Evening Star Newspaper, December 5, 1896, Page 15

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1896-24 PAGES. 15 VIVE LA BLOUSE. CHAT ABOUT BLOUSES In Spite of Dame Fashion a Popular Article of Dress. OF VARIOUS SORTS AND COLORS Some Types Which Are Tasty and Stylish. WHEN WOMEN MEET Correspondence of the Evening Star. NEW YORK, December 4, 1896. HEY WERE A committee on something; probably flowers to be whee- dled out of fashion- able florists or candy from high-priced confectioners, for a charity fair. They were talking over their duties in a much-littered — beu- doir. Dresses had come home that morning, and had not t<en hung away. A blonde girl who wore an enormous turquoise ring, crossed the room, lifted a bodice that lay on a couch, studied the name and address on the band, drew a pencil and a scrap of Paper from her pocket book, and deliber- ately wrote both down. A groan of dis- may was only half smothered by the owner of the gown. “Sister Alice would take my ears off if she knew that,” she whispered to a tall young woman in brown at her side. “We only give that address to a very few of our choicest friends. Madame is wonderful, and if too many people come to know about her, up will go her prices, and then where will Alice and I be?” You can’t offend a girl who is getting fine clothes out of a few dollars more se- riously than by stealing the name of her dressmaker. Meanwhile the unconscious culprit was patting the front of the bodice and nod- ding approvingly. “Vive la blouse!” she exclaimed finally. The blouse was pretty enough to justify the one girl's wrath about the dressmaker and the other's exclamation. It was one of the component parts of a very dainty evening dress, and was cut low and square in the neck, though it had long sleeves. The material was a delicate blue chiffon mounted on glace silk. Over the chiffon were traced airy lace patterns, picked out in silver and steel. The frosty twinkle of the stuff was uncommonly good to see. The blouse was cut slightly full in front, not baggy, and was confined at the waist by a pointed belt of blue satin, with a big bow in front Cascades of | tine-pleated frills ran about the decolletage and fiut- tered like wings upon the shoulders. The sleeves of the embroidered chiffon were long and tight-fitting, expanding a little at the waist, and trimmed with lace frilis. ‘The skirt of which ‘the blouse was the complement was a soft, heavy brocade with a blue ground figured in silver. “Vive la blouse!” said the culprit again. Why the Blouse is Popalar. Long live the blouse. It was condemned to death last summer, but women rose en masse and demanded the scalp of its would- be assassins. The blouse is the one article of dress they cannot be coerced or flattered into resigning, and this winter it is more firmly established in favor than at any pe- riod since the beginning of its reign. Even- ing gowns, reception gowns, street gowns, morning gowns, tea gowns; gowns of all sorts and conditions are made with blouses. The most exclusive dressmakers make a specialty of the blouse bodice, and there is nothing from cheapest to dearest, that you cannot buy in the blouse ready-made. The blouse fs an opportunity for the rich girl to lavish her money; it is a chance for the poor girl to make a good appearance on next to nothing. Vive la biouse, in- deed. “This isn’t business,” said the owner of the biouse, turning her shoulder on the culprit, severely. But as plans for the flewer booth or the candy stall were brought forward desultoriiy, eyes still gianceé furtively at the blue blouse on the couch and at the brown blouse on the tall girl. The tall young woman's clothes came from London when they didn’t come from Paris, and it was esteemed great luck to serve with her on a committee because of the opportunity afforded for the close in- spection of a considerable number of her gowns. The tall girl was wearing this afternoon a calling dress of a rich warm brown. The skirt Was cut in a rather novel*shape with circular front and sides. It had a band of fur at the bottom. The bodice was cut in the style of the Russian biowse, which is the most fashionabie of all the blouses made. It was pleated in at the waist under a belt of blue suede, which was emb-oid- ered with jet beads. It had a deep, pointed yoke of biue suede, which was edged with fur and almost covered with scroll work of jet and curls. Down either side of the front ran a band of fur bordering the blouse pleatings. The sleeves were tight, with drooping puffs at the shoulders, below which showed little points of blue and fur. A deep point of blue with fur «dye was the wrist finish. The tall girl had laid aside, when she entered, a steeple-crowned hat of brown felt with trimmings of blue bows and brown paradise birds. It Was Drefsy. “What are you going to wear?” asked a short, plump committee girl of the commit- tee In general. She meant in the service of the flower booth or candy stall at the charity fair. “I am going to wear this, afternoon: said a self-possessed young person with dark level brows. “Evenings I will wear my lemon-colored chiffon.” “Good,” said several committee women. “This,” as indicated by the first speaker, was the dressy green blouse in which she had come to the gathering. Its material was a green chine silk, figured in darker green and rose. It was made in a short bolero style, having _revers barred and cross-barred with narrow black velvet rib- bons. The under bodice was of pale yel- low satin, forming a full vest gathered un- der a broad corselet belt of accordion-pleat- ed satin. The high flaring collar was a bit unusual, and +o were the sleeves turned back in cuffs at the elbows over gauntlet lewer sleeves of dark green satin. A box of chocolates came in at this point, per a belated committee woman, and in- terrupted any serious discussion of ways and means. The one married woman of the party, a bride of last June, rubbed a chocolate stain from her bodice and lec- tured the girls at the same time. She was @ radiant bride in face and apparel, and didn’: mind at all giving away the name of her dressmaker. Hers was a jacket blouse of changeable silk shifting from mauve to &reen. An applique of heavy iace edged the fronts, where it opened over a loose vest of black net with mauve embroidery. There was a pointed silk belt covered with applique, and under the belt the em- broidered net came down on either side in fans. This was a novel touch, which gave a bit of character to the costume. The skirt was green silk with a sable border. To Match the Ring. The girl with the turquoise ring who had led the whole committee off the track in the beginning with her blue blouse digres sion looked amazed. Her little match had kindled a conflagration and the smoke com- pletely hid the charity fair. But if blouses were the topic, her own was not to be despised. Like her ring it was blue. The stci.e in her ring, by the way, was a round turquoise as big as a small marble. It was set in a circle of small diamonds and was @ notable plece of jewelry. The blue blouse was of china silk, of just the shade of the turqucise. The blonde girl had bought the stone to match a dress criginally, but more recently she has been buying dresses to match the ring. A ruf- fled fichu was the feature of ner blo with narrow black satin ribbon to edge the ruffles. The folds of the blouse were drawn dcwn to a bow at the waist line. A black edged ruffle steod out above the stock col- lar, and ruffles edged the elbow sleeves. “Try it on." The chorus was directed at the hostess of the occasion, the chairman of the committee on the booth at the chari- ty fair. The hostess had lifted from a dress box a high evening blouse which, like the ill-fated blue chiffon horice, the hone of contention in the earlier afternoon, had come home from the modiste whose name must not be mentioned too late to be put away. “Oh, I'll wear it at the B's and you'll see it this evening.” “It’ was a blouse of rose pink silk, with rose pink chiffon pleated lcosely and so arranged as to simulate a bolero. The chiffon was edged with a deeper rose ribbon, and the blouse was made unique by a most elaborate belt of ribbon crossed and recrossed and ¢rawn into an upward point fina’ A carriage drew up at the door for the bride. “So late already! But we haven't——” It was a great day for the blouse, but another meeting was hastily arranged for the work of the charity fair. ELLEN OSBORN. The Roll Call. From the Chicago Record. QWith profuse apok to a certain patriotic poet who once wrote some striking verses under the same caption.) ack Green!” loud the captain cried: "caine a volee. ‘That 1s, parthilly here; Thave lost three teeth and’my dexter ear, And something like sevent-en pounds of hide.” And there fuintly uprose Tere," from the depths of a cot. 's ted Ina sti, hard knot ig right out through my “Left End Pri ‘Then a silence came. At Inst one sid, ‘There's a ton of ice Resting on all that remains of Pric« I saw him fall at the start of the game.” ¥ grouped in the twilight dim st stu And the the looks Of a first —never a gym. ‘The cest-offsweaters were red with blood, And a mortar-like substance was sticking to Bich wadded trouser—cach knife-spiked shoe— A mortar of flesh, hair, brains and mud. For the foe had come from the other side In a vain attempt to amass a goal Had come with bodies approximately whole, But returned—as the printer would call It—pied. “en ) WKY cull appeared Bearing between them this Herbert Kline, Clavicle-fractured and fractional-eared. de ame a sound Of speech that tangled and mixed and ‘Jawbene had heen horribly crushed That time that they battered nis head in the ground. “Right ‘Tackle Deane!” And right guard spoke? ‘Deane carried the bail twenty yards," he said, He Ce jam-ped on bis stomach and kicked in Is hend— Moreover, I think that his neck was broke. “Qut of the gridiron we hurried his stiff, He joyously smiled as he gave up the ghost. I watched for the man who had injured him most And once in w scrimmage I caught bim a Diff.” Awd Sur-ro-o-u-m-1 was the "Twas a victory; yes, that’s one glorious fact, But it cost us’ dear. for of all the men Who lined up hearty there came again Only one substitute with: frame int soe Easing His Conscience. From the Cincinnati Enquirer. Well,” said the deacon, “I sold old Bill today.” “Who to?” asked h's wife. “Jim Ailenbaugh. Got $50 fer *im.” “Fifty dollars! I don’t see how your con- science ever let you let anybody pay that mveh for a balky horse that ain’t worth more'n $15. “Well,” said the deaccn, thoughtfully, “I don’t believe I could have done it only T krow that Jim will take him out on one of his Surday fishin’ trips, an’ old Bill will balk and Jim will hev a chance to set fer three or four hours meditatin’ on the sin of Sabbath breakin’. Re ee Explained. From the Chicago Record. “Uncle Simon, what is old-fashioned po- lteness?” “It is a way people used to have of ask- ing a man about his health and then lis- tening until he got through replying.” see ‘The End of the Honeymoon. From Judy. She—“I'm sure you love me no longer. Now, do not deny it. I can see the change in you. I'm no fool. You should have married somebody stupider.” He—“I couldn't find one!” ar eee _A Valueless Article. From Truth. . Barker—“Dufferly ought his head.” Gruff—“Humph! thing on it!” to go and soak He couldn’t- get any- HOUSEHOLD HINTS Try to win the confidence of your chil- dren. If you don’t, somebody else will. Children want somebody to lean upon and look up to just exactly as older people do, and if they are not drawn toward their parents, somebody else will get hold of their affections, and the influence may be bed. Never cook oatmeal rapidly, for it is apt to make it bitter, and it will cook to the bettom of the dish. Neither should it be stirred much, for that makes it slimy. A nice soap for boys to use in winter, when their hands get grimy in spite of ll caution, is made of good toilet soap and sard or Indian meal. Cut the soap in bits ard put to melt ina tablespoonful of water. Add a teaspoonful of borax and quarter teaspoonful cf mutton tallow and two ta- blespoonfuls of fine, clean sand or Indian meal. Pour in a mold to cool. This soap is softening, and the sand helps to clean the dirt out of the rough skin. Save your egg shell to clean bottles, vine- gar cruets and the like. Put away in a Paper sack, and when you get ready to wash your bottles crush a lot of the egg shells to fine bits and put them in the bot- ues with clean, soapy water, and shake well. It will clean and not scratch the finest glass. An excellent household remedy for burns or for chapped hands is made of equal berts of sweet ofl and strong lime water. For burns apply as ointment and wrap in a cloth saturated with it. Wash and rinse the chapped hands in warm water and rub tke ointment well in. An eceromical hook for clothes can be made by driving nails through spools, bury- ing the head of the nail in the spool. In many respects they are better than regular hooks, because they don’t punch holes in the clothes. When stone china used about the stove In ccoking gets brown from long use, scour it with ashes or brickdust and soap. It is said that lamp wicks dipped in vine- gar and dried without squeezing will n smoke. When the tops of glass fruit jars’ refuse to budge, dip a thick cloth in boiling water and wrap about the cap. In five minutes they will come off easily. Don’t let chiidren go to bed with cold feet. It is a prolific source of colds, croup and leads to catarrhal troubles. Good company and good conversation are the very sinews of virtue; add to these gcod literature, and the man or woman who indulges in them will make a good citizen ard worthy member of soctety. Coal oil is-a splendid thing to use on hard leather shoes, to set away wet to dry. Wash the shoe free of dust and mud wiih scap and water, then rub the coal oil In and set away over night. Oil and grease spots on wall paper may be removed by making a paste of pipe clay or Fuller’s earth, which spread on the spot and leave over night. On knocking it off the next morning the spot, if not old, will scarcely be discernible. If it is old, apply again. A wise women who believes it a sin to go on doing things in the old clumsy way, after a new idea has been proven good, cleans her window glass and mirrors by salinating tissue paper with coal ofl and rubbing them briskly, polishing off with a soft, clean cloth. She says that flies do not trouble her much in summer, either, when a cleans her windows and paint with coal oit. Oileloths will last considerably longer on the floors if one or two layers of carpet or thick waddirg are put under them. Unless a floor is phenomenally smooth the edges of the boards curl almost imperceptibly and wear throvgh the ollcloth. , A nice codfish dish. One cup of finely picked and freshened codfish; two cups of Potatoes, chopped fine: one beaten egg; half a cup of butter; re er to taste. Mix well and bake half an hour. Dusting cloths should be cleaned or changed every few days, or they will leave more dirt than they take off. A tablespoonful of turpentine in a boiler of clothes will whiten them without harm. Handle carefully, as turpentine is inflam- mable. im A delicious oyster dish is made as fol- lows: Toast fresh bread quite brown and put in a shallow dish. Heat the oyster Nquor to the boiling point, season lightly with salt, pepper and butter; then put in the oysters, let them boil up once, then pour over the toast, which has been kept hot, and serve. Ringworms come without bidding and BO reluctantly. An excellent remedy is to wash with strong solution of borax water three times a day. Then dust with fine dry powder. If you have no dark place to keep your canned fruit.in, wrap in brown paper and write the name on the outside, so you can find it easily. * —__ A Monkey Plays the Violin. From the Philadelphia Inquirer. John C. Warren, a young musician of Philadelphia, purchased an organ grinder’s monkey some time ago because he was charmed with its dancing and thought it weuld add pleasure to the evenings at home, when he played the violin, with which instrument he ts a fine performer. Noting the perfect time kept, and also that his monkey was apparently able to imitate every act it saw, he concluded to try to teach it to play a violin. For some time very slow headway was made, tut finally Jocko seemed to catch the idea und would ply the bow over the strings, with, hewever, very little regard to time or tune. For an hour each day his mester tried to teach Jocko the elements of music, and after the man’s patience was ‘almost ex- hausted his efforts were crowned with suc- cess, and the monkey began ‘o play one tune fairly well. That tune once mas- tered seemed to awaken ali of the !atent musical talent of the animal and ine tecame passionately attached to the violin, becom- ing more proficient each time he played the instrument. Now he executes several waltzes, taking the violin in his arm in cor- rect position and keeping time with his feet and head as he plays, not only “urnishing the music, but waltzing at the same time. While his master -loes not expect him to become a model to play, he is nevertheless very proud of his monkey. and claims that he is a better player ran the average man who considers himeeli fairly proficient. Mr. Warren has_ alm «st closed a deal by which he is to dispose of the monkey vio- lunist to the proprietor of a Boston museum. The price to be paid ‘s said to be over $500. THEY LOVE BOOKS Men and Women’in ‘This City Who. _ Collect Librarios, INTEREST IN LOOAL HISTORY Gossip About Collectors and Their Special Fads. : AND RARE VOLUMES W FINE ASHINGTONIS the home of a great many bookworms, The dealers in. old and rare books say that there are more bibliophiles here than in any other city in the country of Wash- ington’s size. In this city there is a large, almost a preponder- ating, studious ele- taent, composed in great measure of: students not attached to any college or university—middle-aged and old men, and women, too, of means, who live in books, and who have found in Washington an at- mosphere eminently suitable for their in- dulgcice in the mild mental passion for book research and collection. Boston used to be the great scholarly city of the United States. But it does not stand alone in that respect teday. It divides its scholarly eminence with the national capi- tal, which is gradually becoming the liter- ary capital of the country. The men and women of Washington im- bued with the passion for reading and book collecting are comparatively few in num- ber whose wealth is so great that they have been able to accumulate their collec- tions all at once or even with any great degree of rapidity. The collecting work of tost of them has extended over many years. The government departments of this city are leavened by many learned men with whom the collection of old and rare books is the chief interest of their lives. A well-known dealer in old books said to a Star reporter the other day: “There are many remarkably good pri- vate collections of books here. 1 don't know of any other American city where there is such a general passion for the ac- quirement of good substantial libraries among all classes of people. The young men of this city begin very early to estab- sh the bezinnings of libraries for the adornment and use of their future individ- ual homes, and, as book collecting is a pas- sion that does not burn out, but waxes stronger all the time, a good many of these young men develop into bookworms of the most settled type. There are pro- portionately very few Washington homes that do not contain a greater or less num- ber of excellent books, and some of Wash- i.gton’s private Mbraries, undergoing con- stant amplification algng special lines in &ecordance with the mental trend of stu- dents who are to a certain degree hobb: ists also, are among the very best in the Whole country. As a whole, I don't think that Washington 1s particularly a fiction. loving community. While ‘the people here are general readers, many of them excee: ingly omniverous ones, their intellect diet has always seemed’ to me to be of the most substantial sort. Morcover, they lke to own the hooks they read, and have their names inscribed on the, flyleaves.”” Along Special Lines. These remarks related chiefly to the w class of accumulators, of {good books on general subjects. The) collectors, strictly so called, form a separate ¢lass. There are many collectors of bobks jhere who stick to certain lines of collection and rarely or never deviate frcm them. Bishop Hurst of the American University, for instance, has been for many years an ardent col- lector of rare books on church history. He has now gotten together a collection of works on this subject, it is sald, that can- not be surpassed, if, inde it_can be equaled, in the whole country. He is a man of keen discriminatjon in the selection of old biack letter tomes of a religious na- ture, and can instantly detect forgeries. He has also a passion for the acquisition of old iluminated* missals, and his collec- tion of these is large and valuable. Some of them date far back to the darkest pe- of the middle ages. Bishop Hurst has es_a considerable collection of vaiu- able old church manuscripts. These books and manuscripts he has gathered in all parts of the world, for he has been a great traveler, and his name has at one time or another been on the order list of a major- ity of the leading dealers in rare books in the world’s cities. Mr. W. P. Robinson, a book-lover, who has found Washington a more fruitful aud congenial field for the indulgence of his passion for collection than Boston, his for- mer home, has just sold to the Lenox Library of New York, for $12,000, his mag- nificent collection of genealogical litera- ture, one of the best, if not the very best, inthe country. The sum he received for it by no means represents its actual value, but Mr. Robinson disposed of it in bulk in order that he might be certain it would be properly cared for and kept together in a substantial library. He is going right ahead getting together another collection of rare genealogical works. ‘ Mr. William R. Smith, the superintendent of the Botanical Gardens, has spent many of the latter years of his life in the coi- lection of rare old Scoteh literature. He ‘s a Scotchman, and there is probably not another native of the land o’ cakes in this country who knows more of the early lit- erature of Scotland than he does. He is particularly devoted to Burns. His collec- Uon of Burnsiana has certainly no dupli- cate in the United States, if in the world. He has every known edition of Burns’ works, end all of the published biograph- ical literature on Burns. He has a fine aggregation of Burns portraits besides, some of them of great value. Every scrap of original and valuable Burnsiana that can be acquired by several of Europe’s and America’s most indefatigable collectors of and dealers in rare books sooner or later finds its way to Mr. Smith’s Burns. collec- tion, if it can be had for money. Dr. L. M. Taylor has collected a remark- ably comprehensive and valuable lot of oc- cult literature. He is still adding to it. Dr. Taylor has been a famous traveler in his Gay, especially in oriental ccuntries, and in those countries he secured many curlous old books and manuscripts relative to the mystical religions. His Sanscrit collection, including precious maruscript editions of the Indian Vedas, is practically invaluable. His library is especially strong in ancient Persian iiterature, and his collection of Buddhistic and theosophical works is per- haps the best in existgne Dr. Taylor is a thirty-third degree gon, and besides works of uccult-literature be has for many years devoted himself to the acquisition of rare books on Masonry He is regarded as one of the chief authomties on Masonic matters in the country, “Prof. Elliot Coues is another orientalist of distifetion and learn- ing. He has a valuable follection of old Indian HRrahministic and ddhistic books and manuscripts. r Industrious Collectors. “Mr. John Hay, who wwrdfe, in collabora- tion with Mr. Nicolay, thé ;well-known life of Abraham Lincoln, has ptobably the best collection of Lincolniana In the world. It includes not only innumerable books, but pictures and manuscripts, many of them as yet unpublished, of all'sorts. As President Lincoln's private secretary, Mr. Hay’s facilities for getting hold of rare Lincoln data were, of course, of the best, and he made good use of them. His collection bears not only upon Lincoln and his per- sonality and administration, but covers the entire period when tire war was only an embryotic possibility, the war itself, and the period of reorgunization and recon- struction after the war. ‘ Mr. Henry Adams, the historian, has a magnificent collection gf Americana. A con- siderable part of it came to him through inheritance, for he: is a-member of the family which gave two Presidents to the United States, but he-wyas added to it with such care and patience that it is now one of the best in’ existertee. -It-embraces the entire history of America from its discov- ery down to recent times. Iris not exclu- sively historical, but contains the best edi- tons, as well as many of the first editions of the works of eminent American poets and writers of fiction. Mr. E. Francis Riggs inherited the superb Ubrary which was gotten together by his father. He has added to it extensively, so that it is now among the best private libra- ries of general literature in the city. Mr. Riggs is still an inveterate collector, as well as an extremely discerning reader of books. His taste is chiefly for old volumes of a miscellaneous sort. He does not follow any particular Une of collection, if his penchant for rare old illustrated works, in which his Hbrary is particularly rich, be excepted. Some of the engravings in his collection cannot be duplicated. Of late years he has divided his attention between the collection of oid books and modern paintings. His collection of paintings is choice and valuable. An interesting collection of illustrated and rare books is the feature of the library of Mr. Crosby S. Noyes. He has practically a complete set of the works of Dore, sets of illustrations by all the great caricaturists of England, France and Ger- many, and a large number of handsomely illustrated books. In recent years Mr. Noyes has made several visits to Japan, and he has become interested in Japanese art, as shown in book illustration, and has brought together a large and valuable col- lection. Books on Many Subjecta. Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee, is still adding to her valuable collection of scientific books. Some of these old works on science are exceedingly rare. It is, interesting to look over them, on account of the mingled ponderosity and blandness with which the old scientific writers put forth dictums, utterly new and strange to them, that have for centuries belonged to the common knowledge of children. Mr. Felix Reeve has a collection of his- torical and biographical literature, chiefly Americana. Another collector of Americana who has a number of curious and rare old books is Mr. Henry A. Willard. His collection of the autographs of the signers of the Decla- ration of Independence is said to be one of the most complete in existence. Mr. Carroll D, Wright, the head of the department of labor, has succeeded in ac- quiring the best collection of statistical works in this country. He is a tireless searcher for old books presenting old facts and figures, and he has tabulations from the days of the old Phoenicians down to the census figores of all census-taking countries of the present day. An earnest and discriminating collector of old books on general subjects is Repre- sentative Hitt of Illinois, whose library is probably more choice than that of any of our legislators. Mr. Hitt is an accom- plished linguist, and the bulk of his books are in foreign tongues. Mrs. Hitt is also a scholar of high attainments, and is of great assistance to her husband as a collec- tor of books. She is especially fond of books of the mediaeval period of France. Senator Hoar is a typical book worm, and his reading is wide and various. He is a constant attendant at book sales, and is a miscellaneous buyer. Henry Cabot Lodge has secured in Wash- ington a large part of his superb collection of books on the early days of New Eng- land. He is an earnest student of the Pu- ritanical days of Massachusetts, and his collection embraces some extraordinarily quaint Iterary and historical effusions from that rigid people. Representative Henry G. Turner of Geor- gia has 4 passion for the collection of old public documents. He has many colonial pamphlets of great rarity. Mr. Frank Cushing, the well-known writer and lecturer on the Indians of the southwest, snaps up all the literature of whatever sort he can get with regard to the ancient Aztecs. When Mr. Theodore Roosevelt Washington as a civil service commi: he was a zealous collector of books on sports, ancient and modern. His collec- tion of books on sporting and athletic top- ics 1s comprehensive enough to embrace ancient accounts of the Oiympian games, the foot race of Atalanta, and the pugilis- tic encounters of eminent fisticuffers of Great Britain during the past two or three centuries. It is a really unique collection, which it would be hard to duplicate in this country or elsewhere. They Like Rare Books. Thomas Nelson Page often yoes through the old book stores to make additions to his Virginia collection. His collection of books, pamphlets and pictures jearing on the old dominion is by all odds the best private one in the country. Mr. S. H. Kauffmann has a love for ele- gant books, representing the highest prod- uct of the skill of the printer and binde as well as the best of literature. His bool shelves are filled with notable specimens of the art of bookmaking. The specialties of Mr. Kauffmann’s collections are books re- lating to books, to typography, bookmaking and the allied arts, to travel and to the fine arts, especially painting and sclupture. George Alfred Townsend has acquired a superb lot of Americana, and is constantly adding to it. He is particalirly devot-d just now to the war period, and has a great fondness for old books with the old state as in sioner of Maryland as their subject. There are few Marylanders who have a finer collec- tion of Marylandiana than Mr. Townsend Dr. S. M. on the look- out for first editions of Ame: a discerning collector of W and_-rare books. Mr. M. I. Weller is a constant searcher for augmentations to his collection of Washingtoriana, which is already large and valuable. Mr. J. A, Wineberger is another faithful coliector of books, pamphle:s, pictures and manuscripts dealing with the subject of old Washington. 3 Mr. J. A. Whittaker is an indefatigable delver for first editions of all sorts, and has a fine collection of them. An interesting collection of Washing- toniana has been gotten together by Mr. James F. Hood. A remarkably large num. ber of books and pamphlets with Washing- ton as their subject were published in the early days of the republic, and Mr. Hood has secured as many as possible for his library. He has also a collection of maps of the city and engravings of places of in- terest in the old days. Judge John T. Vinson of Rockville has given over a quarter of a century to the collection of one of the very best private libraries in the state of Mayland. It is an exceedingly comprehensive !ibrary, em- bracing works on theology, law, science and art. Mr. Henry Thomas is a collector of books in outlandish tongues. There is no lan- guage too difficult for him to read under- standingly, and his collection is a weird and withai a valuable one. Mr. William Penn Clark is constantly searching for books with fine old engrav- ings. and is Some Special Features, Dr. Featherstonhaugh has, it 1s thought, the best collection of John Brown litera- ture extant—the John Brown, whose “soul goes marching on.” Dr. E. R. Reynolds has acquired what is perhaps the best of all private collec- tions of books reiating to the southern con- federacy, and particularly to Jefferson eee i f Mr. H. H. The extent of the reading o! ir. H. H. Brunar may be judged from the fact that he recently bought a Malay dictionary. Mr. Bruror is a master of the dead lan- guages, and there are few of the modern languages, even including Malay, that he does not undersiand. He has a remark- ably large and fine assortment of books in the ancient Hebraic language. 5 ; Few men are more familiar with the early history of this city and the surrounding country than Mr. Hugh T. Taggart. He is not only a student and a writer, but he has collected a great mass of books, pamphlets, etc., which constitutes one of the most valuable private collections on this subject. Two years ago Mr. F. B. McGuire dis- posed, in Philadelphia, of the famous col- lection of Madison manuscripts and of his- torical autograph letters, which his father, the late James C. McGuire, accumulated during his lifetime. A considerable part of this collection was an admirable epistolary epitome of the Madison administration. Mr. McGuire is following in the footsteps of his father as a collector of Americana. He has also a large number of handsomely illustrated ,books in his library. A collection of books and pamphlets re- lating to Americana has been made by Mr. L. A. Brandeburg, who is adding constant- ly to the number cf volumes in his library. An excellent collection of books, old docu- ments, maps and pictures referring to and illustrating the city of Washington has been gotten together by Mr. W. B. Bryan. Senator Calvin 8. Brice is a collector of books mugnificently illustrated by famous artists. Father Ricthards, the president of George- town University, has a collection of ancient and modern philosophical works, to which he fs still adding. 937-939 you about today. The stock SCGGSOOOOS OO8000 all the benefits accruing from give you your choice from a which equal: All Handkerchiefs are Dainty ttle Ladies’ Silk Embroidered Hand- c. kerchiefs. Special holi- day price .......... ss Ladies’ larger Silk Handkerchiefs, very good Worth all of Ladies’ Splendid Silk Initial Handkerchie fs, hemstitched. Worth Ladies’ Silk Handkerchiefs regular 50c. Special at . Initial of the quality. Boxes of Six Colored Bordered Handkerchiefs, Just what you want for Special children. box .. Ss Ladies’ Liven Initial Handkerchiefs, very good I 2 Special at. per SOOSSSES OOE O OSOOHOOOHOHON SO OOOOH © ® GOSSSOS OVE OUT-DOOR WEAR Some Handsome Costumes as Seen to Ad- vantage. A Hood That in Usefal for Those Whe Attend Evening Parties— Novelty in Corsets, Written for The Evening Star, Suits with coats to match are great fa- vorites with skaters. A gray tweed has the left side of the skirt trimmed with tal and buttons, an arrangement which is peated in the jacket that buttons up di- agonally with the same sort of tabs. One tab at the shoulder fasiens at the very edge of the sleeve. The jacket is box shaped in front, but fits in at the waist in the back. The high collar is a fair sample of the kind that comes on all the new coats. It stands up close around the face, leaving no room for the cotd breezes to circulate around one’s neck, and very ef- fectually protecting the wearer against the elements. That hat worn with this suit was a small toque, trimmed high in front with birds. A dress which was worn wi was made with a pleated loose at the bottom and d of embroidered trimming. The hat was a Tam O'Shanter shave, trimmed with waving paradise plumes. In a tasteful costume the dress was a very dark green rough goods that suggest- ed the summer creper but much heavier. The skirt was plain, and the waist had an Eton jacket which opened over a yellow front’ veiled with cream lace. The belt and collar were made of yellow siik. Over this dress she wore a brown cloth coat, which looked as if it had come direct from Paris, but she told me in confidence that her dressmaker made it. She had purchased the cloth to harmonize With some narrow mink fur which she “had in the house” and had had it made in the pleated box fashion that is seen on so many of the imvorted coats “You know, I can wear this style because I am 50 slight,” she added. The mink fur had been used to edge the fronts of the coat and the collar, cuffs and pocket flaps. Her hat was just a little, plain, brown turban that turned up a trifle more over the left eyebrow than anywhere else, and right there was one of those feather pom- pons that looked like a small cherry twig with its leaves turned up to the light. The feathers were white, edged with black, and beside them was a small black and white aigrette. The edge of the turban was bound with mink, to bring it into har- mony with the jacket. The jacket hung loose in the box pleats from the neck, a style which differs slightly from that which ts called “Em- pire,” and which is made with a yoke and is not pleated in the back. The latter are very stylish and very dressy, but as they are all imported they are also very ex- pensive. thout a wrap on that hung losed a waist A Box-Pleated Puff. The green and brown costume which we have been discussing had a finishing touch which must not be forgotten. Around the neck was a box-pleated ruff of taffeta rib- bon, with ends which could be tied in a bow or allowed to hang to the bottom of u Foubourg Poissonnierre, Paris. ° ° Think of Christmas! It will be here upon us almost before we know it. much selecting—so much buying takes time. soon for you to start yours right now. Of the hundreds of pretty, appropriate gifts we are show- ing this season we selected HANDKERCHIE ers is of monstrous proportions. It would completely snow under less progressive dealers. bought so largely gave us ‘way-down prices. you never saw before at prices we know you can't GO606 SESS SCC OCG ESECOCeCECSO MAYER BROS.& CO., F Street. So None too S to tell We have laid in for Xmas buy- But the very fact that we We'll divide such big buying with you— Handkerchief stock the like of boxed FREE of Charge. itial Handkerchiefs. Spe- cial .... . Very Finest Gent! men’s Linen Handker- Cc. chiefs, as good a prex- ent as you can give a man. Special at. : Hundreds of patterns of Ladies’ Swiss broidered Handierch that whould be 19¢., at. Ladies’ Plain Linen Handkerchie £8, with henstitched Lorder. §; 30 patterns in Ladies’ Mourning Handkerchiefs, Special . Very finest French Swiss ered Handkerch the most exquinite ac. Signs, Special at fs, 12° i 12“ | S89CSCOSCS OOGOOTDE0 DESOROZEDDEODC DE00Ge009R00008 the jacket. Inside the ruche, ing up around the face and pleating of wide Chantilly—a ¢ which relieved the and stand. hair, was a dainty touch somber tones of brown and green. So much for the cold weather clothes whose chief aim is to aid their wearers in the battle with the elements. In the realm of dainty nothings that one sees in the shops, an evening hood of white Brussels net is one of the newest and preiti a- tions. The net is dotted, and in shape the hood very much resembles the one worn by the fabled Red hiding Hood. It is gath- ered in around the neck with a skirt or cape that falls over the shouluers. Around the front, the hood is wired to stand out, away from the fac as not to disarrange the hair. There is a border of white feather trimming around this a and at the top are lo: ps of wide, green taffeta ribbon, which also forms the ties under the chin. One of these hoods can be easily made v damsel deft of hand, and will be found extremely useful to young women who attend many evening parties. They may ade of colored net, or, indeed, of any light, flceey material in any shade. To make last year's high crowned hat look more up to date, put in a wide, velvet bandeau to ‘lt the hat up on the left side, and cover the crown with light-color- ed velvet to match that on the bandeau. The lates: thing in c s is made of snake skin. Thu the serpent creer end closer and closer doeg to the heart of his first fairest victim. MEXICAN PYG Es. A Futile Effort Made to Find a Race Tradition Tells About. Somewhere hidden in the heart land of marvels, Mexico, doubt a nation of pyzmies, says a writer in the San Francisco Examiner. Few they are, but fierce; short of stature, but long 6f life. Science, which in this latter day gces out into highway i hedges and fcompels all sorts of curiosities to come has not been able yet to put its positiv finger on these people. But the Aztec | aitions, old before the beginni: of that there ts without have said they ex: . There is echo ¢ the story in the early histories of that land full of wonders. Pi ott only told of a small part of the strange thimgs to be found in Mexico. It was in the belief that to almost the pre folks that 1 s we had the clew these tin into the based that 1 thought we might go directly t> the home of the dwarfs. I knew there were mountains to climb and rivers to hundreds of hard miles to travel, un- ardships to face, but to find the py my Aztecs was a great enough accom- plishment to tempt any Scientific man to make all physical discomforts seem trivial. I went. I invaded the remotest and most uncivilized districts of the great country to the south. Of the men and customs I have een many and studied them from the United States berder to the isthmus. I have seen strange people and gathered relics of a bygone civilization, but the race of pygmies we could not find. I do not say that they do not exist, but merely that I did not find them. They may still be hid- den somewhere among those mountains, where some day scme lucky man will find thm and bring them to light. At any rate, I have come back to the haunts of every-day, modern people and the duties of every dav, wiser and happier than when 1 started on my mission. The stories of these wanderings in Mexico will be a won- der story to tell by and by, and a rich memory for old age. From Life; He—"Do you know, rast life in an instan “Oh, awful!” + "& GRUESOME VISION. hen I came near being drowned last suminc:, i saw all my