ELLEN OS HORN'S LETTER.
What November Offors the Gay
World in Hats, Wraps, Dress.
ThiugM New and Notable in Fur—Cape,
Coat and Cong Cloak for the Days
When the Wind Blown Chill
—Fashion's Fall Freaks.
[copyright, IS%.]
New York, Oct. HO. —Of contradictory
propositions both ure often true. A scar
city of money makes fashions eccentric
and extravagant; it also makes fashions
simple and economical. Either state
ment can be proved by itself out of the
eliop windows. Neither satomcnt taken
separately expresses the situation. You
must admit both for any comprehensive
view of things.
If there is a tendency to spend little,
that tendency must be corrected bj'
such a boisterous shake up as shall
make to-day's clothes impossible to
morrow morning. In normal times
clothes -tige by degrees; in hard times
they become grotesquely antiquated in
a night, else they would be worn for
ever. For this reason chiefly have
sleeves had their bubbles pricked, have
skirts acquired ovcrskirts, have bodices
crept up toward the armpits, have prin
cess dresses begun to writhe and turn
their long tightness, have coats ac
quired Wat teau folds in the back, have
capes grown out in kerchief-like fends
to curl about the waist, have hats shot
up into mountain peaks in the crown,
have ostrich trimmings been "cut," in
stead of spirting their old feathery
plumes. A woman in yesterday's
clothes would feel to-day like Rip Van
Winkle just brushing the sleep out of
his e.ves. Hard times have made the j
modistes shake the kaleidoscope fast
and furiously. Score one for the clever !
folks who know that to dress correctly
is a necessity, whereas to eat butter on !
one's bread is a luxury.
Rut the shield has two sides. In hard i
times The home dressmaker and milli
ner sprout like weeds after a rain. They
can't In* killed; the sellers of cloth and
ribbon by the yard wouldn't allow It,
and so there must be fashions adapted
to the every-woman-her-own-gown
maker idea. And so side by side with
~ A GROUP OF WRAPS AND STREET GOWNS.
this fall's extravagance is the fall's sim
plicity; and springing from the same
root, if you please, for jx-'ople must be
made to buy. To this end clothes must
be (I iif e rent; to this end also not all
clothes, but some clothes, must cost
little, being makableat home. Fashion
takes much, but a little she concedes.
No amateur can fit the princess gown.
There is n citadel not to be stormed. A
good many deft, women can cut over
skirts. and so the double draperies,
which take more cloth than the full,
straight, hard-to-be - adjusted - dress -
maker-requiring folds we have been
having, will yet save modistes' bills.
Tight sleeves ore easier for unprofes
sional scissors than balloons, but the
rew short bodices arc about as impos
sible as the old long-waistcd, tapering
ones. Fashion gives what she has to,
not a feather's weight more.
It Is in millinery that the rare com
plaisance of the social tyrant is most
to be appreciated. Home millinery, if n
woman lias any knack for it, pays bet
ter than most domestic industries, be
cause the results are big iu proportion
to the labor. Some of the new hats seein
especially designed to bo copied at home.
There are models, and bright, dainty
ones everywhere, whose chief decora
tion, bar a feather or a bird or two. is a
ribbon ruffle standing on its head about
the crown. The hats so trimmed arc
usually broad felt ones. The ribbons
are broad and are shot blue and green,
or brown and red, or brown and yellow, '
or some deep, rich tone with a whitish
mist upon the surface—this is one of the.
new things in ribbons. They are gath
ered at one edge, and the other stands up
full in a flare. They have a little velvet
fold for a base to grow in, or perhaps
the brim is covered with veil folds, as
later on will be described. On the left
side the ribbon ruffle is finished with a
rosette and the before-mentioned birds,
or plumes. 'A plaited ruche may replace
the ruffle, or a rope loosely twisted out |
of velvet.
The veil folds with which many mil
liners are encircling hat brims are de
scribed by their name. Black or white
lace, with perhaps a length of ribbon, !
is laid easily about the hat as if it were J
the full edge of a veil, and sometimes
droops n hit from the brim to complete ;
the illusion. Such folds are readily ar
ranged by the amateur, and are among I
the most useful of the easements which
have come of bad times.
But there are better days coming, and
fashion ftyJn# more to luxury than to
economy. Some of the new dress*
bodices nre fantastic enough to have 1
been thought out in an ODium dream |
J The root idea in the most novel is that
i of vest or blouse, with n short jacket or
cape, or lapel arrangement fastened only
ut the shoulder seams and loose under
I the arms. A broad folded sash comes
| up to meet the jacket, which buttons
I oftener than not on the left shoulder
and is drawn straight across the front.
! The general effect is that of n shorter
j and larger waist than the long drawn
• out type which has been the ideal of
j the last few seasons.
A good example of this tendency ap
pears in the traveling dress of a Novem
ber bride. The material is n heavy
brown boucle cloth, with u skirt about
four and a half yards round. The fea
i ture of the bodice is the square-cornered
i jacket coming just to the bust. This
j starts on the right shoulder and Is car
ried over to the left, where it turns back
in a pointed rever to show a gold bro
cade lining. The jacket is edged with
a black silk cord, below which one
catches, now and then, a glimpse of
gold. The neck finish is n black choker
collar with a flat collar of antique lnce
through which shines gold. Loose folds
of black silk make a broad sash, over
which the jacket edge falls.
A gray cloth dress just finished for
the horse show illustrates the latest in
the princess gown. The bodice is cord
ed round and round from the throat to
the and below the waist to the
hips. At the hips the skirt is gathered
on, nearly ail its fullness being drawn
behind. The close sleeves of this cos
tume have double capes over the shoul
ders and are corded to the wrists, where
they open in a flare.
A walking dress in brick red face
cloth recognizes the claims of the over
skirt without fully honoring tliem.
Black braid is thrown about the skirt
l in a hold (Ireek fret, just about where |
the overskirt of bygone days used to i
j end. A black and white vest and a lit- j
tie brick-red toque finish a warm and
i bright-looking costume,
j Another edition of the princess gown
| appeared at an afternoon club meeting.
It was of powder blue cloth, with a
square bib bodice coining up over a.
puffed chemisette of cream moussellne,
iridescent passeuHjntrie, in blue and
gokl-edged bib, sleeves and skirt hem.
I Hue satin bows were set each side of
-he waist to relieve the hip line. It's
odd how shy we fight of the princess
outline nu nature).
Evening dresses are not numerous yei.
I have seen one in a rich creuin-eoJored
brocade, over which were strewn roses
caught loosely together with knots dul
ends of ribbon. The ribbon effect was
startling in its boldness, raised as if
una in heavy black velvet woven
against the ground of the material. The
skirt of this gown was tight-fitting in
front and over the hips. Three godete
appeared behind. The cuirnes-shn jhxJ
eodice was cut low and sleeveless with
l unches of pink rosea on the shoulders.
In furs I have see.n several things that
are new. The little sable capes with
edges of ermine that have one long end
o cross t he bust and tuck in nt the side,
of the waist, are as demurely pretty as
a Puritan kerchief. Some of the new
-.oats in white fur embroidered with
steel and edged with lace nre decidedly
interesting as experiments, whether or
not this treatment of fur finds favor
permanently. There Is a good deal of
soft gray moufflon that looks smartest
combined with black velvet, in a scal
loped cape, for example. Ermine and
sealskin are used together constantly,
a notable example being a square of
sealskin, which is turned, into a cape by
the simple expedient of cutting a slit
irorn the middle to one corner. That
gives a cape pointed front and back, and
on the shoulders. The flaring collar is
lined with ermine and ermine strips are
carried down the front. If there is
anything more novel in wraps than the
models cited, it is to l>e found in a car
riage cloak of ribl>ed pink silk with
ca|>e-like sleeves, edged with wide cream
lace. A deep flounce of the same lace
is arranged about the shoulders and is
brought down on the left side to fasten
under a satin bow with long ends. The
beauty of this cloak is thought to rest
in Its side fastening. The neck finish is
a frayed out rouche of the material.
ELLEN OSBORN.
Electric Power for Factoring.
The New London (Conn.) street rail
way proposes to introduce on innova
tion in the way of power for factories
in that city. It is greatly increasing its
power to generate electricity, and will
sell it to small concerns to operate their
plants. Several contracts have already
Ik* en entered into, and it is expected
that, with the exception of the larger
industries, all manufacturing concerns
there will use electricity this winter.
It is said to bo much cheaper than
steam, and cheaper than the. individ
ual companies can produce their own
uower „
CLOTHES FOR FAIR FORMS.
A sleeveless Eton jacket of solid em
broidery is worn over silk or cloth cos
tumes.
Among the coming novelties will be
sleeves with enormous puffs at the el
bows, and moderately close at the shoul
ders and wrists.
Passementerie jacket fronts are
among the novelties. They are to be
used with firm materials, and are sewed
to fronts made of the dress fabric.
A favorite trimming is made of ruf
fles of taffeta very closely crimped.
This is used as shoulder ruffles, to out
line yokes, as neck ruchings, sleeve
trimmings, and large rosettes on tin
fronts of sleeves and over the bust.
Short jackets and box coats are in
almost universal use. They are double
breasted and have wide lapels, many of
them trimmed with velvet, others of the
material stitched down, others with
braiding or heavy cord garniture with
ornaments.
New cloaks arc shown, with sleeves
of material unlike the body of the gar
ment. These sleeves may be either of
fur, corduroy, velvet, plush or bengn
line. A cloak of heavy camel's hair, with
corduroy sleeves and l large cape, is one
of the most comfortable of winter gar
ments.
Wide bands of embroidery are imports
ed for use on the seams of skirts. These
bands run from waistline to hem, and
are also used in making up the waist.
They are set in at the shoulder seams
and brought down to a bodioe point.
In some instances they extend halfway
down the front of the skirt, in loose
tabs. In this ease they are lined with
sat-in, matching the dre3s material in
color.—N. Y. Ledger.
FOREIGN NOTES.
Ten thousand Turcomans have been
carried off in two months by a malig
nant form of fever now raging in the
Merv district.
A shepherd's body was recently car
bonized by electricity at Roche La
Moliere, in France. During a thunder
storm the telegraph wires were blown
down and curled around the man, who
was standing under thetm.
Le Guilvinec, a little fishing port at
the tip of Cnjie Finisterro, in France,
lost, 52 men In one night during the re
cent gales. All the male population of
the town was out in boats when the
storm came down.
"Ca-canny" is a new word that lias
arisen in English trade disputes. It
means working down to the level of
wages, giving poor work, that is, for
poor pay. The expression is old in
Scotland, where it means slowly and
cautiously.
A French passion play, called "Le
Mystere de Jeanne d'Arc," has been
gotten up by the parish priest of Meni
en Xaintois, near Domremy. The ac
tors and actresses are all peasants. The
play is praised by those who have
seen it.
Canon Menager, cure of Tailles, in
Brittany, is the senior priest in active
service in Fragoe. lie is 94 years of age,
has been a prirert for 70 years and has
been for 52 years in charge, of his pres
ent parish. lie attends to ail 1 his paroch
ial duties and preaches often.
A POSTAGE STAMP.
Montenegro has issued n jubilee post
uge stamp in honor of the two hun
dredth anniversary of the Niegoch dy
nasty.
There are 70,000 post offices in the
United States, against 20,000 in Great
Britain, 25,000 in Germany, 7,000 in
France, 9,000 in Austria-llungary and
ti.OOO in Italy.
The eight values of the set of do
mestic stamps known as the 1855-GO isr
sue were offered to a Boston dealer at
$1.50 for the complete sett, unused. He
refused the offer, and in 1878 bought
1,800 sets for $1 a. set. In 15 years the
set was catalogued at $13.65; the next
year at $18.55; the next at $25.08; this
year at $42.95, and a block of four of the
90-ceiit value sold at SBS.
The growth of the post.office business
of the cintry has been amazing. At
the close of the revolutionary war there
were only 75 post offices in the United
States. At the close, of the war of 1812
there were 3,000. At the beginning of
the civil war there were 28,580, and five
years after its close, in 1870, tihere were
28,492, or about 100 fewer, the only step
backward during the history of the
post office department. By 1880 the up
ward rise had started again and in full
force, and the animber of post offices In
the country reached 42,000. There are
now 70,000 post offices in the United
States, and t'he number is constantly
being increased.
WEDDING POINTERS.
High noon—that is, 12 o'clock—is the
fashionable hour for a wedding.
Even in a small town it Is wisest to
fcend wedding cards by post.
Even though you arc acquainted only
with the bridegroom your present
should be sent to the bride.
The bride usually gives a piece of jew
elry, of ten est n small brooch, to her
maid of honor and her bridesmaid.
It would be courteous, even if you
have no acquaintance with her, to send
u wedding present to the sister of your
betrothed.
Even if you do expect your engage
oicnt to be a long one your parents
should be informed of it and their con
sent asked.
Address the invitation to "Mr. and
Mrs. James Robinson," even if your ac
quaintance, a business one, is only with
the gentleman.
In acknowledging a weddyig gift the
note should be in the first person; it is
polite to include some pleasant expres
sion of appreciation from the bride
groom.
The engagement ring is worn on the
third finger of the left hand; it is re
moved at the time of the wedding, and
assumed afterward as a guard to the
wedding ring.
A Lotting Speculation
Mrs. Chitchat (caller)--Why, my
dear Mrs. Starvem, what in the mattei ?
You look distressed.
Mrs. Starvem (boarding house lard
lady)—Oh, the awfulest thing has hap
pened! You remember Mr. Griggs,
who used to board here at nine dollars
a week, and was such a comfort to me?
Mrs. C. Yes. Y'ou said he had
scarcely any teeth left, and could hard
ly cut a thing. Didn't cost any more to
keep than a kitten.
Mrs. S.—That's the one. Oh, he's a
villain! He came back yesterday, and
I let him have board for only eight dol
lars n week, and now I find he's got a
new set of false teeth, and eats like a
horse.—N. Y\ Weekly.
A Sinful Shiune.
1 Mrs. Yerger, a fashionable Dallas
■ lady, was very much shocked last Sun--
day afternoon by strains from ati oper
atic air, that came from a piano in an
j adjoining house, on Ervuy sti#et. She
! remarked:
I "lIoNv wicked it is to play such music
lon Sunday."
| "But that's identically the same tune
1 you heard this morning in church,"
replied Col. Y'erger.
"Y T es, but then 1 was in church, and
: had my best clothes on," responded
1 Mrs. Y'erger, with great dignity.—
Texas Sift r.
A Wattled IIUHC.
I "Will you kindly remove your hat?" he
said.
I "Certainly not," said she.
"I thought that maybe you would," he
said;
"The price tag shows," said he,
"And a beautiful hat like that," he said,
I "Seems awfully cheap at 'three.' "
But she only said—though her face grew
red—
"Y'ou canno.t play tag with me."
—Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Table Talk.
"There are certainly sufficient
grounds for complaint here," said Mr.
l'ayne X. Tweek, as he stirred his cafe
cu lait.
"Well," said Mrs. Proon-Daly, "you
will find your coffee more settled, Mr.
Tweek, when your board bill shall have
reached a similar condition."
And even the pie looked tart.—Town
Topics.
After Dinner. •
Maud—l never knew liofore that Mr.
Smithers lived in one of those horrid
boarding houses.
Mamma—llow did you make the dis
covery?
Maud—Why, when he was passing
tlie prunes lie shuddered until his teeth
rattled.—Brooklyn Life.
lie Was Deceived.
Spencer—l see that Skinleigli is su
ing Luckton ior obtaining a lot of valu
able stock from him under false pro
tenses.
Ferguson—How did it happen?
Spencer—Skinleigli sold it to him
under the impression that it was abso
lutely worthless.—N. Y'. World.
llow It May He Done.
She was inclined to he sentimental.
lie was nothing If not practical.
"Would tliat you could tell me how to
mend a broken heart," said she.
"I have known of cases where It has
been done by splicing," lie replied.
That was the remedy tried In this
case.—Chicago Post.
Had Enouffh.
"Hadn't you better call another
physician?" said the wife to the young
doctor who was treating her husband.
"Just for consultation, you know."
"No, ma'a in," he replied. "My idea;
art confused enough already."—Buff ah
Times.
Wrinkles.
Her face Is like an open book
Off which one's fancy dines,
Yet I find It quite difficult
To read between tho lines.
—Up-to-Date.
AN INFALLIBLE TEST.
Bella—What can I do to bring the
count to my feet?
Donna—Drop a nickel on the floor.—
Detroit Free Press.
Peculiar.
Now srnnge It Is that when at night
My wife seeks out a spot
On my warm back for her cold feet,
Their coldness makes me hot!
—Up-to-Date.
Plenty of Room.
"Why do people say there is always
room at the top?"
"Because they know a lot of people
are always climbing up there and fall
ing olf."—Chicago Record,
Tho Finest Yet.
He—What do you think of it, dnr
linf,-?
She—lt's by far the handsomest en
papoment rinp I've ever had, and I've
had several, dear.—Detroit Free l'ress.
A Jowcl,
"They tell mo your servant is a
jewel," said a caller.
"Yes," replied the hostess, wearily;
"she's so much more ornamental than
useful!"— Comic Cuts.
Tho Modern Romeo.
Nell —And how did he propose?
Grace—He asked me if it would be
worth ins while to ruin the 50-cent
crease in his trousers.—Town Topics.
You Can't Deny It.
Many a man hnu ruined his eyesight
by siui.tig in the barroom looking for
work.' -N, Y\ Recorder.
WANT TO BE ACTBESSES.
Trials and Tribulations of a The
atrical Agent.
lie Meets Many Annoying Creatures, Hat
of All His Terrors the Woman Who
Thinks She Can Act Is Kasily
the Worst.
The hard times have had two effects
on the stuge. One to drive many old
i lime professionals into temporary re
tirement, the other to bring fresh re
cruits to it who have found the general
depression affecting their own lines of
work and turn to the stage as a matter
of experiment. A dramatic agent, says
the Chicago Inter Ocean, has an un
happy time with these last.
The agent's office is filled with actors
out of engagements who are waiting
their turn to find if there is any
probable manager who will want them
to-day or to-morrow or next week. The
waiting applicant fills up the interven
ing time with reminiscences of last
year's experiences. There is the veteran
old barnstormer, who looks grizzly and
seedy, but still good-natured. He ea
resses his time-worn old pipe as he tells
how "The Corsican Brothers" can be
played with a cast of six people, how
easily the doubles can be made, and how,
if taken through the smaller towns,
good money can be made. There is the
self-sufficient and self-satisfied actor
who has played leading parts in small
towns; the young actor, whose cane and
poses and gestures tell that he has had
one season; the smart-looking, gayly
dressed soubrette; the comfortable
looking character woman, and the quiet
looking comedian, whose lined face and
droll expression proclaim his line of
work. Into a room full of these people
comes one of the legion of dramatic
aspirants who have no excuse for those
aspirations and who are the bete noir
of agents and managers. This Is a
woman who, if appearanees are not de
ceptive, has left behind her that tender
youth which is supposed to be so par
ticularly susceptible to sentimental
longings for the 6tage. The first im-
GOOD FOR OLD MAID PARTS.
pression of her is the wonder how she I
could have accumulated so muchshape
lessncss.
"llo\c you had any stage experience?"
asks the ngent.
"No," is the reply, "except in cha
rades and private theatricals, but you
needn't get me very much of a place
at first. I am willing to work a few
weeks, mostly for experience, until J
kinder get the hang of it."
"Well, what line would you prefer?"
"Eh?"
"1 mean what parts do you think you
could play?"
"Oh, most any of them. They all look
easy. I guess I'd better try old maids
and funny old women first, and then if
I don't like them 1 can change."
The ngent ventures no demurrer to
this. She is sharp-visaged and thin
voiced, and he is wondering if the time
will eonie when her work will not be a
travesty on acting; but he concludes
mentally that there are a good many of
these little snaps that wouid take her
ii they could get her for two or three
dollars a week.
"I believe I have nothing that I can
offer you this morning, madam," he
filially ventures.
"Ain't you got any vacant places in
any of your companies?" she demands.
"Yes, but there are so many expert
meed professionals to fill them."
"Well, I'll call again to-morrow or
next day, and maybe before the week is
out you can get me a place."
He says if that lady with the sad,
lank-looking hair, five-year-old bonnet,
and general vinegary appearance is go
ing to haunt his office until he gets her
an engagement, he will get it if he has
lo have a company organized to send
her out with; but his mental reserva
lion is that it shall be one that makes
"overland jumps" and "pays expenses."
A Sample of French Justice.
Contributory negligence does not
seem an acceptable plea in French
courts. A man dining in a Narbonne
restaurant drew a 100-franc note from
his pockctbook to pay for his dinner
while his soup was cooling. The bill
flew into the soup, was fished out, and
placed on the edge of the table to dry,
when it fell to the floor. An intelligent
poodle in the room thought it was for
liim and swallowed it. The owner of
Hie note then sued the poodle's master
for the 100 francs, and the local court
decided t hat the latter must pay.
Feminine Duel with Pistols.
A couple of ladies recently fought a
luel with pistols in the outskirts of a
little town in Hungary. Both fired at
the word of command. One sent her
ball into a small boy who was perched
3n a tree, and the other sent hers into
l he side of a calf which was grazing in
a neighboring field. As there had been
no bloodletting, honor was declared
satisfied.
Woman Sexton In lloston.
The new woman has invaded another
occupation. A church of Boston has
just appointed a woman sexton, proba
bly the only one in New England. \
A scientific writer recently said:
Evolution
works by two factors; viz: Heredity,
or that which tends to permanency,
and Environment, or that which
tends to variation. The first repro
duces the past; the second adapts
the present. This is true also as to
Business Evolution.
It is fortunate if a business man has
the hereditary endowment of hones
ty, industry and perseverance, but
these are not of themselves suffi
cient to ensure the highest success.
He must be open to the influence of
environment, in close sympathy with
the spirit of progress, and quick to
adopt modern ways and means. The
Successful Men
of former generations would not suc
ceed today with the same means
they long ago employed. Neither
should the business man of today
expect the largest success without
intelligent and persevering use of
modern methods. Among modern
ways of obtaining and maintaining
business, nothing is more reason
able or adaptable than
Advertising.
For several years the Tribune has
offered the best advantages to ad
vertisers in Freeland. We have co
operated with business men in mak
ing publicity successful. We can
give better co-operation today than
ever before.