FEMININE GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 3633, 14 October 1874, Page 3

FEMININE GOSSIP.

In Pans and London, and in New York, the fashion of gloves changes almost as frequently as those of bonnets, though not so entirely. In America they now a pretty style called the “ Marie Antoinette.” The name is not appropriate, but the glove is elegant. The kid reaches fully 2in above the wrist, and terminates in a pleating, 'which gives an elegant finish, and is particularly desirable when open sleeves a#e worn. It is not fashionable either in Paris or New York to wear bracelets en promenade, and therefore elaborately finished gloves are much more used than in London, where where it is still en regie to carry much jewellery. A pretty style of glove, called the “ Czarevna,” is in vogue in England. _ Every one knows with what elaboration the announcements of births, deaths, and marriages are made in the German papers, and most know that betrothals* which are regarded as serious and solemn covenants, are also duly advertised. En passant, is not this a custom that might be as well acclimatised here ? Would it not save a' great deal of trouble in the breach of promise way if it were made compulsory on' individuals to notify their engagements publicly? In Germany,* when an engagement is broken off that is also announced. In June last the following appeared in the ‘Dresdener Journal’ :—“ With respect to the announcement by which I, at the end of last November, gave notice of my being engaged to the Dowager Baroness Zoe von Kotzebue, I am now obliged to state that this relationship has, at her desire and to my great regret, been broken off, because she did not find in my deportment that gravity which she had a right to expect. Count Luckner.” If the modesty of the disappointed count did not cause the baroness to relent, at least it should secure him a new fiancee very speedily.

Masked balls are becoming very fashionable in London. One of the inost successful given this season was that by Lady Marian Alford, which was a most extraordinary affair. The Prince and Princess of Wales were there, and every one in the West End. To prevent mistakes it had been arxanged that married women should wear ted feathers in their hair, and unmarried ladies white ones ; but no provision was made for distinguishing married men, so that some really me” lancholy mistakes occurred, since the men all wore dominoes which hid the face. In more than one instance it was reported that both husbands and wives flirted with each other unwittingly with great ardor till supper time came and masks were removed, when disclosures of great interest took place, and sundry sarcastic remarks were made. On the whole the ball pioved more agreeable to the hostess than to some of the guests. The season in London was brought to a close with one of the most attractive entertainments we have ever had to chronicle. We refer to the fancy dress ball of their Royal Highnesses to the Prince of Wales, given at Marlborough House on a recent evening, to about 800 guests. Instead of the incongruous mixture of costumes usual on such occasions, the Prince and Princess arranged their fancy ball so as to produce the effect of historical pictures, the Costumes of each period being introduced in separate dances. Eor instance, a quadrille was called the Vandyke Qfaadrille, the costumes being of the reign of Charles the First, the Prince of Wales, in a magnificent dress of that period, leading out the Duchess of Sutherland in the opening dance. Another quadrille was arranged after the pattern of a pack of cards, the Princess Louise being most appro-1 priately selected as the Queen of Hearts. A Puritan Quadrille introduced the grim followers of Cromwell where the originals would never have been found—dancing in a lively quadrille. Perhaps the prettiest fancy of all was a Fairy Tale Quadrille, in which the favorites of the nursery, Cinderella,” “ Beauty and the Best,” &c., appeared. Nothing more graceful could well have been imagined. An Italian Quadrille was remarkable for the splendid Venetian costume of the Princess of Wales. A very remarkable marriage was consummated at Jevington, Sussex, the other day, the peculiarity of the circumstances consisting in the bride having no arms. The ring had consequently to be placed on the third toe of her left foot. She also signed the register with her foot “in a very decent ‘ hand.’ ” She is said to be a • good needlewoman, despite her deformity. The ceremony was performed i by Archbishop Philpottin the presence of a congregation,

Two somewhat noteworthy cases of breach of promise of marriage have recently been tried in England. In tha one, tried in London, the daughter of a wool-broker obtained from a young man of property, whose age was only twenty-four, the substantial damages of L 3,000 for refusal to fulfil a matrimonial engagement. In the other case, which was tried at Newcastle, a milliner recovered from an innkeeper Ll5O damages, for breach of a promise given in October, 1850, nearly twenty-four years ago.

The Singleton correspondent of the ‘Maitland Mercury’ reports the marriage of five sisters in a family in that district to five brothers of another family. He says:—“A young man named Bailey lately married a Miss Fernance, at Singleton. Taken by itself this announcement would probably interest the readers of the ‘ Mercury ’ as much as a statement that something had occurred in some outlandish country about which nobody would care a straw. But when we state that four brothers of the bridegroom were previously married to four sisters of the bride, the matter assumes a' very different aspect. Five brothers married to five sisters! We believe that such a thing stands unexampled in the history of the Australian Colonies—perhaps the whole civilised world.”