THE LONDON FASHIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 270, 31 May 1889, Page 2

THE LONDON FASHIONS.

•

I looked in at Dore's, in Georgestreet to see some new dresses and jackets. The prettiest are in soft shades of grey, fawn, green and stylish striped. The dress in the illustration with the Norfolk bodice is a good knock about artiole, made of curly brown cloth. The jackets, too, are all new and smart, and one of them is braided hussar fashion. I saw two ladies in Bore's trying on warm coats with detachable capes. Two-thirds of their stock dress's have very little front drapery. The more elaborate have braided vests graduating in a point at the waist ; then widening out gradually to ike 'bottom. Children ar. if ell r6gjfi»-

, Education. The University Council rented at Denbenkam and Freebody's. One always sees one or two little maids trying on dresses or hats from th« well filled children's de- * PMtnwnt. I brought away sorfte ttketfeh.es the other day. No lis a 3phdn little dress. It is a cashmere 4*och.e with an Empire sash. No 2 made with three flounces of biscoloured embroidery. Tne Bodice, too, is made of embroidery, aad a soft shade of green Silician *ilk. No 3is a directoiie frock of Indian silk aad mosgreen velvet. No 4 is made of old rose silk, with guipure and. ribbon trimmingsv The little yachting coat can be had in bright red, blue or browii, with anchor buttons. I saw a good many ~ stylish children's hats. There are * not the simple things they were. , _ Amo&gthe French hats it is not .always an easy matter to distinguish ■& child's from a woman's. No 1 is :|or a very little girl, and is of white ailk and white ostrich feathers. No .2 is simple. It has a crinkled, turned up brim trimmed with ribbon. No 3is a very cool hat, of a soft, transparent, greco material Kkecr^pe, with p, wreath of pale roses round the crown. The back is caught up carelessly with iibbon. (Madame liantalini.)

iis way to*ner. She received him j rith a little start, and said in ihe jretty voice Tom had remembered ' ilearly for the last ten days— j • Oh, Mr Chester, I'm so glad to jee you. I didn't Know you were'tol>e here. Lucy only said 'my jousin.' ''Ihenyou know Lucy?" Torn! said, feeling at the same time that : this statement of a settreviden.j; fact : could hardly be called a bnlliant conversational effort. , c Oh, yes, we were at school together. I never knew she- was your cousin, till the other day. How stupid 1 am ! How could I know ? I'm to be her bridesmaid. Don't you hope it'll be fine on Wednesday, and tomorrow, too, that we may have some tennis. ?" Tom said, hastily, that there was nothing he had- more at heart, or words to that effect. But whether his wishes were immediately and literally concerned or not, the weather next day could not better have met Lady Maria's. It was remnrkable for«havacteristics foreign to most days in May - it was both warm and fine:: Most, of the people staying in the house spent the greater part of the day playing tennis. Among them, of course, Tom and Lady Maria. Arid, at the end of the day, Tom could not in the least make up his mind whether Lady Maria's pretty figure and sweet face shone most to advantage in her loose, soft flannel tennis frock, or the trim, dark one he had fir-t seen her in. " How do some women know what to buy, and not others?" he wondered idly, as he sat under the trees getting cool after an exciting and exhausting victor);. TJie first night Tom dreamt of Lady Maria at frequent intervals ; on the second he could not sleep at all for the thought of her ; and he got up on the third morning determined that he would ' put his fate to the touch " —ask her if there was any hope at all for him. As to Polly, " his practical test" his final triumph to come - a pair of bright blue eyes, a pretty face, and sweet, girlish ways, had taken them utterly out of Tom's life for the momen*. He was thoroughly head over ears in love with Lady Maria. "If she won't have me? Well, let's only hope she will." was all the reasoning Tom was capable of, dur ing his shavirg that morning. Luncheon time came; Tom had not nerved himself for the crisis. At two o'clock the wedding came off, and Tom stood in the church feeling every moment worse; while he watched Lady Maria, who seemed to him more lovely than ever in her plain yellow silk. . \ The aftemoou went .toy ;. the bride was gone, everyone else going by the evening train, " as Tom himself meant to do. ■HejrafoVdhis courage together; found Lady Mnria in the f garden ; told her he n"\fr aftenvdtib could remember what ; and listened breathlewly for her answer. It came-« * Oh, Mr Chester, I f m so sorry ; but — but I'm engaged! I'm so sorry, though.' He caught the enrl.eot poasihlo train, and had nearly reached home, When his arm wns seized by one of his friends — the most obnoxious of them all, Tom thought him at that moment. ( Oh, Chester* o\<\ fellow ! Ire bogau ; " been down at that wedding, haven't you ? cc Maiia there f Told me she wns going: Jftce girl, dou't you think ; We're engaged, you know. Only a fort« night though ; not at all too late for your congratulations:?' Tom was dose to his own door. He took out his latchkey, and say ing to the somewhat discomfited friend. " All right, yoti shall have them— some time," let himself in and slammed the 4 do6r, Tfrhere was a bright fijre in tbe library. Polly brought his slippers and lit the lamp. Gradually Tom began to feel a more placid frame of mind coming over him. Lady Maria was sweet Tom gave a very heavy sigh. She was— well, everything ; but after all -what was the oseof thinking of ii now 2 And he could still do mankind that great service, still show them his principle' proved by hit practical test ; asd who could tell \ many might go and do likewise, and the result for the "race be beyonc words to describe. The warm glo%* known only t< the benefactor of his race was be ginning to overcome Tom's crushet feeling of despair; the fire win warming him thoroughly. He hat jjust decided to send for Polly for ai hours reading, and had mental! chosen the finishing school, whe: Mrs Smith's tread was heard outsid< 'Come in,' Tom said in answor t her knock. *■'.■■ She came in; stood just insid twisting her black apron. At las when Tom turned hastily round an said, ' Well ' she began — 'Yes, sir. Polly, she didn't lil to come and tell you herself. She that silly, when I tell her you'd 1 sore to be pleased ; it's a very goc thing for her. "Well, sir, it's tl postman that brings the evenir letters. He's wanted her^ever i long ; and now he wants her to nan the day, and they'll have the barm put up next Sunday—if y^: agreeablt, sir.' «•* ' " [The End.]