MADAME RACHEL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 913, 29 January 1881, Page 2

MADAME RACHEL.

Situate in the wild west of Ireland, and not far from Ballinasloe, the town of Aughrim would, even in the present day, be hardly the spot which a doctor would select as a likely place in which to establish a flourishing practice. Yet, more than half a century ago, when the locality was even more desolate than now, a certain Dr. Fuller arrived with this idea, bringing with him his wife and a letter of introduction from the Resident Magistrate at Athlone. But either through the sparseness of the population, or its poverty, the salubrity of the spot, or want of skill on the adventurous doctor’s part, he found it very hard to keep the wolf from the door. In this emergency he turned his attention to the distillation of cosmetics and manufacture of concoctions supposed to preserve and improve the delicacy of the female complexion. He was assisted in his search for those herbs, from whose leaves and petals could be extracted the essence of perpetual beauty by his servant girl. Rachel Booker, a red-legged wench of s ime fourteen summers. Rachel was a native of the village, but, judging from her name, and the peculiar type of her features, it is more than probable that her parents were not indigenous to the soil, but were gipsies of a Semitic caste, who, in the course of their nomad career, had found something so attractive in Aughrim as to chain them to the spot. Rachel had picked up a little learning, before entering service, at a sort of dame’s school, supported by the landlord whose tenants her parents were. Early in life she seems, with reference to frequent disappearances of cord-wood from the park, to have displayed that hazy notion of meum and tuum which, if undiscovered, goes so far to ensure success in life. But even a talent for preserving and beautifying complexions will not keep a family when there is not a sufficientlyextended field for the talent to be exercised on. So, finally, Dr. Fuller was forced to take his departure, and seek for pastures new, where his genius would meet with more pecuniary response. Having left the Galway ladies “ beautiful for ever,” he emigrated to Manchester, taking his belongings and household with him. Here Rachel Booker won the heart and hand of an assistant in a chemist’s shop. Lost sight of for years, she turned up again in the well-known person of Madame Rachel. Such is the story of the early life of this notorious woman. The history of her trial and her subsequent imprisonment are too fresh in the World’s mind to need recapitulation. Recently she died, almost without, notice, in Woking prison.

It is reported that the marriage of the Czar with the Princess Dolgorouki so very soon after the death of the Empress is a source of deep distress to the Duchess of Edinburgh, who was a very affectionate daughter to her mother in her last illness. There is a family by this peculiar alliance, and the eldest are nearly of the same age as the legitimate children of the < 'zar. This is truly a strange example for a monarch to set before his people or for a father to show to his sons. It is doubtful if any other country in the civilised world would nut up with such

an insult to everything in the shape of morality or family virtue. With his family at variance with him, and large numbers of his subjects seeking his life, it is no wonder that the Emperor of all the Russiaa is spoken of as a melancholy and a nervous person, notwithstanding that he is surrounded with so much pomp, glitter, and deceptive gaiety. It is reported that the Princess is most anxious for a public coronation, with all its Imperial honors.

New costumes in preparation for autumn discard much of the patchy trimming which has been in vogue recently, and follow the style of summer travelling dresses, which have been largely made of plain woollen materials of light texture, in dark green, dark blue, and gray. Dark green and stone grey are favorite shades, and the newest modes show walking-skirts shirred at the back, a trimmed or apron front, and a bodice with or without basque at the back, and straight across the front. Some of these are accompanied by a round mantle, with hood to match; the hood lined with a color.

Another style consists of skirt and straight coat, cut up into lappels, and ornamented with heavy cords with spiked ends. These are usually lined with a coloi’ when the material is plain, but quite frequently the coat is of silk or woollen brocade, and some are being made of velvet. When plain woollen suits are lined with a color, the red, or whatever it is, re-appears at the neck as a handkerchief, the corners of which are no longer concealed, but are fastened down flat, so as to form a small three cornered fichu. This Autumn bordered and embroidered handkerchief will be used for the neck ; that is, handkerchiefs embroidered in border patterns. Some have been used this summer in white pine-apple silk, with gold embroidery, and as the autumn advances the handkerchief will be embroidered and trimmed on as if part of the dress, or a round cellar will take its place, which will extend down upon the front. Our readers will be glad of a word or two on the subject of eveningdresses. Such dresses may be divided into two series; the first comprising toilets for small parlies, dinners, concerts, and the theatre; the other toilets for balls and large eveningparties. The former are rarely made with the quite low bodice; indeed, it is very much the fashion this winter to wear them quite high in the neck, with a very full ruched collarette round the throat—a fashion introduced by Mdlle. Sarah Bernhardt. Those who have nothing but bones to show certainly do well to adopt this mode ; others, more gifted with embonpoint, can have their dress-bodices open in a square or V shape. One of the prevailing fashions for this season is to have the dresses cut rather high on the shoulders, square in the front, and high at the back, the front is filled in with a chemisette of gathered and puffed lisse or tulle, finished with a rather high frilling. Necklets of beads are very fashionable, as also are ribbons and velvet, with an ornament in front, and bows and ends at the back ; these bows and ends are about one and a-half yard in the full length. Many young ladies are adopting the round short skirt for evening-dress ; where the figure is slim, whether the lady be tall or short, she can wear a prettily-trimmed short skirt, and look graceful in it. The comfort of the short dress for dancing is universally recognized, and there is so much in the fitness of things, that few will fail to avail themselves of the privilege of the short dress who have dainty little feet, and wear very pretty foot-gear, of which the choice is very great. Stockings are invariably matched to the dress. In shoes there is more latitude. Black kid and satin, embroidered with gold or colors, are very useful slippers, and may be worn with all but white or very light-coloured dresses; with these, white satin, or satin to suit the colour of the dress, must he selected. lor little girls, high

boots, laced up the front or side, are those most in favour. We regret to state that very high heels are still the fashion, but we caution mothers against allowing their daughters to wear them while they are growing. The cuirassbodice of plush and satin, with skirts of faille or batiste, covered with lace or gauze, will be in great favour. Flowers, too, are to be much worn on ball and evening dresses. Natural flowers, when they can be obtained, are always fresh looking, and especially suited to young ladies. Silver ornaments are the fashion for young ladies ; all must match ; silver and gold worn together are in very bad taste. Gloves are now r worn with short sleeves, to come up a good deal higher than the elbow. Porte-bonheur bracelets in plain or open work bands are worn upon the wrists over the glove, and also the serpent-like gold and silver bracelets coiled round the arm. To these it is now fashionable to add at least one massive bracelet at the top of the arm.

Lockets are worn of a rich, heavy style, in plain gold or enamel, with initials, Christian name, or motto engraved in pearls or diamonds. Very pretty brooches are made in a lighter style for fastening on the lace or tulle bows, now so fashionable, in the way of cravats. A spray lillie-of-the-valley, snowdrops, or ivy-leaves, in brilliants, are favorite patterns ; or a cluster of forget-me-nots formed of turquoises, with leaves of green enamel. The Christian name in detached letters, formed of brilliants or pearls, is also a very distingue pattern; and pendants for necklaces represent a flower, leaf, or small bird. Pins for the hair represent large moon-daisies, pansies, butterflies, birds, or beetles, or tiny humming-birds, either in brilliants or colored stones.