For the Ladies.

Patea Mail, 28 September 1881, Page 2 (Supplement)

For the Ladies.

The “ old gold ” fever is still at its height. Everything in the shape of female dress, that can be given that tint, partakes of it—skirts, trimmings, hats, bonnets, stockings, ay, end even garters (some' say wbo profess to know) are all of the fashionable colour. They say that Mrs. Langtry, wbo, in her famous, costume at the Kensington F6‘e, gained for herself -the new title of the “ Amber Witch,” has even her garter buckles made of old Boman coins.

Stamped velvet is in vogue for tight-fitting jackets, and even for the whole costume. A dress of this description, in a peculiar shade of dark bottle-green, was much admired at one of the reOent weddings. It was withont trimming, save buttons composed of fine enamel and Bbine stones and buckle to match, but was moulded to the form of tbe fair wearer with tbe easy grace of a wellfitting glove. Fob bridal dresses, white satin la always in favour; but the texture of tbe veil, whether in point lace or in simple tnlle, depends on the taste as well as on the purse of the bride. Heiresses, as a general rule, affect simplicity, and feel that they can afford to wear tulle.

Fur trimming for evening and dinner dress is spoken of as a probable contingency in English costumes during the coming season. But tbe American tendency, like the French, is always for lighter effects. The air of London above ground threatens to be as bad this year ae it was last. Already fogs have been of such density as to cause great depression of spirits to all those whose occupation condemns them to live in town. Tbe Balloon Society have arranged to test the atmosphere of the city at different altitudes during the prevalence of fogs, and all manner of suggestions have been made by scientific men to prevent or remove this teirible scourge. The latest proposal is to blow away the . fog by a great explosion of dynamite in some large open space, such as Hyde Park. Anyone who has had to iive lor mouths together in an atmosphere of the d usity and colour of pea-soup will foigive the apparent flavour of Jules Verne’s novels about the proposal, and hail with delight the making of any attempt at its eradication. While plodding through the. oopper-Lued mist by day, and groping one’s way over the slippery ;pavements by night, haw one does long for a,taste of gome favoured climate 1 From one point of view—what might be termed the ladies’ point of view—the most interesting maa ia Borne 3s j the Duke oi Galleee, who le even a more striking example than Torlonia of the vanity of human wishes. The Duke’s napae: is Hardoun,’and be was born in a village, in. the south of France, Whence, as a sergeant of,cavalry, he came in the army of occupation to Borne. He happened to be quartered in the Palazzo AUemps, in,the court of which he was daily to be seen grooming iiis horse. While thus engaged he used to be observed and admired by :the owner oi tbe palazzo, the middle-aged Countess Altemp, who thought it a pity that so fine-looking a young fellow should be a mere French sergeant. Tender relations soon began between the two, but how could she marry an nncommieeiontd officer? Woman’s ingenuity, however, soon found a way oat of the.difficulty. Along w ; .h various properties, the Countess inherited several titles which seemed destined to die with her, as she had no children. Her wealth and social position made her influential at the Vatican, and the good-natnred Pins IX. was ever ready to oblige his friends. He was induced, therefore, to bestow one of these titles upon the lucky Hardonn, who lost no time in marrying bis patroness. It soon appeared that fortune had only begun to smile upon him, lor ere long his wife died in childbirth,, leaving a son who lived just -long enough to inbent his mother’s property, and pass it on to bis lather. Here was now thp newly-made duke enormously rich, t-tiil young, end- as: handsome as ever; only a wife alter bis .own heart was necessary to complete his happiness, and for this he had not far to serk. Young, beautiful, and ot good famiy.the new duchess of course - smoothed her husband’s path in society, which, at the worst, would not have been too rough; lor though quite uneducated, the duke was not without tact and good sense. But this complete happiness was not destined to last long, for, alter a few years, tbe duchess was suddenly stricken with madness. Her monomania consisted in believing herself pursued by the ghost of her predecessor,-seeing everywhere followed by a woman with a dead child in her arms, wto vows destruction to her and her children. Frequently she has escaped from her bouse and harried through the streets of Borne towards the Tiber, ever crying, “My children 1 My children 1”

When, declining an invitation, in place of sending- notice of regrets, it is considered the proper thing, to send baskets of flowers with card instead.

Booms that ate arranged after some particular style, and each one differently, have favourite vases, each selected for its appropriate meaning, in illuminated text or graceful outline, as over a water-basin is the suggestive phrase : " Clean hands and a pure heart.”

Among the many clubs organised at this festive season are “ bowling clubs,” which comprise twenty members. After choosing sides the game is -played, according to cert tin rules adopted, and the young people return to their homes glowing with the pleasure and exercise this muscular game evokts within them. It s the fashion to wear a charm or amulet in the shape of some symbol of one’s taste or profession; a journalist, wearing a tiny jewelled quil or pen with handle — also a pair of scissors might be considered .nr re appropriate; an artist, a small palette with rubies, emeralds, sapphires and pearls for the paints; the actress, a tiny golden mask ; sing* rs, a jewel ed lyre. . A German fashion now being’ rapidly adopt d by Americans is that of betrothal •parties. They are given by £he parents of the bridegrcpm-electj who, with his fiwnce&r dressed in bridal attire, receives the guests; congiatulations are.in order, and th- whole formality of a wedding is gone through,; except the clergyman’s share of it, which, comes a tew months later, when he is in' reduced into the scene. Mas. Lakothy has migrated from Jersey to Guernsey, and is followed (the papers .eay) in her walks in that island by small crowds,.-and, without stint, beneath ber. short-skirls displays to their admiring-eyet —that is to eay, to .the. male, portion thereof—her small and low-0'd.6..- patent leather shoes and gold embroidered sky-blue stockings. Her hose seem to have made more impression than the Jersey Lily’s face; so little, comparatively, is said of the latter.

They say that the days of the “ Jersey’* and Ibe "Tamo' Shanter” bat are numbered. The Prinoees of -Wales istolead the fashion during the coming season, and there will be a radical change<as tocostame, one; of the first being the banishment of these Langtrian adjuncts to the'feminine, toilette. We shall see how Mrs. L. will stand this usurpation, even though -it be attempted' by Royalty. Short skirts, with their acoompanyinf under-garments, are still the fashion a balls, which, for the most part, now tal place at country-houses. Anklets of gold and silver, and not u frequently studded with gems, have ms their appearance, their apparent purpi* being decoration. A becent scandal in high life would r ~ oish Miss Brad don with sufficient d«t>wr the first two volumes of a. novel. A ®* e Earl (name not yet made publioi though <M y well-known in private circles) betra* a strong affection for a certain- young d°w, whose husband ''joined the majo£ Afghanistan last year. She stayed* the Earl’s family seat much and ofh. reciprocated (to all appearances) t'*® D *®*

passion. He loaded faer with diamonds and other presents, and all the world thought them engaged. It has just been discovered, however, that there is a most painful end insurmountable obstacle to tbeir marriage, in the shape of a gallant Colonel, to whom the fair widow has for some lime past been secretly married, and who has not been too proudjo trade upon and profit by the dtoep. tibn practiced by his wife. Of coarse, in the possession of snob a man, the Earl’s diamond sand other magics d' amour are irrevooab'y lost, for the invccati >n of tbe strong arm of the law in that behalf would give the affair to tbe pnblio in all its nakedness.