 to 7. :
!
When Thursday afternoon arrived I "got
into" my very swellest London spring gown,
summoned a hansom, which, after the man
ner of London hansoms, proceeded at a
break-neck speed through crowded Btreets up
crooked lanes, across crescents, and through
cirensses, till I finally arrived at my desti
nation a charming house in London's
most fashionable district. Several carriages
were passing up and down the street, but I
noticed none oi the "outward and visible
igns" of gayety within the closed doors.
The blinds were not drawn down, nor was
there any awning stretched from door to
pavement, although it was raining, and the
steps were muddy.
A small "buttons" opened the door in
answer to my modest knock and ring, and I
was conducted upstairs to the drawing
l.iom, where, to my surprise, I found my
1: 'Mess sitting near a blazing fire, with a
i ii le of pretty girls who had just put
tlf.in their tea enps. An awful thought
ft'-jck me; I had come too soon I But no;
il. Tomkyns welcomed me cordially; gave
nre a cosy chair, a cup ot tea, and handed
me a dainty plate with two compartments,
For a Cost Spring Morning.
in one of which reposed delicately thin
bread and butter, and in the other a few
slices of cake.
While the two young women were making
tbeir adienx I collected my scattered ideas,
and glanced at my surroundings. A charm
ing room, which had not been subjected to
the dismantling that is an almost necessary
rule in the case of our "bic teas;" the
hostess was prettily draped with the usual
long-tailed full-fronted tea-gown, and had a
straw table laden with lovely cups of pure
white fluted china, with dainty little silver
spoons, and an old-fashioned cream jug and
sugar basin. Lots of flowers in pots and
queer-shaped bowls were placed on tables
and wicker stands about the room, and a
silver-footed lamp, with a gauzy apple-green
shade, diffused a peculiar light in a corner
by a piano, which had as a "back" a huge
screen filled with photographs of celebrities
of the operatic and dramatic stage.
After the usual chit-chat incidental to a
call, my American desire "to know" came
to the fore, and I inquired of my charming
hostess the meaning of English "tea." I
told her first what proportions one of our
atternoon entertainments of that name al
ways acquired, and the amount of prepara
tion necessary, and she listened with aston
ishment. Then she told me that all English
women who made any pretense at having a
ttMi'Dg list had, as we do, a certain day for
receiving their friends printed on their
curds. This signifies no more than that
tcey remain at home on that day within the
prescribed hours. 2so preparation is made
beyond having thin bread and butter, rake
and tea, the latter never standing, but al
ways freshly made lor each new batch of
visitors, and always by the hostess herself.
Sometimes very few people come, and some
times the room is full, yet everything is
done in the simplest and quietest fashion
possible. Very often, if there are a lot of
people in the room, and a man or a girl
happen to be able to sing prettily to the ac
companiment of a piano, a banjo, or a
guitar, they are asked to contribute their
quota of entertainment a proceeding that
is always appreciated according to its
merits.
The only affair given in England that ap
proaches our "tea" is the evening reception
or conversazione that is only held in big
mansions, for English people are more
.feasible than we are, and do not attempt to
kl
put 100 people into a room that is crowded
with 50. At these crushes, refreshments,
similar to our alternoon menu, are served in
the dining room, but, of course, for coffee
and tea is substituted "stronger waters," for
very few English houses have "temperance"
principles. All these things my kind enter
tainer explained, and was also greatly inter
ested in my description of the various differ
ences between the entertainments of the two
nations.
Those lengthy, elaborate, and. I think,
most tedious things, called ladies' lunches,
are quite unknown here, the mid-day meal
never being a meal of ceremony. The
London season is such a busy one, that there
is never time for the countless excuses for
feeding the multitude that we indulge in.
Drives, rides and shopping occstpy the
mornings, while the afternoons are taken up
with calling, "private views" at art gal
leries and S o'clock teas. Then dinner,
theater or opera, balls, and various other
entertainments occupy the time till well into
the morning hours. Altogether, my hostess
told me, as I rose to leave her pretty room,
a London society woman is very hard
The Fichu Cape With Tabs.
worked, and when a drawing room is "on,
she is fain to -take her lunch and a sly nap in
her carriage, so weary is she of the duty of
pleasure. As I was leaving the house, two
carriages drove up to the door and dis
charged three or four ladies, who were going
to receive the same unostentatious and
hospitable courtesy I had just left.and my
determination was, as I stepped into my
humble hansom, to inaugurate a series of
"afternoons" after the English plan upon
my return to my native heather, and eschew
the crashing discomforts of a "splash tea."
The Expensive Description Interest
I was told by a carping critic the other
day that the "fashion articles" written by
women, and for women, were wrong in their
fundamental principles. He (none but a
man would have made such a criticism)
said that dresses and materials described,
and set forth in glowing language, were all
of the most expensive, while no descrip
tions or directions were given to that great
majority who were forced to make every
penny tell its tale and every bntton have its
use. I agreed that this wis a fact, but I
also said, and I think most women will
agree with me, thjt "economical" fashions
are not attractive, nor do we want to read
about them. Good ideas are only found at
"good" prices, and it remains lor nimble,
feminine fingers, to steal the "good ideas,"
and work them out according to some won
drous model, that has all the grace of trne
art and all the elevating influence of per
fect coloring and outline. Therefore, I hold
that a clever woman with little money, and
much good sense, can look at a French or
English "model," and adapt the delightful
lines of a skirt, and the curving drapery of
a bodice, to her own small stock of mate
rials and a narrow purse.
A Pretty Walking Gown.
I saw a vcry.attractive walking gown of
fawn color and dark blue the other day.
The skirt was of fawn-colored cloth, which
came only to the knees, where it was cut in
Totfe by Worth; Bal by ViroU
Gown of cream-colored faille and otter-brown
velvet; all black hat of chenille and
lace with black aigrette.
square "tabs" about fonr inches deep.
Under this top skirt was a fnll flounce of
blue silk. The bodice was peculiar in de
sign, and ill suited to bare words. It had a
waistooat of cloth heavily braided with
blue and silver the other portion of the
THE
basque was three-quarter length in the
back, but instead of opening straight down
over the waiscoat, it was brought over the
chest and fastened by a huge silver clasp
in the- middle of the breast, then, as if
turned back to show the blue silk lining, It
was taken under the arms over the hips and
fastened to the full "tails" at the back by
two other silver clasps, The sleeves were
of cloth and heavily braided with bine and
silver, and with deep turnover cuffs of blue.
The hat to be worn with this gown was of
dark bine chip, with fawn and blue feathers.
The latest London Bonnet.
One's head is in a whirl after a little ex
cursion along Bond street to Piccadilly, and
thence down to Kegent street. The kaleido
scopio colors of bonnets, gowns, and stuffs
make one long for the shops to be worked
on the "belt" system so that one could stand
still, and the show cases made to pass slowly
back and forth before one's dazzled eyes. All
the bonnets I notice have still a very high
backed tendency, which would indicate, I
fear, nodiminution of the mountainous
erections of frowzy hair. Bright turquoise
blue seems to be the favorite colour just
now, and one bonnet I saw was composed of
ajthlck wreath of tiny glossy bright green ivy
leaves, the crown being made of lovely little
velvet bows of the very sfcyest blue, with
strings of the same.
Then another had a frame of gilded wires
in the long, narrow toque shape, softly
covered with some gleaming, silvery ma
terial, strewn here and there with opatine
beads. The edging ronnd the brim was of
fine gold lace, very narrow, with a little opal
drop from each point of the pattern. The
back was bunched with peculiar moonlight
grey ribbons, and just on the front rested a
wonderful dragon fly, with its delicate
wings outspread, and its glistening slender
body reproducing the tints of the opal beads.
The strings came from the back, and were
the same shade as the neutral tint of the
bow.
A Snake In the Grass.
I had fondly hoped that snakes and other
noisome reptiles had left London with
"Cleopatra." Let me tell you of a hat I
hope there is not another like it, It is
made of very fine straw, soft, red and green
in color, and its shape is the usual platter
like affair. Two upstanding bows of greyish-green
ribbon are at the back, from w hich
tumbles a small jungle of delicately-tinted
grasses, which fall well out to the front of
the brim. Very pretty, thought I, and,
baying but indifferent sight, looked again.
Then I discovered a little red-and-green
mottled, abominable snake was rearing a
fanged mouth from its verdant home, and
way back by one of the bows I saw its tail.
The hat would have been a charming one
but for that "realistic" adornment. Must
we even have Ibsen on our bonnets?
A Beauty for the Carriage.
A charming carriage gown I saw the
other day was of very fine drap d'ete of tb.8
softest shade of gray. The skirt was plain
and slightly trailing, and being cut in tiny
vandycks round the bottom, exposed a
dainty frilly ruche of the same shade of
gray silk fleoked with silver beads. The
bodice was without seams, and fastened
under the left arm, and was a marvel of
artistic drapery, drawn into a wide collar of
heavy silver embroidery, over which peeped
a delicate frill of lace. The sleeves were
entirely composed of the Bilver embroidery,
and terminated at the waist with a puff of
silk. The mantle to accompany this spring
poem was just a succession of flounces of
pale gray silk falling from a pointed yoke
and high collar of the silver embroidery. A
morsel of a gray bonnet with a bunch of
yellow buttercups, pale gray gloves and
gray Suede shoes with silver buckles, com
pleted this almost too delicate costume.
Mantles Without Waist Line.
The newest mantles seem chiefly remark
able for their complete absence of waist line.
One very nice dark brown nouveante had a
square yoke, front and back, thickly sewn
with iridescent beads. The "skirt" hung
from this In deep pleats, and in the middle
of the front a scarf-like piece of silk.match
ing the cloth in tone, orossed over the bust,
disappeared under the arms, and reappeared
in the baok lite a sasb, bnt almost between
the shoulders, where it was tied in a large
bow, and the ends were finished by a heavy
fringe of iridescent beads, which also were
largely used on the high pleated shoulders.
.
Style Versus Comfort Again.
I hear that the Parisian modistes are doing
tbeir best to restore heavily-trimmed and
draped skirts; bnt womeo, having felt the
luxury of moving without fear of catching
some portion of their be-furbelowed petti
coats on an out-standing chair or a con-venientlv-placed
nail, will be a little diffi
cult to move in the contrary direction.
Trianon paqiers are having a great "go,"
but they are only suitable for slender girls,
who can wear daintily colored Dresden
china looking silks.
A Sword for a Lace-Pin.
I saw a novel lace pin the other day at a
fashionable jeweler's. It was a golden
sword about four inches long, the hilt being
cross-shaped, with pearls at the end of each
arm, the sword itself fitted into a beautifully
enamelled sbeatb, so that when the sharply
pointed portion of the gilded weapon was
thrust through the lace and again into the
scabbard it looked as if the whole sword had
been stuck through the fabric.
Bettiha,
1 A FAVORITE FOR SPRING,
The Virtues of Asparagus Salt in the Soli
Produces the Best Res nits Its Medi
cinal Qualities The French Method or
Cooking the Best.
IWBITTEK F03 THE EI8FATCII.
Asparagus, the most tempting of early
vegetables, delicate in flavor and rich in
medicinal virtues, comes to us in the open
ing spring time, the young shoots protrud
ing their purple or green heads above
.ground, ready for the knife, whil e peas are
still growing or maturing.
Asparagns is not regarded .as ranch of a
nntrient, but it is wholesome, and its diu
retic qualities have brought it to the favor
able notice of physicians, who in certain
conditions recommend its free use. Salt is
an important factor in raising asparagus,
and to this stimulating agent may be at
tributed its mammoth growth on the sea
shore of Northern Spain, and on Coney
Island, near New York, the soil of these
localities absorbing salt freely from the sea.
The asparagns grown on Coney Island is re
markable for its size, some of the spears
measuring an inch in diameter, and it does
not lose any quality by reason of its growth,
for these spears are so crisp and tender that
although often a foot in length they are
edible.
The flavor of the kind grown' on the isl
and is unusually fine and delicate, and it is
not surprising that epicures are lured
thither, in proper season, to indulge in this
luxury. The London market gardeners have
brought asparagus 'to a higher state of per
fection than it has yet been brought to in
this country. - We are told by reliable
authorities that three heads of the London
plant will oKen weigh a pound.
Asparagus, when properly cooked, is'one
of the daintiest of dishes. The French
method of cooking it will at once commend
itself, from the tact that the entire spear,
instead of the head alone, is rendered edible.
The formula is as follows:
Take asparagus of the stouter sort, cut off
exactly even lengths, and boll, standing ends
upward in a deep stewpan.
Leave about two Inches of the heaas ont ot
the water, which the steam will cook. They
form the tenderest part of the plant, whilo tho
hard, stalky part becomes soft and juicy by tho
longer boiling which this clan permits.
Boil SO or 10 minutes, and tlie stalk will be
dsllclonsly tender.
The asparagns thus cooked may be served on
toast with cream dressing, or it may be pre
pared as a salad when cold.
EmcB Bebejta,
, PITTSBURG- DISPATCH,
FUN FOR THE YOUNG.
Mrs.
John Sherwood Tells How
Entertain Little Folks.
to
THE BOY MOST HAVE HIS NOISE.
Too
Many Gifts Deprive Children of the
Pleasures of Hope.
ISSTETJCT105 BI MEANS OF GAMES
1WBITTXN XOBTHH SISPJLTCB.J
In the life of Mme. Snetchine we read the
following account of the amusements of a
clever ohild:
"The occupation of a courtier did not
prevent Hons. Soysnonof from bestowing
the most assiduous care on the education of
a daughter, who for six years was his only
child. He was strnck by the progress of
her young intellect. She showed an apti
tude for languages, music and drawing
while she developed firmness of character, a
rare quality in a child.
"She desired a watch with an ardor which
transpired in all her movements. Her father
had promised her one. The watch came and
was worn with the keenest enjoyment, bnt
suddenly a new thought seized upon the
little Sophia. She reflected that there was
something better than a watch. To relin
quish it of her own accord she hurried to
her father and restored to him the object of
her passionate desires, acknowledging the
motive. Her father looked at her, took the
watch, shut it up in a bureau drawer and
sajd no more about it.
A Fear She Tried to Conquer.
"M. Soymonof's rooms were adorned with
bronzes, medals and costly marbles. Sophia
was on terms of intimacy with these person
ages of fable and history, but she felt an un
conquerable repugnance to a cabinet full of
mummies. The poor ohlld blushed for her
weakness and one day when alone opened
the terrible door, ran straight to the nearest
mummy, took it up and embraced it till
her strength and courage gave away and she
fell down in a swoon. At the noise of her
fall her father hastened in, raised her in his
arms and obtained from her, not withont
difficulty, an avowal of the terrors which
she had hitherto concealed from him. But
this supreme effort was as good for her as a
victory. From that day the mammies were
to heronly common objects of interest and
curiosity.
"Studious as was her education, M. Soy
monof did not banish dolls. His daughter
loved them as friends and preserved this
taste beyond her childish years, but ele
vated It by the admixture of an intellectual
and often dramatic interest. Her dolls
were generally of the largest size. She
gave them each a name and part to act, es
tablished connected relations between the
different individnals and keot up animated
dialogues which occupied her imagination
vividly and became a means of edncation.
Playing'dolIswas for her an introduction to
ethics and a knowledge of the world.
Looking Back From Sixty Tears.
"Catherine's court was a succession of
continual fetes. The fairy pantomimes per
formed at the Hermitage were the first to
strike the imagination of the child who, as
yet, could not relish the tragedies of Vol
taire. She composed a ballet which she
called 'The Faithful Bhepherdess and the
Pickle Shepherdess.' She writes in her
60th years 'One of the liveliest pleasures of
my childhood was to compose festive decora
tions which I loved to light up and arrange
upon the white marble chimney piece of my
schoolroom. The ardor which I threw into
designing, cutting out and painting trans
parencies and finding emblems and mottoes
for them was something incredible. My
heart beat high while the preparations were
in progress, but the moment my illumina
tion began to fade, an ineffable devouring
melancholy seized me.' "
This extract is invaluable not only for its
historic importance, bnt for the keynote
which it sonnds to a child's nature. The
noble little Kusslan cirl at the court of
Catherine of .Russia only found those pleas
ures lasting which came from herself and
when she could invest the fairy pantomime
with her own personality.
A Guiding Intellect Needed.
A fairy pantomime is possible to the
poorest child if some supreme intelligence,
an older sister or aunt, will lend her help.
The fairies can all be of pasteboard with
strings as the motive power. There can be
no cheaper "corps de ballet" nor any so
amusing. And the story of the watch is
significant as showing that the wish once
gratified ceased to be a wish. She desired
with a child's caprice to give it back to do
something else with it,
"You have done much for your child,"
we often hear. "You have had a nurse, a
nursery governess, a fine pony for your boy,
you take your children often to the play and
give them dancing parties, and yet they are
not happy."
This is the sincere regret of many a
mamma that she cannot make her children
hapoy. Yet in a large town in a house shut
up from our cold winter blasts what can she
do? A good dog and a kind-hearted set of
servants will solve the problem better than
11 the intellect in the world. Grandmamma
brings a doll to the little girl, who looks it
over and says : "The dolly cannot be un
dressed; I do not want it." It is the dress
ing and the undressing which are the de
lights of ber heart.
Let Nature Have Its Way.
A boy wants to make a noise first of all
things. Let him have a large upper or lower
room, a drum, a tambourine, n ball, and
there he should be allowed to kick out the
eflervesence of early manhood. Do not fol
low him with all manner of prohibitions.
Constant nagging and faultfinding is an of
fense against a child's paradise. Put him in
a room for certain hours of the day where no
one need say: "Get down, don't do that,
don't make so much noise." Let him roar
and shout and climb over chairs and tables,
and tear his gown, and work off his exuber
ance, and then he will be very glad to have
his hands and lace washed and listen to a
story, or come down to meet papa with a
smiling countenance.
Children shonld be allowed to have pet
birds and kittens and dogs, as much live
stock as the bonse will hold; it develops
their sympathies. And when a bird dies,
and the floodgates of the poor little heart
are opened sympathize with him. It is cruel
to laugh at childish woe. Never refuse a
child sympathy, in joy orsorrow. ThisJack
of sympathy has made more criminals than
anything else.
Bad Influence of Good Books.
Children should never be cheated either
in the taking of medicine or the administra
tion of knowledge. One witty writer a ier
years ago' spoke of the bad influence of good
books. He declared that reading "that
Tommy was a good boy and kept his pina
fore clean and rose to affluence while Harry
flung stones and told fibs and was carried off
by robbers" developed his sympathies for
Harry, and that although he was naturally
a good boy he went for pure hatred of the
virtuous Tommy to the river's brim and
helped a bad boy to drown his aunt's cat,
and then he went home and wrote a prize
composition called "Prank the Priendless,
or Honesty is Best."
All this was because the boy saw that
Tommy was a prig; that his virtue was of
that kind mentioned in "Jane Eyre" in
which the charity child was asked which
she would rather do, learn a hymn or re-.
ceive a cake, and she said, "learn a hymn,"
whereupon she received "two cakes as a re
ward for her infant piety." Children can
not be humbugged; they can be made into
hypocrites, however, by too many good
books.
Playing at Being TJsefaL-
The best entertainment for children Is to
let them play nt being nseful. Let the little
girl yet papa's slippers, brush his hat,
even if the wrong way, find his walking
stick, hold the yarn for grandma's knitting
or roek her brother's cradle and she will be
happy. Give the boy a printing press or
tone safe tools, lej hipj make a garden, feed I;
SUNDAY, APRIL 12,1891.
his chickens or clean out the cage of his pet
robin and he will be happy. And try to
make tnem think and decide for themselves.
A little girl says: "I don't know which
dress to put on my dolly, mamma; which
shall I?" The mamma will be wise if she
says: "You must decide; rnn know dolly
best." '
When a child is ill or nervous then the
great hour of despair comes to the mamma.
A person without nerves, generally a good
colored mamma, is the best" playmate, and a
dog is invaluable. It is touching td see the
smile come to the poor bloodless lips in a
hospital ward as a great big kindly dog puts
his cold nose out to reach a little feverish
hand. There is a sympathy in nature which
intellect loses. Mme unetchine's fear of the
mummies has another lesson in it. Chil
dren are born with pet aversions as well as
with that terrible passion of fear which is so
much bigger than they are. And the first
of their rights to be respected is that they
shall not be frightened and shall not be too
seriously blamed for their aversions.
Teaching and Entertaining.
While it is not well to starve a child over
too good books, much entertainment can be
derived from scientific teaching. The
prestidigitateur, dear old Signor Blitz, who
used to make a rabbit jump out of an
orange and a big gobbler go up through the
celling, was the first of these, even if he did
not do anything more than to tell us how
easily onr senses could be deceived.
Perhaps there is no better way of enter
taining children than by a pnzzle, themagio
lantern and other well-known scientific ex
periments. We use the term advisedly.
Jugglery was the oldest of the sciences.
Aaron and Moses tried it. One of the most
valuable solaces for an invalid child, we
will say with a broken leg or some com
plaint which necessitates bed and quiet, is
an experiment in natural magic.
One ot these simple tricks is called "The
Balanced Coin." Procure a bottle, cork it,
and in the cork place a needle. Take an
other cork and cut a slit in it so that the
edge of a dollar bill will fit into it; then pat
two forks into the upper cork. Plaoe the
edge of the coin (which holds the upper
cork and forks) on the point of the needle
and it will revolve without falling. This
will amuse an imprisoned boy all the after
noon. Some Amusing Little Tricks.
S The revolving image is another most
amusing gentleman. Let poor Harry make
this himself. Cut a little man out of a thin
bit of wood, only he must end in one leg
like a peg-top instead of in two. Give him
a pair of long arms shaped like oars. Then
place him on the tip of your finger and
blow; he will stand there and rotate like an
undecided politician. The Spanish dancer
is another nice experiment. Cut a figure
out of pasteboard and gum one foot on a
watch glass on the inverted side, then place
the watch glass on a Japan waiter or a
clean plate; bold the plate slanting and
they will slide down, but drop a little water
on the waiter or plate and instead of the
watch glass sliding it will begin to revolve,
and continue to revolve with increased ve
locity as the experimentalist chooses. This
is because in consequence of the cohesion of
water to tho two surfaces a new force is in
troduced. These experiments are endless, and will
serve a variety of purposes, the principal
being that of entertaining. To take chil
dren to the pantomime at Christmas is the
universal law in England. We have not
the pantomime here very much. We have
the circus, the menagerie and the play, rar
ents who do not object to this very healthy
amusement can now, find matinees every
where, so that the children need not be
kept up late. The real play is better for
children than the burlesque, and it is aston
ishing bow soon a child can understand
even "Hamlet,"
Don't Make Them Old Too Soon.
When boys and girls get old enough for
dancing parties nothing can be more amus
ing than the sight of the yonthful follower
of terpsichore. It isa healthy amusement,
and if kept within proper hours and with a
light supper is the most fitting of all chil
dren's amusements. Do not, however,
make men and women of them too soon.
That is lamentable. ,
As for ruses and catch games like the
slave despoiled, the pigeon flies, the sorcerer
behind the screen, the knight of the whistle,
the witch, the Tombola, one should buy one
of the oheap manuals of games found at any
bookstore, and a olever boy should read it
up and put himself in touch with this very
easy way of passing an evening.
The games requiring wit and intelligence
are many, as the bonquet; the fool's dis
course, which has a resemblance to cross
qnestions; the secretary, the culprit's seat.
All these need a good memory and a ready
wit. All mistakes to be redeemed by for
feit. Two Entertaining Games.
Of the games to be played by pencil and
fiaper none is funnier than the Narrative,
n whioh the leader decides on the title and
gives it out to the company. It may be
called "The Fortunate and Unfortunate
Adventures of Miss Palmer." The words
to be used may be history, reading, railway,
accident, nourishment, pleasures, four-in-hand,
etc. The paper has a line written
and folded; is handed thus to the next, each
writer giving Miss Palmer whatever adven
ture he pleases, only bringing in the desired
word. The result is incoherent, but amus
ing, and Miss Palmer becomes a heroine of
romance.
There are some children, as there are some
grown people, who have a natural talent for
games. This is a great help in entertaining
children, to get hold of a born leader. The
game called "The Language of Animals" is
one for philosophers. Each player takes
his pencil and paper and describes the feel
ings, emotions and passions of an animal;
as. for instance, the dog would say: "I feel
anger like a human being; I am sometimes
vindictive but generally forgiving. I suffer
terribly from jealousy. My envy leads me
to eat more than I want because I do not
wish Tray to get it. Gluttony is my easily
besetting sin, but I never got drunk" in my
life. I love my master better than anyone,
and if he dies I mourn him to death. My
worst sorrow is being lost, but my delights
are never chilled by expectation, so I never
lose the edge of enjoyments by over-raised
hopes. I want to run 20 miles a day, but I
like to be with my master in the evening. I
love children dearly and would die for any
boy. I will save him from drowning. I
cannot wag my tongue, but I can wag my
tail to express my emotion."
The Pleasures of Bope.
Thus for children's entertaining we have
the same necessities as for grown people.
Someone must begin, someone must sug
gest, someone must tell how. All society
needs a leader. Perhaps for that reason our
own grown up society is a little chaotic.
Perhaps the story of Mme. Snetchine and
her watch conveys a needed moral. Do not
deluge children with costly gifts. Do not
thus deprive them of the pleasures ot hope.
Anticipation is the dearest part of a child's
life and an overfed child suffering from the
pangs oi dyspepsia is no more to be pitied
than the poor little gorged over-burdened
child who has more books than he can read
and more toys than he can ever play with.
Bemember, too, "Dr. Bllmber's Yonng Gen
tlemen" and their longing jealousy of the
boy in the gutter.
M. X W. Sherwood.
A VEST FOB SUMMEB.
The Skeleton Garment That Promises to
Be Popular Before Lone.
The skeleton vest has a lull vest front and
an open back, says the Mercer. The col
lar and a piece of the
shonlder top run all
the way around, thus
affording sufficient
body for a. proper
gf shoulder set. ' The vest
A is then,fasftned around
"5the waist by a belt,
I-hese skeleton vests
re made in two sizes.
One size will fit a 32,
34, 86 or 38 bust, and
the other wilt fit 40 to
46, The garment ttus
beautifully, and fits the
figure perieetlv. The
saaln features are that it does awav with a
.great deal of weight and useless material.
f and makes a verx pool garment,
itSl
mSlsssflsl
MAKING A PUECHASE.
Howard Fielding Describes How a
Woman Acts Out Shopping.
KNOWS JUST WHAT SHE WAKTS.
Though Limited in Money She Tries on the
Host Costly Goods
AHD TELLS liOW TO KUN THE STOEE
rwWTTZU 70S THE DI3FATCH.1
The facts relating to Maude's purchase of
a spring coat are of a very ordinary nature,
and I should not publish them except for
their important bearing upon the question
whether intellectual faculties will ulti
mately be developed in woman. They tend
strongly to the support of my own theory
which I will not state for fear of personal
violence.
That intellectual faculties have not been
developed in all men is proven by the fact
that I went with her. I should never have
committed this indiscretion if she had not
assured me that she knew exactly what she
wanted. I did not ask her what it was, but
simply remarked that there were $25 between
us and destitution. Her well-considered
and definite desire in regard to a coat took
shape aj follows in the presence of the first
salesgirl whom we met in Gadsby & Co.'s
emporium.
Profuse In Her Explanations.
"I want one of those tan-colored Louis
XT. hip seam paletots, if they really are the
.very latest thing; or a shoulder cape with a
Medici collar; what do you think? But
then of course you'd say so anyway. Per-
Maud Delects a Few wAnkles.
haps,. after all, I'd better get an appllqued
reefer, something not quite so high in the
shoulder as the one that woman over there is
trying on. I don't want to look as if had
wings, and my husband doesn't like the
shoulder puffs. There, do sit down, Howdy,
if you're tired. On the whole, perhaps a
plain reefer blue, with pearl buttons per
fectly plain, you know they look well on a
good figure, and perhaps I'd better try on a
few.
"Oh, whatre.those new things? I can't
remember the name, but I saw a picture in
the Sunday paper. It looked like fury, but
I should think it might be real stylish. Now,
plesse get it, right away, for my husband Is
in a hurry and so am I. Ob, wait; I forgot
to sav that I conldn't afford to pay over $25,
but I'd like to try on some for about $50,
just to see how they look."
The Salesgirl Was Used to It
The salesgirl did not appear to regard
this request as unusual. In fact, I strongly
suspected that she didn't pay any attention
to what Maude was saying. ,She brought
half a dozen different styles, diverging in as
many different ways from the design of na
ture. Maude tried them on, one after the
other, and scowled at her image iathe mir
ror not without cause.
"Oh, dear," she said, "it's so hard for a
woman with a really good figure to get
fitted."
Some scores of women, passing by while
she was about it, regarded her contempt
uously, and she looked at them as if they
were "the dregs of society. They were all
secretly pleased to observe that one another's
skirts didn't hang as they onght, and the
scowls which they interchanged were only
the veneer of modern civilization to cover
smiles.which would have been much more
offensive.
"Isn't she horrid," said Maude to me,
meaning the salesgirl. "She's brought me
everything but what I asked for."
"Remarkable," said I, grimly, "I thought
you asked for everything."
A tbin and nervous little cash-girl snick
ered audibly, and Maude looked at her with
fearsome severity. "I reported a cash-girl
at Brownley's the other day," said Maude,
"and she lost her place."
11 o Set a Bad Precedent.
I am gratified to state that this unpleas
ant event was wholly imaginary but the
cash-girl didn't know it and she began to
cry. Feeling that, after all, I wis the
cause of her woes I surreptitiously ntt her
They Were Crying for Cash.
a couple of dimes. She dried her eyes, and
went to work piling some cloaks upon a
chair. They were heavy goods which were
to be removed to a remote corner of the es
tablishment, there to remain in hiding until
fall, when they will reappear as the latest
importation.
"That c5at fits you just lovely in the
back," the. salesgirl was saying, while
Maude was performing feats of contortion
in a vain attempt to see all sides of herself
at once.
"It doesn't fit me at all," said Mande.
"If you know it doesn't fit, why don't you
take it off aud try something else?" I ven
tured to inquire.
"Well, I've got it on now, and I might as
well see the back of it Then I can show
that girl that she doesn't know what she's
talking about"
."Why do you wish to make her life any
worse than it is already. Have some com
passion "
"Come now, Howdy, don't talk philan
thropy to me. Didn't I hear you say, the
other day, that if vou caught your tailor out
o sight of the police yon'd break every bone
in bis body?"
"Bnt tailors are men and responsible."
"Here's the glass," said the salesgirl.
"I told yon so," said' Maud, surveying
Ji.t hank with tnelaneholr satisfaction.
"Too bjg there, Jfnnriy yon oouldn't see (ti
This Isn't the style I want, anyway. JJve
decided to have one of those military jack
ets with braid on them. Don't you think
they're nice, Howdy?"
"The colored boy who rnns our elevator
wears one," said I, "and it's very becoming
to him."
"If you don't like them why don't you
say so. Of course I'll have to get some
thing else. What is that -oat on the
bench?"
She Liked the Price or It
"That will cost (87," said the salesgirl.
"Oh, goodness me, let me try it on "
"My dear," said I, "remember our un
fortunate financial "
"But I don't have to buy It, you goose,"
said Maud; "I just want to see how I look
in it What are all those cash girls staring
at me for?"
Half a dozen of them stood in a line look
ing at Maude and me, and when she spoke
they all burst into tears. It made me feel
quite nervous to see them so painfully af
fected by my wife's seventy, and I tried to
console them. With the aid of about a dol
lar in small change I persnaded them to be
'comforted and go away. In a few minutes
thirteen more cash girls arrived and formed
in line. Tbey appeared to be waiting for a
chance to weep. I then perceived that it
was a scheme of robbery. The first little
girl had told the others, and they were all
eager to impose upon my stupidity. Mean
while, crys of "ca-a-a-sh" were resounding
through the room.
"Go away, little girls," said I, "the game
is up" and they scattered, laughing.
The Original Coat TVas Missing.
Maude was picking flaws in the $87
jackets. Finally she took it off, and said
that if tbey couldn't do better for $87 she
should go to Brownley's. Then it was dis
covered that the coat Maude had worn when
she came in was not to be found.
The scene which followed was very trying
to my nerves. Maude sent saleswomen and
cash-girls flying hither and thither. Then
she summoned the floor walker and gave
him some valuable hints about the man
agement of a large drygoods store, and also
inquired kindly abont his eyesight He re
plied that it was good, and she said she was
glad to hear it; she had supposed that he
must be blind to let somebody walk off with
somebody else's coat right under his nose.
This spectacle in the midst of the general
confusion so interested ono of the sales girls
that she shut a large drawer and forgot to
take her thumb out of it Whereupon she
promptly fainted away, while all the cash
girls gathered around her.and had hysterics.
A member of the firm arrived at this
juncture and remarked that he didn't see
what he could do about it. Maude told
him how he onght to run bis business, but I
didn't notice that he instituted any immedi
ate reforms. However, when one of the
cash girls found Maude's coat among the
goods which I had seen piled upon the
chair, the member of the firm observed that
if it hadn't been found he should have
given Maude a new one.
Relations With the Firm Strained.
Maude was unkind enough to say that
this statement would havebeen worth more
before the coat came to light. I could not
help feeling that our relations with Gadsby
& Co. had been strained. We went np to
Brownley's, and I had almost as much fun
as I had had at Gadsby's. Bat Maude
didn't find anything that suited ber.
"I believe after M that that first coat I
tried on at Gadsby's was the best of all,"
she said. "It didn't fit very well, but tbey
can make it over. We must hnrry right
back there, because I noticed that they had
only one of the 33-inch size.
I drew the line at Gadsby. No power on
earth could have taken me back there. I
protested that we had made a menagerie of
ourselves, and should be ashamed to revisit
mtmRnk
TO $JJ if.
Bht Lectures on the Business.
the scene of our disgrace; but Maude only
laughed and declared that It was nothing at
all."
"Every woman acts that way when she's
shopping," said she. Nevertheless, I did
not go back to Gadsby's.
Three hours later we met again in the
privacy of onr flat.
"Well," said Maude, "I've bought the
coat."
"Same one vou tried on first?"
"Oh, no, that kind is all out of style.
"Goodness; so soon ?"
Took A Woman Alone; This Time.
"Of course I don't' mean that its gone
out since we were there, but on mv way
back I met Mrs. Jigsly, and she told me so.
She went down to Gadsby's with me. She
didn't want to buy a coat, but she tried a
few en. I got one that you won't like, but
IJikeit"
She said this with that peculiar manner
which a woman always wears when she is
hardening her own opinion against criti
cism. By and by the coat came, and she
tried it on, I thought it was very pretty, bnt
she wouldn't' believe it. She said that I
hated it and that I had no taste. After a
while I persuaded her of my sincerity, and
then she began to disapprove of the coat
In half an hour she had persuaded herself
that she didn't like the coat She had
bought it onlr because she thought it would
please me. There was only one way. to
effect a reconciliation between Maude and
her purchase, namely, to criticize it vio
lently and make her take its part The
scheme worked, and in 15 minutes she was
ready to make an affidavit that it was the
lovliest and most becoming coat this side of
Paris.
But, a few days later, I came home and
found her in tears; see bad seen something
that she liked better in another store.
Howard Fielduto.
STOCK ENTIRELY IE.
FINE WALL PAPER!
AT ALL PKICES.
WM
TRIIMKLE
541 WOOD ST. 541
Bank of Commerce Hitilditig.
DEALERS IN " LINCRUSTA WALTON."
SOURCES OF POWER.
Knerjry Enough Going to Waste t
Do the Work ot the World.
HARNESSING THE WATER FALL&
Ey lleans of Electricity Steam Engine!
Hay Be Made Useless.
New applicatioss op the cukeesi
irainxxD ros xira DisrATcn.t
Madison Buell, in a paper on the electrical
utilization ot water power, states that the
energy of the tidal wave, the rapid river
and mighty cataracts formed into electrio
energy is a branch of electrical science that
is going to revolutionize the industries of
the world. When it is borne in mind that
over 21,000,000 cubic feet of wa ter pass over
the lip of Niagara every minute, while ths
flowing of nine rivers that empty into ths
Pacific, represent 900,000,000 hrs&-power
every time it descends one foot, some idea
of the almost illimitable possibilities of ths
fnture in this direction may; be formed. Ths
steam engines of the United States represent
7,500,000 horse-power; England, 7,000,000;
Germany, 4,500,000; Prance, 3,000,000, and
Austro-Hungary, 1,500,000. These figure
do not Include the 3.000.000 horse-power ot
105.0CO locomotives. When this power is added
to the other,It will be found that the horse
power of the engines on this globe amounts to
46.C00.C00. These engines do tne work of 1,000,
000,000 men, or twice the working population of
earth.
It is the province of water utilized electrically
to supplement and replace these engines, and
Mr. Bdell shows in a most Interesting manner
how the work is progressing. Neither climate
nor altitude seems to hinder tbls utilization,
and one of the most successful of recently in
stalled electrical plants is far up In the Alps.
The melting snow gives a never failing stream
of water, which revolves a series of tnrbine
wheels. These, in turn, whirl the dynamo
armatnre. andjis electrical energy la conveyed
miles away over a copper thread to a motor ot
a woolen manufactory of over 30.000 spindles.
Another large plant ii being Installed a:Rhein
felder, on the Rhine, consisting of 0 turbine
wheels coupled direct to dynamos of 500,000
watts. From these electrical energy will be
transmitted to various indnstrial centers within
a radius of 15 miles.
The town ot Oilman, 2,000 feet above Ked
Cliff, in the very heart of Eagle River Canyon,
and 11,000 feet above the sea level. Is a moun
tain stream called Kail river, which rises in the
Mountain of the Holy Cross. The water from
this river, which enters the Eagle river at
the bottom of the canyon, is brouzht by pipe
line into the mines. The fall is equal to GOO'
feet perpendicular, and its energy drives thai
dynamos, which generate current for supply-,
ing the richest mines of gold and silver la
Colorado. The water power at Eault Ste. '
Marie Is estimated at 2ot5,000 horse power. A
tail race five miles long on the Canadian side
and a canal Qve miles long on the Amerlcna
side are to be constructed. The canals will be
each 1,000 feet wide, the widest in the world.
Blast furnaces, shipyards, paper mills, pulp
mills and other industries will all be furnisbsd.
In speaking on the subject ot tidal power Mr.
Bnell said he saw no good reason wny. that of
the East river between Xew York and Brook
lyn shonld not be utilized for the two cities.
Some New Applications.
A serviceable fire alarm has been patented
which consists of a small machine, fastened to
the ceiling of any room. The alarm is Instantly
started by the heightened temperature in the
room. The nse ot automatic sprinklers in con.
jnuction with such devices as this will tend to
greatly reduce the dangers of incipient Cres.
At Lawrenceburg.Ind.. a novel use has been
made of electricity in winding: wires around a
pretty woman, who represented the Goddess of
Liberty, and in thus lizbttng np a number of
incandescent lamps disposed about her. The
use of electricity in this way is becoming very,
popular, and in franco, thanks to the inventor.
Trouve,bas been developed into a new theatrical
art.
The exceptional capabilities of electricity iq!
hoisting can be understood from the fact that,
in recently unloading a vessel of iron ore. a
load of 3,000 pounds was raised vertically firs
feet per second, and swung across a bridge 30
feet high and 2GU feet long in the space of 10
seconds. The operator was able to stop the.
car, hold the bncket and dump the load at any i
desired point.
The electric light has valuable properties
other than giving the best artificial light, la
being able to cause an immediate alarm in case
of fire. An instance of this was seen on the,
occasion of the fire which occurred In Pall j
Mall East, London. In consequence of the
lire having fused the wires, the light in the
rooms of those having cbargo ot the premises I
suddenly went out, thus causing a alarm to be'
given.
The incandescent light has been tnmed to
a very neat and highly convenient nse in Lon-'
don. A "silent call" has been attached to any
building for the pnrposa of calling a vehicle.
Two lamps are suspended outside, one red and
the other ereen, and, by pressing a bntton in
the entrance ball, ono or other ot the lamps
can be lit at will. The red light brings to tho
door the conservative "growler," and the green
light summons a hansouu
One of the most striking electrical effects IS
where a lamp floating in a glass vessel fnll of
water, and without any wires or connections
whatever, is made to light up. The effect 13
most mysterious and bewildering. Those also
who are in the secret know that this result is
obtained throngh an Ingenious use of the
alternating current. In tne same way and by
the same means discs may be kept wildly rotat
ing and objects may be kept floating in mid-air
without any means of suspension or support.
At the recent annual meeting of the Ameri
can Bell Telephone Company in Boston, the re
ports showed gross earnings of nearly H,50O,0CO
and net earnings of nearly 3,000,000 on a capital
stock of $12,500,000. Dividends of over iCOO.
000 were paid ont and there is a teinotlng re
serve of over $2,000,000 more. The first patent
on the telephone dues not rnn ont until 1833,
and others that are important will control
fart of the mechanism two or three year
onger.
Salaries of from S150 to 200 a month are
paid to railroad eflgineers. Telegraph opera
tors receive from $25 to 550 a month, and the
operators on some roads are said to be nearly
all boys, who receive on an average not
more than $25 per month. When it is consid
ered that In many cases a boy of IS or IS years
of age, possibl7 with little experience and un
impressed by the magnitude of bis responsible
lty, holds In bis hands every day and night thi
lives of tbonsands of human beings, it will ba
seen that prompt and effective legislative ao!
tion should be taken to correct the evil.
In Berlin the most popular conundrum
Is: "What is the difference between God Al
mighty and the Emperor? Is there anyf The
answer runs: "God knows everything: the Em
peror also only much Detterf"
& CO.,
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