Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, October 18, 1874, Page 5

| | | TIE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 187 —SIXTEEN PAGES THE BRIDEWELL. AVisit to This_x. Abode of Petty Crime. i hroughithe Prison and the troll T L8 Dricgyard, of the Women—The ations L Kitchen, i i Arrival of thé Black Maria ong ago that an Aldermanio 1 ppened 0L L0E S8 seant. aftermoon to 7 Tel L As oo Aldermavic party would o Lridere e outa seporter along to laugh at Tecser anic jokes. to smoke the Aidermeanic the ”d”‘: "o buog cab, 84 it were, the Alder- ke ity and keenness in all its beauty, it wanic Jo8 T L% not ouly ome, but keveral of so bapRenet f at great moneter, the prees, sy mu:: in the cunages when they etarted e eealed | "For of couwse they went in from the U e the Aldermanicdignity and carringes, B bjess, of tho expedition was to weight. 71O or the purpose of making 4 idewell 107 L “‘“,‘"”:",,ma Tuay were accompanied by a mnwof Tys ToisONE, aud the account of meparter e on that memorallo occasion will T soweua publivsomo ides of Lo at tis . uetitution- ety fOE CITY BRIDEWELL ed 10 the eoutliwest of the city, some 4 or es ssom tae Court-liouse, ad about on the ,fi o of Twenty-sixth street. Itisa large brick b‘:ud_mg plain in appearsoce, buc possessiug & i ood enduriog look. ¥rom being out alone 4 bo praine, mizhout surrounding buildings to Ot s size, it logks even larger than it really is, and, awag from more pretentious city ouild- B qute auractivo. The wing of the build- o g isior avproaches 18 surrounded g orues, with sicps lead.ogdown 1oto the Porsre.” Tho ofices and Lusiucss roome are e ed 1o the {ront of this section ¢f thie build- setel N o these aud overhead it 1s devoted o B febon foows of the Superinteudout, The T mmedately around this part of the io- B ato graded, sud Iwd outin_ grase-plats e over-bes, aad prescats o singuiarly unos- Ated, tuough stiractive, appearauce, Which Bt lead & s.ranger to beiievoho was coming . o eloant private enburbsn residouce. 3helarga projection of the main building entire- Fhdes fiom view the disugreeablo features Y iiel aro preséntly scen boniud it, a8 if it bad goaa-iaturediy Laien upop tself tho task of car- rricg on the decepuon, in coujunction with the Yesidence quarter. Uron enteting the doorway of THE OFFICE, ve {bis zeon to be a busipess-iike place, something ke a Lotel-ofiice, aud stiil more like & court- room, One corher i divided off by & heavy Fiivg, insde of % bich issitusted a double-faced Jock & tafe, snd_other famiture. Suspeaded {rom pege aloue the sides are hanging 8 number of taose peculiar articles of protessional wear fnown satiously 26 bracelete, or come-alonge, tiose being abou: the oly jewely worn by the fzmates, As the party apprusches, a jolly-iook- ing clerk eligs off Of 3 bigh stool, to which be isloca’ * bad commuuicated & hizh state of polieh by countless geitiugs off and on, sud comes for- waud to areet them. “[ey aro then usbered into the parlor on tho opposite side of tho hall, which is found to be o weely funished, with a piano and easy chairs, and flowers, and mueie, and books scatteres around, Lhat the visitor again begios to wonder if be bas pot, by some. shavge mistake, got 1nto tho wrong house, and rather ¥xcects that ke will be called upon to make somo embarrassing_expiaatious and retire in Lad order. Buc pres ntly the Superintendent comesin and takes it all£0 88 & watter of courso ihat the paity are reassuted and Luswess proceeds. After it s finished, he leads tho party through the ofiice, i one cormer of whichisa heavy door, not previously noticed. Taking down a lirge kev. bo unlocss this, and tho party file th-ough, observing, by the way, that they are taliiea off, and becomo an sggiegate body of numbere, to be carefully checked 38 they here- efter euter aud depart from the varionw warads. The pa:ty are now shown iato s large corridor, orbau, on either side of which e the ward whero ' the cella nre loca'ed. Ttese are s par- £ted from the nall by lage doors of iron grating, of one of nluch the Superiotendent seiects the key. and the visitors a1e ushered inso THE FEMALE PRISON, The first impression is one of surprise at ita excecding cicauliness and at the bright, cheertul beht that pervades the apsriment. The sun is sluviae in brightly from a puaber of “high win- dows, the cement floor is clean and diy, and the stmosphere 18 eweet 2ad wholcsome. 1t 18 not st all Lke a prison, and, cxcer.t for the thick bars that eross the windows and the grated cells in the centic of the 100m, it has nore of the pro- verbial dunseon-lovk sbomt it. Qccupying the widdle of tue room, and 10 or 12 feo. from the wala all asonod, .is o buge pite of 80.id masoury teachiug uearly to the rouf. Ia this are buit s celis,which are in two {iers exteuding around the square thue 10rmed, and one above tiig other. A epinal sisircass of 1ron_lecas up to the upper ter, which is surrounded by & sallery of the same material. The cehs are thus pizced back to back, and con easily be overlooked fiom a ta- kon avuve them. ‘They also have grated iron doors to eecly, which are lpcked &t night, 50 that escape trom the prison ia next to i-nposeible. ESCAPES ARE SOMETIMES MADE, Ste keeper informed tne visitors, but they are slwaye from the outside, where the piisoaers ¥oré. A few womea were oteerved in this ward. Tues were sitting in the sunshine with folded bsuds, but by no means with conteuted expres- tiog, and watched the passers-by with sullen dejection, as il accusing them 1n some way of their condition and shame. Looking back upon them it was noticed that they showed more cu- noalty in the appearance of their backs, and Ferein some cases emiling in a sivister manuer to themselves. They weio of thoso whe mere excuced from duty on aceount of indisposition or gikoess. vpcsite this ward is anotber, the duplicate of e st naed for 3 Enterins (1%, YALE PRISONERS. ering this, it iy found in general appear- puce, size, and cleanlivess to exactly 1csemble e other.” 1tis noticed, Lowever, that the ten ot dozen rale prisoners have congregated iu one “arver, and are surprised in the micst of an ani- mated conversation togetler. They look up ;{,m eome cariosity, snd cease talliiug entirely. ler are dressed in prison drcss of gray, stipad am biack, and_ have tlus put aside or entirely I t their ldanht)'. to others, and probably to emselvea, foritis remarkiable what an influ- tace clothes bavo over peoplo. As there is lflzmng 1eW to be seen here, the party proceeds, er 8 glance around, to the fioor above. Look- Festwardly js a laige siry room, towarce the Superintcodent lesds the way on tip~ foe exho rest being now under the dominant bremsiee of the accasion, follow with bated resth, sod look over his ehoulder into the Jmnment. It seems to be o sort of & DISCIPLINE-ROON. Dumber of women, rprobably thitty or forty, e teated in chairs, which all face in the same 10n, tonards the open windows. They are f17ed in various eraployments. Somo are Seving, some Lnitzing, gome are catting out gar- m .20d some are sitting with their hauds led in listless indifference. They sre most 205-baired —old women upon whom one can~ mlonk withont pity, or even tears; and yet in bag’ instances theuwr bardened and desperzte g, scloso that most Tevolting of all_specta~ thamg Vcked old womsa, withoat remorse or iy, Others are quite' mild in_aprearance, i 1oy bear the look of being weak-minded eble. A matron is seated in fron: of them, o8 to havo them iu charge, a8 if it were & ;"“"ml‘ and they wero growo-up scholars. It isa T %00, tmt alag ! the scholars are too old to to o2 20d have no fatare before them in which Lowing U oot ient oot 8t zel lent -1 B by it foney igely school-room, . THE INPASTS' QUAZT) £om whith arise oands pecaliar ro the diming- by ®truzeler, in its firsy unmesning protests sfounet tine affaurs of the world in everal, As igle o2 BODO but gross men in the party, tho = w;llmgen were left geverely alonme. Onae Tied g A0 O0lY, Who is said to be a newly.mar- of thy &a, attempts surreptitionsly to_cuddle one with poCLDgEters, and chucks it under the chin starty 18 forefinger, but this brings oot 80 much tirem fi, andso many sallies of wit. thac he ro- ridl . The littlo cnes are in charge flxmv:'.“ females of remarkably healthy and Freb ey 23ppearance, and no one feels any ap- ol &‘}"" thas they arelikely to suffer from the T 00d proper to their tender age. sext department visited is i ; VAR rvm 843y 10 o Bandiod Shthe sad song men are emplored in plaiting cane-seat botzoms to chaurs. Tiug is une of the regular industries of the institution. It is simplo work, not didi- cult to learn, and theifore a bew hand can do immedinte service at it. Those who bave worked at 1t s long time. of course, acquire a machine- like dexterity and expertness in manipulation. Atter the wood-work bLns been sbaped iuto the Proper forme, it 18 turned over to these weavers, who place it in & vise, aud then take a long slip of cane, ar reed, which is pushed through the holes, and woven in and out, forming the mesh- es. Atter this work is completed, tne 10cds are tied. or clamied, by s piece of wood which fits over Lhem, and the chuir-bottom ia done. 1t was quite o rolief aud pleasure to watch these prison apprentices at their work. The spirit of industry was a3 - present here 2 in any well-regulated factory in the land. .\ certain rivalty in the work also secmed ¢o exist, and theto” wete two or three workmen whose rapidity of execution of the cccentric motion required was really astonishing. It soon came out that they were buving thetr liverty again by this means, and then it bacame perfectly ciear to the assembled party why they worked ‘8o bard and clovery. The digmified Alderman to whom everybody looked spontane- ously for an expression of tho sentimsnt proper to every occasion remarlied that there was noth- ing liké self-iuterest to move a person’s Gngers. No ono ventured to dispute the oracle, xnd 8o the matter was made clear, but it is nuvertheloss true that when romo of these poor creatures are loore for a few duys in that sweet air of freedom 80 higbly prized, for very lack of sometbing to eat, aod sometlung to do, and somo oue to speak & word of fellowship with, they fall into bad ways agsin, and baston bick to the prison, finding disgrace more endurable than liberty at the expeuse of all human sympathy, and confessing after all that labor has » reward all its own. There iy asumilar departmert of Iabor in anoth- or part of the large buildiag, but, 28 tho work vatied ouly in the operauives, 1t Wau Dot visited, ‘he party then went down into THE KITCHENS and bake-rooms, whare cords of bread in square laaves were piled up, sud an immenso caldron of beef Boup was boiling on the rauge. This was stirred with a gigautic ladle in the bands of a red-faced, corpulent cook jocased in a long white atron that mado bim look like an apimated eack of meal. It was guch a pot as reminded one of the witches' cal- dron, and it boiled and bubbled, sending forth a not unsavory smoll of vegetables, but looking as though it were full of trouble for deiicate stom- acis. Tho pasty wero asked to partako, but, with blind prejudice, acclined. 'The culivaty do- partment, Like everything else about the institu- tion, 18° a marvel of tidiness and cleanhness. The long rows of tin platters shone from conlin- ued poushing. Tho tin cups trom which the prisoners drivk their coffeo also tried to imitato them, aud onty failed for lack of sufficient sur- face, 'Tho diffarent cooks aud swaiters wose at~ tired in_eimilar disproportionato aprons and wore white paper caps on their heads. Thero was no:hing abou: tho establishment in fact but what was freshand eppetizing, and reflected high credit upon the person in charge, whoever he may be. x After picking at 8 loaf of bread as though it were a natural curiosity, to bo tested with ex- tieme caution, the party was nextled into the open air to tae rear of the buildine, the Suo- rerintendent agan going through tho myste- rious matkematical calculation, which everybody understood, but which everybody pretended not to notice. The party bcinfi found numerically complete,—aud it oughs to bave boen mentioned before that it had gome way gathered recruits, enddrasn m voluntee:s from nnespected sources, until it resembied an army of invasion.—they were let out one by oue, and the door carefully locked and bolied Lebind them, as if they woud heve eccaped aud £03 Lack again if thoy could only have had the chatice. THE SCENE OUTSIDE was an_unespected, but intoresting one. The Jaud owned by the citr. and used 1n tho labors of toe House of Corrcction, comprises geveral hundred acres. Snread over this in every dirce- tion were many hundred jaborors in the vario 18 z ing a large teawn- lon the outskirts ing, bricklaying, ete. The process of Lrick-making alone required a large share of the workmen, who were all attired in the prison-dress. In one placo a namber of them were operating the grinding mills, in which horse-power is used. ‘Tue clay itvelf is dug upon the premises, aud the first process is to run it through this wil, which reduces it to & fine mixture, hke pulp. It is then run into the molding or brick machioes, in charze of sooiher sst of bauds, aud carefully pressed ipto proper shepe. Another panz of workmen mn a line of wheelborroas to and from the machines to the drying ground, whese the brick are laid ont 1 long, regniar rows to diy 10 thesun. From hero they aro taken to the Kiln in_anolier part of the grounds, which employs stiil_another large gang of workmen, and beked. They wers opening ozie of the piies of brick, just fresh from the lagt process, as tue v came upon the ground, snd of 0 ke upon Ing this they mada a rush to see the excite- ment. It did not turn out to be anyway 1emark- able. The biick were very much liks ordinary brick, and, it is said, bring as 300d & prica as any 10 the market. Thero wero no marks of felony unon them but they turned oai extraordivarily well, lookiny as equare and honest a3 any bricka could. Tois was romething of a disappoinzment to some ¢f the party, who rather began to fear that tuey were bein: imposed upon. Having exhausted the overscecs with all sorts of questions, asked with a profonud solemnity that couveyed some ruint iaea of how impotent the subject of bricks bad saddenly become (o them, the purty gradually bro%e up into a num- ber of swall parties of investivation and cu- riosity, snd wandered ali wver the gronnds, getting in the waz Of the laborers, aud dodaing tho wi:eelbarrowe, and looking at ovarything as though tuoy wero determined to penctrate the recesses of the whole business, which, for its part. wes attempung in vain to cvade them. Some digging cis; TWO OR THREE DIVERSIONS only happsued. Ounce with Mike, who had bitched i3 horse and jomed the Aldermatie patts. und bad graduaily risen from an obscare snd mouest begiuniag 0 25075 of prompter and leader for tho whole _ company, came suddenly upon a comgatriot. who. dressed iu the regnla- tion stripes, was cngaged 1o the uofamiliar task of mixing mottar. He was & shert man, and enormouely fat, and the incongiuity of a fal man mixiug mortar was 80 strifiug 25 to arrest the attention at once. Mike fasiencd bis ghttering eve upon him, and in kpite of bisdowncast modesty of demeanor. and the fact that be was bursting out of bis prison-clothes, recornized and hailed him at once as Swipey Jum, n_rival back-driver, Jim owned up that he had fallen from his bigh estate, and was ashamed of tumeelf, The disgrace of mix~ ing mortar bad Lroken his proud spirit, aud toars stood iu hus eves as bo -told how it hapoened. Hie who mizht auv day be called npon to repre~ sent big ward in the Cotmon Council, or e sent 28 a representativo of the intellizent people to the Capital of the State, to be here, and mixing mortat, and all on account of a mistake; this wes hard indeed. - The noble-minded man was left wiping a tear from his houest eye with his limey lorcfioger. Perhavs be has recovered, and may be voted into oftics yet. At another time one of the distinguished Al- dermauic visitors, in crossing a little stream of mingled mud aud water which ran through the grouods, stepped too beawily upon the single board znd it gave way becenth him. It was with rome difficulty that thoe honored feet of tne members from’ the —:h were extncated from the quagmire, amid the sympathies of tae sur~ rouadiy: party. They camo up like the suction- valves of tno great water-cngine, and left a hole bebind them which looked liko the ragged edge of the bottomless pit. Finally, however, thoso adveo s over, the party withdrew from the fimunds heving firet loarned tha: (he stone and uick wail which is to completely surround the emises i8 now ebout balf dope, and is build- ing by the prisoners themselves. 'As thoy ekirted the groands upon their return they came at in- teryals upon auARDS 7 who wore etationed with loaded guhs st varions points, and wero oo the coutinual outlook for tscaping prisoners. Only tareo esceped durin: the past vear owing to this vigilance, thoug] many attempts at a rescue wore made from ‘within and without. Just a8 the party camo around the commer in sigat of the office n familinr-looking oquipage drove up to the door and stopped. ‘The attend~ antsend guards from the inside rushed . out to meet the strangers, egain reminding_ the visitor of the hotel-like appearance of the offics. They did not take their packages and valises from them, bowever, and make them welcomo with buscling nospitality. This was partly because they had po valises or other baggaso of any kind. The guards stood on either side of TILE RLACK MARIX, and thero filed ogt of it » motley crowd. such as may bo seen suy day faking & ride in the corpo- ration venicle referred to, snd slowly filed up the steps. It was a pitiable spectacle, rendered more 80 from being disassociated from the usual surroundings. Theio were old men and women in the crowd, young girls who smiled back in shameless badinage-apon the spectators. Stroog, bearty young men, with unshaven faces and_uncombed” shocks of hair, and bearing the marks of dissolution all over them, reminding omo forcibly of the Prodigal Son ss depictsd by Dubufe, Thare wace sas » aumber of 15ds, and w0 or threo little girls in rags and tatters, and looking prematurely old and anxious. As for the boys, several of whom had been thers be- fore, they ran up the stairs withont halting, and seemed to be glad tn gt back. This was an in- stallment of ~prisovers from_the city jails and stations, and about such & lot 8 are sent out evers afternoon. When the company entered the offics, they were being examined. There was a rush toward the rail, where the clerk, who had sgain elid off bis highly-polished stool, stood ready with book in hand to record the answers to questions. “Bhure, and give the ladies a chance first,” 6aid the guard, pushing back the ill-couditioned strugglers all ready to get into a_ dispute, even for this right of pre-eminence. With that they fell back, and the ** Iadies ™ stepped to ths frout. What a bitter gatire it eeemed on the name of woman to call these creatures ladies. The igno- 1ant guard himself Jooked around as if for a| roval of his witticism, and smiled to bimself when he said it. The Iadios,” 100, understood, and frowned bitterly, or looked around with & contemptuous hardihood more shocking still. ‘Toey were then called apon to tell thoir names, age,” and occupation, if any: by whom they were tried ; for what offense ; amount of tine or davs of imprisonmont; whethier they had pre- viously been commutted: and thewr nation: social condition ; whether married or einglo ; parents fiving or not,—after which they wero digmissed to the care of the authonties of tho prison, which they entered by tne duor to the side of the oflice, already mentioved. As it mighit prove ledious to give the answers made in detail by the prisoners, SOME FIGURES from the last yearly report of the House of Cor- rection, or City Dndewell, by both of which Dames it ia knows, may be given at this poiut. The whole number of prisoners received during the year was 5,934, miving an average daily pop- ulation of 5113, "Of these, 3,064 claimed it to be their first commitment, and 2,570 admitted provious resideuce withw the building. Five thousand seven bundred and ninety-four were scnt out from the Police Justices' Courts, a=d 140 were committed from the Criaiinal Court,— theso last bewg chuliren in almost every in- stance, who had committed crimes of the hein- ousnees of which lenient justico believed them to be in some degres ignorant. OF THE VARIOUS OFPENSES, 4,206 were for breaches of peaca; 736 intoxica- tion: 661 vagrancy : 200 for keeping or being an inmate of a disorderly Louse. There were various other offeuses and some crimes, petty larcenv predominating, and one being com- mitted for murder. Theaverage age of tne mass of prisouers reveals curious food for retlection, being s follows : Age 26 to 30, 1,065 ; 23 to 25, 794; 31 to 85, 720 ; 36 to 40, 74d; 71 to'50, 14 ; 10 to 15, 877; 7 years oid, 2. Their occupations were: Laborers, 906; saiiors, 315; cavpenters end joiuers, 189; drivers and teamsters, 253 ; paiuters, 157 ; no occupation, 323 ; printers, Gi; tailors, 74; and a variety of othersn different oc- capetions. The fewmalos hud been employed as follows: ‘Servants, 344; washorwomen, 174; cooks, 121 ; actressos, 3; chambermaids, 1, Tho pativity of tho iomates was as fol- lows: Upited Siates, 2,691; Irelsud, 1,862; Gormany, 416; England, $0i; scattering, 72l. The ensuing figures give opportuuity for matiimonial reflection, © and poiot & moral all their own: Bingle, 3.9588; mar- ried, 1,946. During the year thera wero 186,639 raiions iusned ; aud the enterprise, which was @eant in it original purpose to be self-support- iog, had proven profitable to the followiug ex- tent : Sale of brick, $21,000 ; productive labr, £6,839.93 ; constiucuve iabor, ¥6,871,21 ; wich un incidental expence of $48,012.70. It is expected that the uext report will show an improvement upon these figwies, but it will bo o or threo yesis before it can be put upon ayeell-supporting basis. The Superivtendent desired to call the atten- tion of the ciaritably-inclined to_the micat need that exists for reading matter, old books, papers, etc., including tracts and Sunday-school ro- mauces, of course, winch the visitors promised to urge upon their friends, Having thus ecen all that was to Le scen, and leara everything, and accepted still another cizar, the party were ready to embark for home auain, and ordered the embrso poldicians who managed the several hacks to bring their venicles to the door. Thin was done, aud, after shalang hands all around once more, ths Commuttee proceededin due state to enter tho carrtages and drivo away, carrying witn them the blessings of tae inmates, and ra~ diant with tue happineso of haviug served thoir city a8 & body of sell-sacrificing patriots should. INVOCATiON. Let me view you from a distance, As T know twould breuk the spel! That Imaginstion ' woven, 11 I cate to know you well, 1 bave made you an fdeal,— Pusced vou in a niche 30 rare Tisat to bring you cloeer to me Would destroy the impress fatr, Let me know you, should T meet you, As the bemng I bavy Chsaiiag me to notler actions, 1In & peaceful midni tht—dream. Let me thiuk of 01 Wich pieasure,~ + _ ure, exalted, free from gulle; Innocence sud Virtue biemded, As we fiad thewn i & caild, Nature has endowed you rataly; Gifts unnumnbered ure your own.— Evarything to make hfe bappy, Ur'to lead a chiarm to home, Many would be proud to have you As thair owD right beaconestar : Yet, to keep you an fdeal, Tishouid view you from afar, W.'A. AnusTnONa, Plancherte. From the Dnvury News, “Muarder willout” is ns sure as fate, and thero i nothing sv inevitable, unleas it is plane checie. Tho other das [ had a conversation. with Mr. ——, well, never mind the vame, but ho is s real personage, and dcclares that the following in- cident 18 of actcal occurrence. By the way of prologue, let me mention that Mr. G. (that initial {uuks a8 well as any other)isa firm believer 10 me~merism, aud even dabblesa littie m that **mysterious xcionce "—to the ox- teut of tipping tables, movitg chuirs, and cther articles of tmnituie by the ** subtle essence,” or the forco of will, aided by perfect faith, as he batnit. ] Somo years ago, when planchette first made its bow before the American public, lr. G. bo- camo deoply intercsted 1 it vagaries, and soon became an_expert in its managewent—had it en- tirely subject to his will, and many were the stariling disclosures made’ through its sgency. But the * capsheal " was tins: r. G. announced to his moro skoptical ac quaintances that be would old o seance at bis Louse, when thie doubters wight easly be con~ vinced of the error of their way, or belief. ‘Ine hour srrived, and with it those interested —devpito skepticisi—in the workiogs of thie wounderful bit of wood. Among the yuests was 2 family, who may be called, for convenience sake, tho B.'s—fathers, mothers, and married daughters. Various questions were put and apswered, satistactorily or otherwise; but generally other~ wise. ‘Then the B.’s were obeerved in close conversa tion, a little asde from the rest.of the guests, By tho way, this family were recent ariivals, and of their past bistory but little was known, ven by the most curious of the gossipers. They avpeared to be respectable people, nnd were greatly liked by their new sequaintances. Mr. B. then advancea andsaid be wonld like to test the vowers of placchette. He was told to ask & question in bis own mind, aod plan- chette would endeavor to angwer it, throngh the medinm of Mr. znd Mrs. G., whose fingers were pressed upon the wooden heart. All wus silenco for & few moments. Every eso was rased upon tho iostrument, Then it began to move, and revealed » huge figure 4. “Wroug!" ehouted Mr. B., clappmng his h):xnda gleefully; * Wrong!"—she's only had three!” His test-question was: “How many hus- ‘bands bad lus wife buried 2" As the entire company bad been strangers to him and bis until 8 year past, ho felt assured that plauchette must speak entirely of its own know:edge. This question was the last one propounded, and the company soon after dispersed; bat it was naticed that the Lively Mrs. B, was strangely subdued, and that sbe and her danghter whis- pered toether very earneatly. The next day Mr. B. called upon Alr. G., and, after a little talk, abraptly said: “I want to buy that planchette thing of yours, neghbor, or else get yon to promiza not to work it soy more. You know I thought yon ‘made a fool of yourself last night, but instesd I find I was the fool—and have been for the last thirty years past. What d's’ think wife said to me after we got home ? You know I eaid your fignra was one point too high—that she'd only bed three. I didu't kmow I was Isiog, until wife sad, gays sho: *Father, Ido believo the very Old Boy bimself is in that plaguey thing!' Says : *Whatdo you mean? It guessed wrong. It 8aid that you'd bad four hushands.’ Says she: * Well. father. the fact is, I had one that you didn’t kmow anything sboat. " —A Iady correspondent of & Western joarnal thinks there ought to be astatute of limita~ ;i:: ‘:'zunn the seappssransd of longrloat hug- FRUIT. Extent of Chicago Business in That Article. Number of Firms Engaged---¢ Reg- ulars* and “ Sidewalkers.” Average Profits---The Supply, and Whencs It Comes. California Fruits. Few of thoee who make the morning round of South Water atreet in quest of their daily allow- ance of fruit hsve the faintest ides of the im- portance of Chicago aaa fruit market, or of the exteat of territory which is levied upon to supply the ever-increasing demand of the Chicago trade. The present season Laswitneased a more bountifal supply and THE FINEST DISPLAY of fruits of vsrious kinds than bas been ssen for many a year. 1n baskets and in boxes; in bartels and in crates ; piled in gracefully-shaped pyramids, orscattored in picturesque confusions the blusuing peach, in ita basket-shaped house of willow, hias smiled a genial welcome to her rosy-cheeked neighbors, the apple and the pear; crimson-blue plumbs peoped coquettishly out on heaps of golden quinces ; while great clusters of purple grapes held friendly converse wizh their more diminutive nvals, the rich and dainty borry. To show the enormous extent of the trade in fruits of various kiuds which bas grown up so rapidly in our midst, is the intention of thi arti- clo, It has beoon found exceedingly difficule, if not altogetber impossible, to obtain statistica which are eatirely perfect ; but, from such data as wero collected, it can bo shown that, asa market for fruit, Chicago ackuowledges but ono peer, and that s New York City ; and, in the item of California fruits, Cuicago “stands absoluiely without a rival. Alost of the commiesion-houses handling fruit are locatod on South Water street, which is THE BEE-UIVE OF CHICAGO. The street is built up solidly aud substantially, aud for a distavce of four bloces; extending from Wells to State street, on both sides of the strect, thero are, with but one or two excepuons, no houses not handling fruit to a greater or less ox- tent. The street is jammed with teams and the sidewalk crowded with foct-passen) o'clock 1 the morning until 7 at ni in this locality ars higher than 3 in auy other - portion of Chicazo, cach foot. front binging an annual rentsl of 150, Besides - the housss on this sreef, there ate about twentv-five each on West Lake and Kiozie streete, and quito & number on South Water, outside of tue limits given above, mak- ing & total of 250 firms doing 3 commission bugi- ness only. Outside of these, who may bo called the regular dealers, aro what aro termed, in the patlance of the street, * sidewalk men ;" that iv, persony who with but little capital buy of the “regulars " in smal] lote, reut 80 muny feet front on the sidewalk, aud there resell to the coneumer. This latter class number about seventy-five, and ace woiking on capital varying in extent from $5 to £200. Sume of these deaters frequently cloar 8 bigh as S50 per day, tuming their capital over half-a-dozea times in ten hours. Someof them pay as hizh 23 $365 per au- num for a space of sidewslk 10 feet by 4, but 1t i8 in thewe primitive storcrooms that a good many of the *regulars™ Lave commenced, ~An empty peach-box 18 improvised into a counter, the ceils ing in the untversal canopy of blus, trom which the cobwebs are never swept. and the street is tho door, which requires uo boits or bars. At night some neigbboring cellar urnishes a friend- 1y rhelter for the eurplus stock, which is usually small. The BIDEWALKERS sometimes mutter curser, not loud but deep, over what they cail the periidy of the **regulars” in selliug to the consumer by the single ‘basket or pound as cheaply as to them. ‘This1s not generally dove, bowever, unless it is on Saturday night, whon, in_the frantic end-avors of all the Gealers, ‘both great aud smwall, to “cleanup " the stock, ivstead of carrying it over to dlonday morning, fruit is sometimes sold for'about one-balf of its first cost. 'The * side- walkers " usually repack all peaches, pears, piume, aprlcs, aud quinces, and sowebimes play mauy ticks on the unwary and confidivg cus- towers thut are vain and peculiar. Some bave seen & baskot of sickly-looking peaches, that looked as though aufferiaz from a severa’ attack of “contraction,” transfurmed in_the twink- ling of an eye by the deft ' hauds of an expert * packer " iuto basket of luscious fruit, glowiug with tinted besuts, and blusping with the connciousness of tho deceit in whica they are nowitungly compelled to play a part. In order to show t THE CXTENT OF SALES of fruit in this city, there Las been prepared a table showiug thé daily traueaciious in round figures of che 250 firms doing business 5 aversge $1,000 per day. 20 average 400 per da; 16,000 aversge 600 per day. 10,000 2yaver.go 300 por day... ,000 40average 200 per du 58,000 145 aversgé 100 per day. 14,500 = H 250 5 59 500 To this 53d the business of eeventy-fiye eide- walk men,—averagiug 30 ench,—aua thére is & grand total of £61,750 a8 tne buciness of a single day, or atotal for the sesson (s1x months) vf §11,269,375. ; The salcs of peaches alone, in one dav'during the prasent season, foosed up over sz7,5uz. TUE QUANTITY received each day is euormous. Takihg the mouth of September a8 au_ tverage, the follow- 1ng are yiven as the receipts for the month: By lake (baskets peaches)......... 672 By Jibnols Central Raitway 1y). ... 2,324,041 By Michigan Sout Truits, 1b9)..... Lieeeieen R5T0.305 By express companics (green fruits, 1bs) 167,957 OB o e uiars 6,062,203 The arrivala by lake are ali in bankets; ench bazket coutalus an average of 15 lvs, give ing numer of pounds recelved by fake.. 5,620,080 Total receipts for September.... 10,682,283 Or enough to fill 534 freight-cars, which would make train over 4 milcs in length. Lesdes this amount of green [ruit, there were received, during the quarter eudiug So Dried apples Dried peachies. Dred blackberri Total pounds dried frul In addition to this, over 46, appies werc received in the same time. ach barrel of apples weighs 150 pounds ; this gives us < Pounds, Apples in barrels, 7,027,500 Dried fruits. 1,031,784 Green fruits.... 10,652,233 Or a grand total of, 18,791,567 Or enough to fill 240 cars, making 3 train over 7 miles 1 lngth, exclusive of engines. ‘The question naturally arises, WHERE DOES IT ALL COME FROX ? ¥ The frais season proper commeuces abont the middle of May, aud is uehered in by the appear- ance of rhe atrawberrv, which comes to usat first Lzom Tennessee and Alsbame, the greatest quantity being shipped from Mobile. They are pucked m 24-quart cases. As the sun travels north and the season becomes warmor, the sup- ply-points erawl up the road through Micsissippi, Tcunessee, and Illinois; in_this State the country adjacent- to Cobden, Centralia, Carbondale, and Alton being especially adapted to raising fruit of a superior quality, and from this section & Iarge percentage of our shipments are received. A3 theseason becomes still moro advanced, the Chicago market is sapplied from the North, Michizan furniahing the greater quantity. _ A very large perceutage of the fruit from that State is shipped from St. Joseph and Denton fiarbor. At the time we first receive early fruits from the North, the late frmt from the South begins to arrive. The * season™ oce cupies from four to fivo weoks 1n its journey portaward. All early Southern fruitis shipped Dy cxpreas, and all peaches aro packed in boxes. The strawberry-scascn lasts until July 1, black raspberries and blackberries taking teir place. These last until nearly October. Apples are first received in Jane, and fall on the same bue of march a3 does the berry, 23 indeed do sll fruits raceived. Peaches first come into market about July 4, commencinz with Hale'a Early. Pears make their appearance abont July 15, the old favorue, the Esrtlett, coming firat. Tlums come into viow near the Ist of Septem- ber, and are followed by the golden qaince 2bout min‘y days thereafter. The grape first shows itself in the middle of July. VARIETIZES, Q1 the peach we bave Hala's Eaxly, Fro tbs',— & eickly variety, —Crawford’s,—early and late,— 014 Nixon, Morris' White, hite Heath, Key- port, Sugar Peach, George IV.. and. Birascd. Ot;r e:fi[\es I:annurly all {mnishedhx;_v Tllinois and Alichigan, 70 per cent of the cntire amount being from the latter Stats. A NEW PEACH. Dealers and frut-growers will be glad to learn that a new seedling pescl made its _appearance in this market during the Jast month, The par- ent tree grew near the residence of Mayor Free- man, 2 or 8 miles west of Cobden. He named it Freeman's October. It is verv large, and of most delicions, spicy flavor, thongh different from any that judges remember to bave ever tasted. Mavor Freeman Las 2,500 irees just coming nicely into vearing, and, if nothing uo- toward happeas to them, our citizens generally will pext year bave liberal opportunities to an- joy this néw aud splendid feuit. : PEARS, ETC. Native pears consist of the Bartlett, Sickel, Duchess, D'Angonleme, Virgalu, Flemish Beauty, and Bugar pears. Thess are exclusive of the dif. foroat varieties of California pears, which will be enumerated under the pioper head. New York, California, Michigan, and Iilinois furnish most of the pears. The best varietiea of quinces are the orsuge, apple, and poar. They are never pleaty, and are alvaya i great demand. Plums are sbipped in crates of four drawers, each drawer containing half a bushel, and in variety consist of the Dawson, green-gage, and wild red. Wo may add they are nearly aleays scarce, those in the market being shipped from 2 distance, more coming from Obio than any otber region. Grapes flood the market 1n endless variety, and in almost unlimited quantity,—the Catawba, Delaware, and Concord being the favorites, Bemides these, we have the isabells, Black Ham- burg, Rogers 14, Iows Seedling, Ionia, Clinton, Diana, and Malaga. Three-fourthe of all the grapes shipped to this market come from Michigan and Ohio, the bal- ance from New York, Iudisos, Wisconsin, and Illin Of those from Ohio, Berlin Heighta aud Kolly's Iuland furnish the greatest quantity. I'he price during the season hes averaged 5 cents per pound. Apptes abound in their usual variety, the twouty-ounco pippin_being the favorite and bringiog the best price. The Summer Queen, Red Astrachan, Rbode lsland Greening, Parisian Bzek-no-Further, Baldin, Ruseet, Summer Pip- pin, Fall Pippin, Belldowor, Taiman Sweet, Pound Sweet, Tompkine' King, Winesop, Snow Apple, Gillflower, Lady Applo, Spitzenberg, and Northera Spy, are among tho common varieties in this market. Seventy-five per cent of all the arples received in Chucazo come from Michigan ; tte balance are divided botween New York, Obio, Illinois, and Indiana; & very few coming from Miesonri, Wisconsin, Ions, and Kansas. All early fruit comes tho first of the scason by express prepaid. When fruit1s plonty, the Ii- linois Central Railroad Company runa special,call- eds ' ruorr TRATY, Just behind the express, and is abont the only road which does this, savo the Michigan Cen-~ tral, which runs what is called a peach train, These trains sometimes consist of fifty cars, All erly finit reaches the aty by rail’; the rest comes by steamer from Michigan. A week of unusually warm weather sometimea floods the rurket, and the richest varieties can be bought for a song. During the sscond week of Septem- ber the average daily reccipts were 50,100 bas- kets and 10,000 boxes of peaches alone, aud the price for best Crawfords ranged aslow as 50 cets i job lots. No sdvauces are made by cowmission men on cunsignments of green fruit. The winter trade of these houses consists in baudling_apples, pears, and dried fruits, Michi- gan aud Now Yorx furnishing the largest quan- tities. Qur dried peaches coms mainly from the South. CALIFORNIA FRUITS earry off the palm wherever known for size, flavor, and beauty of acpearance. The display 1 this wasket this scason has been unusnally large, sod oune of extraordinary maguoificence. Chicago bandles 100 per cent more of tbis “fruiv than does New York City. Parties who baodle it hLere, in some caros, have tho power to stop a shipment on way through to New York, and, if necessary, re- ceive it in this macket. The finst shipment this season was on the 25th of July, and consisied of pears and plums. Tite sbipments will probably closa by Nov. 1. Al of this fruic comes in boxes, each poar, A;zrga, or plum being wrapped all carcfully in paper. Duling the firat thirty days of the seaton shipments. aze made by express at & cost of €301 per cargo. After tlus the ship ments are by freight at & cost of 301 per car. Comiug by oxpress, the frait ia on the road from six to seven days, and by freight from thirteen o fourteen daya. Each car contutus 50U boxes, and eact box will weigh 45 pounds. There are six firms in thia city who bandle California fruit, aud during the sea~ 80n an averago of ten car-loads is received per week. We give below the varieties and prices of Calilgrnin pears and grapes, per box, in this murket, In pears: Baurre Clergian, $4.00; Vie car of Wakeficld, $4.00; Pound Pesr, 35.00; Bartlett, §4.00; Bourre Hardi, $3.50; Easter Beurre, §3.25; ' Winter Nellis, 53.00; Columbis, §4.00; Bourre Diel, $3.00@3.50; ' Lawrence, £8.00; Disna, $8.50; Orange, 33.00; Ducless, $3.50; Dixon, £5.00; Gloat Morcean, $3.50; Seckd, 83.00; Fiemwuh Beauty, §4.00. 'The f vorite in this market is the Winter Nellis. Iu grapes, the ‘Tokay brings. 20c per pound ; - Mugcat, 15¢; and Blue Martelle, 10c. amces bring 21.00 per box. Dry figs aed [rchesarealo shipped from Califoruia; omo ot of peaches bringing readily $1.25 per dozen. The loss on early fru.t 1s 33)¢ per cent, and during the season will average 10 per cent of the emire amount 1eceived. It is eaid by dealers that this has been a bad sessou for them. In order to show THE EXTENT OF THE TRADE in Catifornia fiust, we lerewi:h produce an ex- tract from the Sicramento Recordof Ang. I, betore tha shipments had fairly bezun : Our report of frult and vegetable shipments Esst for the week is exceedingly gratifying. The ship- ments continue to fucreies, and we mball not be surprised the eusuing week If the ship. ‘ments sball rise to 700 tons, ~Brooks, Holland & Co., 40 toas of {rait and 5 tous of vegetables ; A. H. Cum- mings & Co, 160 tons_of fruit 24 “tons of vegetables; Lyon & Burnes, 85 tons of vege- tables, butter, and eggs; W. R. Strung & Co, 85 tons of fruit and 25 fond Of vegetables; K. Levy, tous of fruit and 15 tous of vegetables; Hammer & EeLer, G tons of_vegatablea; tolal, fruit, 333 tons; vegetables, otc., 214 tons; gross tons, (9. The ship- menis in small” fota by lighter dealers will raiss the sum total considerably abovo the figures—G00 tons— which we last Suturday set for the mit of the week's shipment. . The actual aggregateis 20 lons in excess of Lust week's Sgures. Five tons of butter and eggy are, however, included this week, making the fruit aud vegetable shipment proper 564 tons, Doubtless sn ac curate sccount of all the shipmeuts of the smaller dealers would Tajee the entire alipments 10650 tons, This proves our prognostications of last waek to have ‘been more than realized. Certainly the fruit snd veg- ‘gtable markot of Sicramento is in 3 fourishing condis tioa, Inone day during the month of September over 50,000 packages wera recoived in Clicago, 0f the entire amouat received hera 50 per cant is reshivped, 75 per centof tne 50 per cent going to New York. WHERE DOES IT GO ? Of the ontire amount of fruits of all kinds received here two-sixths of it 18 sold: to the * gidewalkers,” one-sixth immediately _re- shipped to poms in Mionesora, Wis- conein, Iows, aud Canads, while 30 per cent, gt the bn-lnnl:‘.a mh sold to Chi- cago shipp snd the rest to grocorymen. ot 3355";} ceut of the entire smount re- ceivod is consumed in the city. Of the amount 8old to eidowalk-men fully 333¢ per cent is ship~ ped in emall lots all overthe Northwest. ‘The loss to the producer by shrinkage, break- age, and decay is about 5 per cent of the whole amount. Ly the time the frait reachesthe con- sumer only about 90 per cent of it is left. Of the early fruit 50 per cect of the amount ro- caived is consumed in Chicago. = HOW IT PAYS. There are very few honres in_the city hand~ ling fruit exclusively. Such 28 do, however, are making money. In the ranks of these commis- sion men are found veterans who bave mede their weary pilgrimages of tho street for a quar- tor of & century, and whoso opinions aro_receiv- ed as law and “gospel by their more juvenilo brethren. There is ono firm which commenced business on the street upward of five:years ago whose bank acconnt_to-day shows ' handsomo balance of nearly $20,000.” Xkere aro but few failures to record, and those which have occurrea base becn of no great maguitude. The conclu- sion forced upon onc by & continued round of the streetand a peep at several *‘balanoes in bank” s, that in proportion to the amount of capital invested there i8 no legitimate business witnin tke limuts of Chicago tbat pass 8o largely and gurely 28 docs the traffic in fruits. To tha roducer “tho result is not always so gratifying. Rfoney was mado this seacon in Sonthern srmita, while” ou Afichigan fruit the margin has been emal, if & small loss does not stare the shipper in the face. Some car-loads of California fruit have been #old for less than enough to pay the freight. Ope firm recently paid $9,010 freight on ten car-loada of fruit. Culiformia fruit has nover proved paying investment o the shipper —so it is emid—and the firms quoted sbovo as shippers cortainly display & beroisra worthy of = martyr in their edtermination to give the East a taate of the prodncts of that far-off Golden State, at & posi- tive pecuniary loss to themselves. .Verily, the millannial diys are well-nigh st the door of Christian Americs; more ly thay parh of it fondled by the waves of tho mild Pacifie. In view of the above showing, it certainly re- quires no prophetic vision to sse the dsy in the uo distant future when Chicago shall be the great fruit market of the nation'; the day when the North, the South, the East, and the West, outof their abundance shallgour lavishly into bor lap the products of the fimest fruit-rezions on the face of the globe. Wa believe the trafic In froits in_Chicago is vet iu its ewaddling olothes, and look forward in confidence to tha hour when, etripped of these, it sball coms forth 2 soung giantin proportions,—in grandeur and prids the glory notof Chicago only, bat of the whole world. METROPOLITAN MODES. The Latest Hats--The Gray Felt Amorphous Head-Coverings. An [Increased Fullness of Skirt, and Its Attendant Train of Evils, Variations in Aprons..~Their Most Formidable Rivals. Heavy Silk Guipure the Fashionable Black Lace---Malines Restored to Favor. Frowm Our Oun Correspondent, Nuw Yomx, Oct. 14, 1874, Evory year we are prons to declare the new hats more unbecoming and ungainly than ever before. Bat, hitherlo, we have misused our mother-tongue. Though we kuew it not, su- perlatives, ere this, have been wretchedly out of place. Privately, I am inclived to think that some of the masculine hat-houses, having bad large stooks of felts left over for a season or two post, must have disposed of them cheaply to willivers, who agreed to bring them out assome- thing novel for women. AUTUMYN HATS. Certain it is, that no sbadow of difference can be detected between a majority of the new femi- mine head-coverings aod the soft summer felts worn by men. They are identical even to the parrow repped ribbon binding, and the band around the crown. There are, of course, varia- tions of the high-crowned, mannish style; but that prevails, and may well be considered the style of the sezson. Indeed, certsin economi- cal persons ate trimming and freshening their husbands’ last summer’s hats, thereby rendering themselves modish and thriftful at the same time. The brims of the hats are unwired, and therefore offer an irresistible opportunity for Jjeunt, and pokes, and dents, which is eagerly embraced by the trimmers. They are turned up on the sides, before, behind, at the corners, wherever, in short, it pleases the fancy of the wearer. The effects produced are extraor- dinary. Now, you will meet a pretty, young gisl whose hat gives her tho appearance of hav- ing fallen sod flattened her face and hat to- gether. The next one looks as if she had turned down the brim to thed the rain, bat had neg- lected to bend tho left eide. Number three comes along with her hat perched back at the same angle we wers tanght to hold our pens when we were patiently (or otherwiso) trans seribing the moral precegts of our cops-books. Tl wuder is, how a hat can be mads to atay on atsuch an elevation, without visible means of support. Tho elastic which once secured it is no longer vieible, and awful suggestions of giue, gum, aud tin-tacks, presont themselves. ‘T'he wiRe ones say, however, that the secrat con- msts in a wonderful ekill in preserviog the centro of gravity. and—an unlimited use of long bair-pine stuck suraight through the felt into— I bad slmost said the head—but, on reflection, I do pot believa the heads are all soft enoagh to admit of this. I speak of feits alone, because, thus far, scarcely any made hats are shown. Gray 18 the fashionable color, aud the tall, brigand hat—without the dent 1o the crown—the favorite shape ; though other colors and other shapes are not uncommon. The timming 18 comparatively plain : & plain velvet bmding, or no binding at all, on the edge;and a plain velvet, or velvet and silk, band acound thecrown. The bows aud loops, which ate not many, are placed wherever the brim 18 upturned sgainst the crown, and are supposed to hold it in pogi- tion. - Among the bows are stuck tho feathers, ostrich-plumes, game-wings, or robine’ breasts. If flowers or leaves are desired, they too are added to the general mass. Jet and bluo steol, in the shape of sprays, fringes, aud single orna- ments are intersporsed wherever they can be, and that is almost all over the whole. THE LATEST CHANGE in gowns {8 an increased fulloess, alas! Fora your or two now, we have had them a very sensi- ble, convenient, and comfortable - width,—a width that was perfectly mapageable both in and outdoors. And, though we arccontent with them exactly as Lhey are, having long cessed to prumblo attheir too great expanee or too narrow curtailment, we must be hated out of them, and into something wa detest, because, peiforce, it is a movelty. Of all years, this ia the last that ehould be chosen for ibcrousiug the exponse of dressing, which the streicning of skirts is equivalent to. The grester the width, the more material required to make them, and the mote trimming to cover thom,—to 8ay nothing of more strength to carry, and more skill to man- agethem. So long as the futlness is laid in the broad double box-plaits benind (I mentioned them last time), which are eecured to within a s few inches of tho hem, the extra braadths mil pot much matter ; for thoy will aot increase the spparent circumference of the skirt. But, when thie fancy for these plaits pasees, what is to be- come of us, and our superfluously-voluminous diapery? Ooe of the most serious results of the amplification of Gresses is the necessity of briuging back BUSTLFS AND HOOPED-8KIRTS, from which wo bave Lad a most welcome sur- cease. They are mevitable, and have alrcady begua to make themeelves manifest. The firat- named srticle, always s leading-up-to or toning- down-from the last, never cxists in its most pro- nouvced torm when its rival is in its prime. It must be allowed, that for wiutur‘gmmemding. and with heavy, clioging, woolen diesees, some kind of crindliine 18 a necessity. Therefore, as it1sto come back anybow, perlaps this season isas good as any for,ts retarn. The busie, as at present, 18 but a slender reproduction of its discarded precursor ; it i, in fact, 8 _httle ob- jectionablo in eize as ia 1t natare to be. But, of necessity, it will increase on regular grada- tiops, till it becomes the hooped-skirt proper. ©_ APRONS are the main_thing left us intact. To be sure, there are variations even in these; as, for ex- ample, the tuple apron, which is really very effective. Of the three, the lowest one reaches almost to the toe of tue boot; the second falls about to the knee, and the short upper one comes about balf-way between that and the waist. In eoft silks and woolen materiols, the triple apron 18 very graceful, especially if ail the edges are trimmed with folds aud fringe or lace. But, when this design is chosen for thick gros- grain, the two npperaprons have to be simulaced on tho under one. _ After this, the long, poinied apron, looped back over the tonrnuie, is the favorite. Thisis like the long. round apron in everytbing except being cat to s racher sharp point in fron:, andin frequently being orna- mented. Primarily, the most elegant aprona are of rilk, superbly embroidered,—somelimes in tho open English work, tbat allows the under- skizt to show through. Then come those made of bands of silk, or velvet, or gauze, or muslin, with rows of laco ivsertion betwcen. Setsof such aprons, witn sloveless jackets to match, are made of light shades of crepe de Chine, or twilled silk and Valenciennes or guipire inger- tion; and these sets are worn over biack and very dark mlks for dinner-iresscs. They are exquiste, and remarkably convenient to have in a wardrobe, for faey come in play when eversthing else seems to gmve out. Geaenally, the silk ana crepe stripes are about 8 finger wide at the botrom, sloping to an inch 2nd a Lalf at the belt, the in- sertion being 28 wide as—well, a8 wide ascan conecientiously be afforded. For plainer gowna with aprons like the mate- risl, the aprons are trimmed with perpendicular or horizontal bands of silk or velvet (tarninga sharp point in the middle of the front), either of the same shada or of a coptrasting color. But, in adopting this style, one has to consider ones height and figure. A tall, slender woman is absolutely grotesnue in an apron with perpen- dicular bands; while a ehort, ston: woman is eimilarly alfected by an spron trimmed in the contrary manuer. Changed about, however, each looks well, becauso her peculiaritics are toned down, 2ud in & measure concealed. 5 TAKLIERS vival sgzens, Quiis a8 mroy~Day, MOTe—oTen~ ing and dinner-dresses are seon with elsborate: ly-bedecked front-breadths, and withont any gverdrons at all, as are seen with aprons or any kind of drapery. Yenconntered one at & recep. tion last week. ‘Tt nad just come from Paris; so It is undoubtedly the lateat invention. The color is gray.—a soft, warm, smoke-gray,—and itt matorials aro gros-grain’ (very thick in quality, and very fine in cord) and velver a ' shade darker. “Tho {ram is longer and faller (a8 wo have beon forawarned, thaa tlat of last winter, aud is plaited on to th bel| 10 the back, wllhhrgedautnplobox»phlh. Amun‘& the edge of the wholo skirt is an S-inch, straight, :g::x:l,:-gn_l‘h.rgd tlounce of tho wilk, avd above at ounilar flogace of tly — being gathered with a handj:g'.d'“ g oruamentation of the skurt, excapt u; front breadth and ‘djcininglf(nres.?on Tiena -xmz sot bias 2-inch bauds of ihe velvet, 4 inches apart, running diagonally from the bacx seam of the gore on tha Teft to the correapond- 1R seam ontheright. Ou the lower sdge of each of these bands is a finger-wide row of fue Chantilly lace. pulled only snough to prevent drawing over the silk. The basque ia of valvet, in & somewhat English stylo, witn double squara tats bebind ; the whole corded with ilk. - The sleeves of silk bave disgonal rows of velvet and lace—like the skirt—Irom shoulder to wrist, where is s deep full of the lace with Valenciennes beeath. A little half-colar niso has inner trills of Chantilly and Valenciennes, ‘Unquestionably, the moat fashionsble black ‘' Laces this season are the heavy silk guipure, This iz the result of the Lesd mania. As people will bave beada, and besds on lace; und as tne frail and costly Chantilly will not bear the loads of glass, jet, steel, otc., demanded,—of course, some substitute that will bear the weight m be prepared, and the substitute is guipura. Itig pretty enough, and wonderfally durable, as evs erybody knows; but it can never Lave the light, dressy look of thread, nor is it so usefal, No “color or sbade .in tho kunownm world but 18 suitably trimmed with black tbread lace. Yet thers i really nothing upon which black guipure looks well, except black, The cost of the Iatter is more than the former, swhen their comparative usefulnessis conmdered | and its actaal cost, especially mow that it iy allied with jot, 8o nearly approaches the formor 25 to msko the difference of little amount. . Among white laces, the frosty Mechlin, or, as it1s now called, Alalines, is winning back ite losk prestige. As an iuvestment, it ia far below Valencienes in value, becauss its wearing capecity is so much less ; bat no Iace is so besw tiful and becomin; FurRELOW. WOMAN. Never attempt to form an opinion of & wome an's weight by her sighe. —Hull's Journal of Health says that when g woman gets o be over 30 years of age she ahonld niot marky 5 but who ever heard of & single wom- anover30? —** As fleeting 28 watering-place love " is now congidered an expresaive saying. —A magnificent voice for calling cows is all the young farmers af Colorado require of & wife in the way of musme. ~No young man is proof against a gum-drop when she holds it between her testh and invites himhlln take s hik;. T —Mrs. Nye, of Tows,can get supper, split kindlinge,waali the dishes, milk thecoms, and foed the hogs, while her five boys and two girls are Playing & gamo of croquet. —A New York family containing four dangh- ters camo pear starving to death last week cause the cook left and none of the girls sven knew how to make tea. —Twenty-one girlsof Kenosbabave ** Rerolred, That if the young men won't come and see us wa will go and see them.” Dida't we say that the raco of revolutionary patriots waso't yet ex- tinct ? —Any young lady who wishes to raise s mons- tache can always do 80 when she Lisses a young man who's got one. —It is never too Iate to mend or to marry, ssyx s certain writer. Bat, if yon marrya woman who saya * Mend I can't,” you may be a mendi- cant yourself before long. —Quito & sensation was produced in a fashe jonable Brooklyn boarding-house the ather morn- iug_ by a romantic young lady resding “The Bride of Abydos” at the breakfast table, iu tha gln‘laut:-vnh dispatching three large plstefuls of —A very fat English lady boasted that sbe had brought lier husband £20,000. * Welt, you look is!” replied her friend. —A Williamette (Oregon) farmer wanted s band last month to drive a resper, and his mar ried sister, who was thers on a vieit, heard him say he would pay $1.50 a day fora hand. Bhe stepped forward, claimed the job, took tho reins, mklfepx it up for several days, doing firat-rate worl —“Mss, will you take my sinister arm?" “Yes, #ir: and you too.” “I can spars but the afm, Mss,” replied the bachelor. “Then,” re- plicd she, *1 shan's take it. My motto is, Go the whole hog or notbing.” —When a Baltimore Liusband gots cold and careless and forgets his home, his wifs puts uy a letter “from an admirer,” asking her to elops and all tuat, and the husband's eatly love re- turos ad soon as he fiads the letter. —A correspondent states that s Missouri town has organized an Anti-Fashion Society. One of toe pledges taken by the female mempers 1s ** ta trample” on all dresees worn by ladies in pubiic with long trains, or which come below the ankle, —A womsan at Akron, 0., bas a mania for buy- ing corsete, and she has & stock of 231 ou hand, and only two calico dresses to cover them. —A Connecticut lady who wanta to know it informed by the Woman’s Journal that free-love was_puolicly advocated, 28 a theory, by tha Acabantisis of Munster and otber religious fanatics during the Protestant Reformation in thesixteenth century. —A sennimental exchange remarks that thert is notlung half so_sweet a3 love's young dream, excepling the luscious watermelon. _But justics to the unostentatious watermelon demands the statement that, while a good watermelon costs only 25 ceats, love's young dream often costs the infatnated young man toousands of dollars. —Imagine the wrath of a young woman wha riges from her seat 1n a car to give it to an old lady when sbe tarns around aud sees that the young man_ opposite is looking out of the win- dow, instead of gazing at her approvingly. -Father Chaucer was sound on the main question. Witness : What {4 better than gold? Jesper, Wit is better than jasper? Wisdom, What iu Letter than wisdom? Woman. ‘What is better than woman? Nothing. —Xow, just 28 » man begins to think that hig troubles ‘are over, as the cellar is paved with peaciies and tomatoes, bis wife looks him in the face and asks bow much grapo jelly he thiniy they will need, and what is the price of quinces. It's a weary world. —An ounco of mother,” eays & Spanish provorb, *18 worth a pound of clergy.” Butlet the mother be always pure, clesr, and withont blemish. Mother-of-pear] rather than mother- of-vinegar. —A married girl of 13 secking a divorce on the ground that ahe is too young, 18 one of the latest social developments of {ndianapolis. —In a recent action for a breach of promiss of marriage, the defendant’s counsel asked the plaintiff: ¢ Did my client enter into positive agreement to marry yon?” * Not exactly,” sha replied; *but he consted me & good deal, and ha toid my sister ne intended to marryinto our family.” —The young Iadies of tha city have Iapsed in- to the borid fashion of weanng stockings with broad white and brown stripes. This is the moro intoletablo ma the windy and alopping weather will soon be upon us. —An Ohio woman worked at odd timesfor nine years to piece a bed-quilt containing ever so many thousand pieces, and then hor husband seized {t to blanket hus mule, and said 1t saved him ping 6 shulliogs for an army-blacket. —How comforiable for a young wife to feel that her husband is a bountifal provider, and that sbe wilt never want for the necessrries of life! A newls-married man was recently direct- ed by hia wife to order some yeast, aud, not hav- ioga very well dofined ides of the srticle, he told the baker to eend up 23 worth. At9o'clock zext morning three men migat have been seen tuzging a caexof yesst up the front atops of that man’s house. —A gentleman found the othernight, much to his surprise, that bs wife knew something about draw-poker. The way of it was thi couple have two fine boy-babies. asleep in the ame bed the admiring father wone dored if anybody had a better pair than that. The wife thought not. The husband then said, spesking in parables, ss he thought, If wa could diaw three queecns, we would havea “foll” that would be bard to beat.”” And tha Isdy promrtly replied, “Excuse me, if you pleaze ; we'll stand pat on the pair we have.” —~Tbe Chinese in California buy their wives. My Celoatial, Ab-8sm, who dusts out my office, bsa recently imported one. Eam sent money to bis mcther, and in dne course of time the pur- chage arrived, and Sam brought her down for my imspection. Sho was as ugly a Chineso womsn 38 1 ever saw. 1 eaid, *am, not haudsome, eh?” Sam saye, “No, no handsome much; handsome gal cost heap inoney, aud all tme kick up—bobbery.” Saw had the correct idea of it, and was wisely content with a plain_articie that was most likely to stay by bim. Sam formed me that the original cost, with freixht and charges was £300—all it was worth.—New Xork Times' Corres; @ PR i