The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 4, 1898, Page 27

i + THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1898. 27 THE LAAEST: work, ng are Seemingly toils not, tatting and cro- ed to the dim the modern neither does she But the dam of to-day demure dissembler. The nd -that can crack a whip, wield a n! acquet or manipulate golf stick can likewise nimbly ply a needle. However, sewing is no longer a parlor leated @dmz’_y/{*e onts. be most in use, it is still a good time to make the sheer white ones so that when ason is at hand the sacques the warmer s ceves that give a novel air and are just exactly suited to such a garment which is meant to be entirely neglige. A neglige gown entirely fashioned by a =oclety girl is of white material softer and finer than flannel. The robe opens more suitable than the narrow, pointed edges of pique. Threads of sliver and gold in stuffs and laces brighten many gowns this year. Just a tiny thread of gold in the white lace forming the blouse to a finw“ is pretty, and a stripe of silver or gold gives an added richness to a velvet. a7 e e A black velvet stock has a little double ruffie of white ribbon at the upper edge and a design in the same ruffled white ribbons of a double bowed Empire knot, and curving ends joining. There is no reason why an ingenious girl should not have a variety of pretty and original de- signs in neckwear if she chooses. She can get a general idea of what is what from the things that are and then modify and enlarge upon them to suit her own fancy and the material she has at hand, with the best results. G The jeweled black velvet collars to sbe worn with decollete bodices are not alto- gether new, but this is the first season they have really been popular. The Prin- cess of Wales has favored this fashion for some time and in London and Paris such collars have been worn from time to time, but there is really a very practical reason for the American woman's adopting them. The high, stiff linen collar #did a good deal the past summer to spoil pret- ty throats, and while the damage is being repaired the high velvet stock serves a nice purpose. besides being immensely becoming. The most fashionable of aill the jeweled velvet collars is the one with jeweled slides about two inches apart. The average woman's neck measures about thirteen inches, and so there is chance to display at least flve or six pretty jeweled slides. Or the collar is just a straight velvet band, with a lzu'ge round or oval pin fastened just in froht gndknnother fastening the collar at the ack. * s A black net walst, made either simply or elaborately, may also be worn with a black silk skirt. This combination is al- peri ible, and, as a rule, is be- coming to almost all women. A red China crepe trimmed with jet Is always pretty for a brunette to wear on any formal oc- casion or even at home in the winter MODELS FOR SILK PETTIGOATS IN STRIPES AND BROGADES. accomplishment. The death-knell of tid- les us things doom o wing as a-weapon : aptivate. The thread are no longer used ¢ young men who like dome dern mald doffs her cat hue and cry is raised about the lost art of sewing. There sighing over the girls of the s and the g o-day. wail is all very foolish and need- for the modern maid can sew equally her sisters of past. In facs e sewing Is no longer done on parade she can make far more useful ar- ticles than the girls of long ag When the girl of the present period puts on the thimble it is for practical purposes. The girls who can make their own clothes plentiful as in the past. But the se alarmists insist on crying wolf! be- cause sewing and soclety are not on speaking terms. They do not pull aside the curtains of the Sewing room where needle and thread are plied busily and exclusively. Sewing has simply had its boundary lines changed, it has not been educated. Like. children and dogs it s not allowed in the drawing room. 1 know dozens of girls who occupy thelr fingers while they chat with their girl friends who have dropped in to spend the afternoon. They take great pride in do- ing their own fine white sewing. Under- wear, daintily fashioned, hemstitched, trimmed with lace and insertion, is very expensive. But by making them 'they possible with very little outlay. who make their own underwear have @ plece of work on hand there i never the necessity of rushing to fill a depleted wardrobe The materjals used should always be soft and fine. Fine muslin, Jawn or batiste [s prettiest. Laces and embroideries must be of fine quality or they will not with- stand the wear and tear of the laundry. The woman who does maxke her Swn underwear at least enjo: planning them. Fven in the shops among the more expen- sive white pieces one finds tiny tucks all fun by hand, and lace frills put on with the tiniest of hand titches. In fact, there is a general revival in hand sewing. “Another old-fashioned idea in underwear been revived besides that of hand Underclothes are now made in sets,’” The same kind of trimming is used throughout and put on In the same way. That s, if the nightgown has a yoke formed of rows of tucks and inser- tion crossing *h other, then the block pattern is followed in all the pieces of the Or, if points are used on one garment v are used on all the other pieces, Vamayke points are having great vogue. One finds cambric and muslin pet- ticoats as well as those of gilk with trim- ming of this form, Embroidery comes in deep points edged with narrow frills of ice, and this is a most effective style. ittle Louis XVI bows embellish dainty te garmen Ribbons of the same solor as the bows run through beading. These, of course, must all be removed when garments are sent to the wash, but he fastidious woman considers it little or 10 trouble to place the ribbons and fasten on the pretty little bows with a stitch or iwo. Just now there is a great liking for the little white washable sacques. While at e present season offeold weather the tomfortable little flannellette jackets may over,showing the pretty petticoat beneath, The edge of the neglige is scalloped. These s n!lu&:s are buttonholes stitched pale blue. The ends of the scallops are deep, curling up into the cloth very ef- fectively. They are wide and fall away, showing the pale blue silk lining. Lace and dainty blue ribbons are fluffed around in long graceful lines. The effect of the scallops i1s charming as well as novel. Many of the batiste materials shown for underwear have fine hair lines of blue or pink running through them. Elaborately trimmed nightgowns are made of thes But always, the most beautiful undergal ments are of pure white. The only toucl es of color, if color be desired at all, mu: supplied by knots of ribbon. Dainty s of narrow ribbon are used even e conspicuously in the trimming of undergarments than heretofore. The French seamstresses every year turn out new and beautiful models of lingerie. They give a great deal of time and thought to designing new ideas. They take pleasure in the work and the re- sults are usually very happy. The cut of a gown is even a more important fac- tor than the material used and the work- manship and finish. For often a gown is a failure because the underwear worn makes it impossible to fit the garment without a wrinkle. RECEPTION DRESSES. F invited by a friend to assist her In |l receiving during the afternoon a dif- || ferent style of dress ls required. A black or light silk dress is sultable if made high-necked and with a graceful dip in the skirt at the back. Another gown equally suitable would be of black net made with a skirt ruffled to the belt, and =Zc eaged with two rows of tiny velvet ribbon or gathered frill of satin ribbon, making it over black or white silk or one of the cotton imitations of silk. The waist should be gathered around the neck with a tiny white lace yoke over white silk inserfed back and front and strapped lengthwise or crosswise with narrow jet bands; glove sleeves shirred to form a ruffle up the outside of the arm, and a couar, belt and long sash ends of bright velvet, the latter edged with a tiny frill of the net and passed through a slender rhinestone buckle. This is not an expensive dress, as an old silk dress may form the lining and the net be bought for 85 cents a yard. HRILLS OF Raspbiow. OTHING yet seems to be prettier than tucks for silk blouses, and they are tucked horizontally, per- pendicularly, dlagonally and in checkerboard fashion or diamonds. The little, fine, hemstitched linen collar edges to be worn over stock are pretty with certain styles of bodices, but with the severe shirt walst there is nothing evenings, when bright colors are always delightful to look upon. BDEIRLOOMS RE@DY (Y|4DE. OWNS that will be worthy of preser- vation for appreciative posterity are those made this season of the new evening silks and satins. In the days of Louls XV such imperially beautiful fabrics were not dreamed of as Cotele @’Or, satin sultane and taffeta croquete. The first mentioned is a thick silk with broad bayadere ribs of satin crossing it at short Intervals. Such quality and body has this goods that the ordinary taffeta lining seems like tissue paper under it, while satin sultane is duchesse satin in- creased in beauty and richness tenfold, and among these new goods a new shade called Montenegrau red is to be seen and admired. In contrast to these fabrics, dyed a solid color, are the truly exquisite figured and embossed moires that merit all the rev- erent admiration they receive. Over a milk blue ground of moire marshmallows and ragged robin, or golden clematis and pink-tipped daisies. The flowers stand out clearly defined and in the tenderest colors against the veined marble-like pale- n of the moire, while on the new taffetas the flowers are closely massed in broad blurred bands of glowing color. Some of these taffetas are excellent re- productions of the handsome chined silks «£0 popular twenty-five years ago. Flow- ered moire and taffeta ribbbn take a place to the forefront, but the novelty is ribbon showing a liberal powdering of big and little loose sflk dots. Somehow this business of dotting things, or rather tufting them with %lttle flossy balls, has crept Into great favor. A proportion of the winter goods show dots, while many of the felt hats are speckled with them. QUEEN VICTORIA as A Housekeeper. The Queen was in the kitchen Making tarts with honey. Folk Lore. Queen Victoria is one of the most accomplished housekeepers the world has ever seen. Her day for going into the kitchen is well past, now, but a few years ago—while she did not, as in her young days of wifehood, delight the Prince Consort with patties of her own making, ti.2 royal attendants nev- er knew when she would descend upon them in their kitchen, and were vigi- lant accordingly. But with all her supervision she was sometimes cheated, and a fraud which she herself discovered put an end for some time to the offender and his dep- redations. A friend of :ay family, an R. A., had been entrusted by the Queen to restore and decorate an apartment in one of the royal palaces, and of course lived there during the progress of his work, with rooms allotted to him, and service from the royal kitchen. The food was perfection, but, himself a man of an educated taste, he objected to the wine and would not drink it. Very adroitly, under cover, he had wine sent him from his own cellar in London, and he stored it carefully in the wardrobe of his room. He was one day finishing his luncheon, enjoying his favorite claret, when suddenly, unannounced, the Queen entered. In terror (for he knew some of her idlosyncrasfes) he quickly slipped the bottle under the long cloth which hung to the floor, yet not so swiftly as to escape the Queen’'s eyes, who saw that he was hiding something. And a silent consplrator was the Queen's robe (the Queen alWways af- fected stiff silk and satin that can stand alone), the heavy, ornamented border of which struck the bottle, tipped it and sent the wine flowing on the parquet. In a flash the Queen had a suspicion; she stooped to verify it, took the bot- tle in her hand, looked at it, looked at the untouched bottle bearing the royal arms, on the table, and asked an ex- planation. Very reluctantly, but forced by an insistent woman—and she his sovereign, the R. A. confessed that he preferred his own to the royal wine. The Queen poured some wine from her own bottle and tasted it. Without a word she sailed to one bellrope, then to another—there were two—and pulled violently at both. Then she went to a bellrope in an antechamber and pulled that, then into a corridor and sent a fourth bell pealing. In two min- utes a dozen attendants had reached the spot, expecting that the palace was on fire or the royal academician was in a fit. Then they all learned what some of thew knew before—the meaning of a “royal rag The Queen stormed like a tempest, the burden being her indig- nation at the outrage to a guest of the Queen of England so poorly enter- tained that he must, pgrforce, buy his own wine. It did not take long to brine a bottle of another vintage, and the R. A. had no objeection to the wine served to him after that. —_— e Pupils in the public schools of Copen- hagen are required to take three baths a week in the public school building, and while they are bathing their clothes are sterilized in a steam oven. The Danes object to the regulation on the ground that it makes the children discontented with their home surroundings. —_———— On the accession of a new Emperor of China he goes in solemn state to the tem- ple of heaven in Peking and formally announces to his imperial predecessors the new titles and dienities w..ch he has assumed. These ancestors are then du- tifully invited to the banquet of com- memoration. where seats are duly re- served for them. BEAUTY TALKS | Sands. Mme. Hygeia. 1} This department is for the benefit of all those who are interested in the science of cosmetics and the hygiene of proper living. If any one desires information on either of these subjects their questions will be cheerfully answered in these columns. Write as often as you like, ask as many questions as you please and sign any name that you choose. Address all communications to Mme. Hygeia, The Sunday Call, San Francisco. EVERAL of my correspondents have written to remind me that in my ‘“beauty talk” on the care of the hands I entirely neg- lected to give any directions for the care of the finger nails. So this talk may be considered a sort of postsceript to my talk of two Sundays ago. To say that the nalls should be kept immaculately clean seems unnecessary, for one would think that any one with a proper regard for personal neatness would surely do this. And yet how often one sees an otherwise delicate, refined- looking person whose fingertips look as though they were in mourning for the virtue cleanliness, which so evidently has been lost. One evening recently at the theater I sat behind a young girl who bore all the outward and visible signs of refinement and daintiness, together with that repose that stamps the caste of Vere de Vere. Her gown fashioned after the very latest Parisian model, she was ‘‘chic” beyond question until—she raised her hands— from which she had removed her gloves —to catch up a refractory lock—when, horror of hororrs!—I discovered ten lit- tle mourning-clad nails. It sounds in- credible, but with mine own eyes I saw it, therefore I know whereof I speak. In an instant vanished the refinement, the daintiness and in their place was writ in large letters this word—SLATTERN. So in_the first place, keep the nails clean. Before washing the hands remove all substances from under the nails with an orangewood or ivory stick. Never use a sharp instrument under the nalls, for it will scratch the inner surface of the nail, which will then hold the dirt more tenaciously. Then brush the nails vigor- ously with a nallbrush, dlgping them oc- casionally into powdered borax, and again brushing them. 0 remove white snecks from the nails melt equal parts of pitch and turpentine in a small cup. Add to it a little vinegar and powdered sulphur. Rubbed with this mixture the specks will soon disappear. Pitch and myrrh melted together are also said to be good for the same pur- pose. Sometimes the nails split and are very brittle. When this happens it is often necessary to resort to medical treatment in order'to supply the lack of lime in the system which this condition indicates. Soaking the nails in warm olive oil will sometimes help. The nalls should be thoroughly mani- cured once a week. If they have been neg- lected, the flesh having been allowed to grow upon the nail, a good plan is to go at once to a good manicure and have them thoroughly attended to, after which it will be an easy matter for each woman to doctor her own nails and to prevent the Sklllil from again adhering to the growing nail. However, If you prefer to do even the first manicuring yourself you must have the following tools: A pair of sharp, curving scissors, a flle, an orange wood stick, a box of polishing powder, some cold cream, a chamols polisher and a lit- tle lemon juice. Fill a bowl half full of warm, soapy water, with a pinch of borax in it. Put the tips of your fingers in this and let them soften urder its influence for about five minutes. Then the fingers must be dried, the skin that has grown up over the half moon at the base of the nail must be pressed back with the orange A FRENGH GAMBRIG NIGHTGOWN AND DRESSING SAGQUE. Care of the e o e Lt | L 0 2 ) s stick and then carefully trimmed with the curving scissors into shape wherever it has become ragged and uneven. Then shape the nails with the file not into a sharp point but so as to correspond in shape with the ends of the fingers. Next smear a bit of cold cream on each nail, and then cover them with the polish- ing powder. Now the chamois polisher is used, and each nail is rubbed separately until it burns and tingles trom the heat. Then, with the powder still on the nails, bathe the hands in warm water and cas- tile soap, each nail being separately scrubbed with a nallbrush. Dry and poi- ish each nail on the palm of the other hand, or else with a fresh polisher or plece’of chamois skin. They will then be of a lovely pink shade and just shiny enough for beauty. Every morning, after washing the hands, press back the flesh at the base of the nafl with the towel. scure the pearly moon, gently pinch the tip of each finger and thumb separately between the folds of the towel, thus shap- ing the fingers into a more tapering form. ———— Answers to Correspondents. E. B. McC.—The letter that you wrote me last August was answered at consider- able length in the Sunday Call of August 14. It was answered under the name “Edith,” as you requested. How did you happen to miss it? Except the electric needle there has never been anything dis- covered that will permanently destroy superfluous hair. Of course, where the hairs are as numerous as in your case, the operation of using the needle would be too tear-compelling and nerve exhaust- ing to be thought of for a moment. The peroxide of hydrogen cannot possibly in- crease the growth of the hair. A few drops of ammonia added to it increases its efficacy. It lightens the hair, and will, in course of time, I feel quite certain, deaden it so that it will have little ambition to Pleated Vandykes Are a Populer Form of Jrimming. continue its business of growing and mak- ing ypu miserable. I know absolutely nothing about the dermatologist, whose advertisement you inclosed. My advice to you is to let severely alone all adver- tised remedies for the permanent removal of superfluous hair. They are all of them nothing more or less than depilatories, and will merely burn the hairs off to the surface. of the skin, after which they will return with renewed energy. Con- stant use of a plece of pumice stone will keep the face free from the little pests. Only, if you once begin using it, you must continue it, as the hair will keep on grow- ing. 1 am so sorry that I cannot say vthing more encouraging than this to E ECOSSAISE—I have somewhers among my recipes one for liquid powder, but, although I have spent nearly an hour looking through them have failed to find it. Am sorry, but I may find it later. The prepared article that you mention is as good as anything you could prepare your- self, and is. I think, quite harmless. There are no such !hmis as soap molds. Boap is cut into the shape in which it comes to us by machinery—presses weigh- ing hundreds of pounds. You can pour the soap into teacups or else in a shallow dish and cut_into squares. It will not stick to the dish when cold. To remove the dust of travel from the face when on the cars bathe with the “lait \'lrf‘lnal,‘ or with the milk of roses, formula for which was given last Sunday, and which I know you will find delightful. Here's success to you. GLADYS—For the perspiring hands wash in very hot water. ry well and apply the following powder: Salicylic acld, three parts; tale, seven parts; starch, twenty parts. Before drawing on your gloves dust your hands with pre- pared chalk, finely powdered, and place & tiny plece of absorbent cotton inside the palms. This will absorb the molsture and 80 save your gloves from utter ruin. The double chin can be got rid of by massage, Smear a pure home-made cold cream on the chin, pick up the flesh with the thumb and forefinger and roll it and rub it as much as you possibly can without bruis- ing the skin. This will dissolve the tissues, which will probably result in the skin of the chin becoming loose and flabby. In order to prevent this bathe the chin in weak alum water—a plece of the size of a bean dissolved in a pint of cold water be- ing quite sufficient. Talcum powder is ex- cellent for the skin. Fifteen grains of borax in one ounce of lemon juice will whiten the hands nicely, only be sure and rub a little cold cream on the hands after using it. MAYFLOWER—You will find the fol- lowing lotion delightful for chapped hands: Gum tragacanth, whole 30 grains; rose water, 7 ounces; glycerine, one-half ounce; alcohol, one-half ounce. Let the tragacanth soften in the rosewater for a day or two and then strain foreibly through muslin or cheese cloth. Then the giycerine ana alcohol, wuiwch have been previously mixed. Shake well and perfume to suit. To reduce flesh, strict attention must be given to the diet. Avold all sugary and starchy foods, all fats and fattening vegetables, such as rice, pota- toes, turnips and beets. kat sparingly of butter, drink little coffee and no milk. Never sleep more than seven hours and walk and exercise all that you can. Horseback riding is excellent. Take plenty of warm baths and two grams of bi- carbonate of soda at each meal will help. IDA B—There is nothing better than the following skin food for the eradication of wrinkles: Spermacetl, one-half ounce; white wax, one-half ounce; sweet almond oil, one ounce; lanoline, one ounce; co- coanut ofl, one ounce; tincture of ten drops; om;fl-s flower water, one ounce. Melt the first five ingredients in & porcelain kettle. When thoroughly incor- orated, remove from the fire and add the enzoin and orange flower water, stirring ragldly until cold. INA—To remove the wrinkles about the eyes hold the flesh firm with the fin- gers of one hand while you massage with the other, using a_ circular upward and outward motion. Use the skin food for- mula for which has just been given in reply to Ida B. Také care in massaging always to rub across the lines that are to be obliterated. In using the oatmeal ‘water it is not necessary to use soap, the oatmeal taking the place of the soap. Dry the face with a soft towel. CECIL—Am so pleased that you have had such good resuits from the cocoanut oll and alum water treatment. As the bust becomes firm cease using the alum .water, but continue the massage with the oil, and I feel quite sure that in time the result you desire will be attained. Mas- sage the hollow cheeks with the skin food recommended to Ida B., using a circular upward and outward movement. The skin food is better for this purpose than an ordinaty cold cream, as it will feed and fatten the tissues and at the same time strengthen, whiten and soften the skin. Of course anythlnfi that will add to the reneral flesh will help fill out the hollows, DEBUTANTE—You ask for a recipe for cucumber cream, and I am in doubt as to whether you mean the milk or the cold cream. The latter can be made after the following formula: Bpermaceti, one-half ounce; white wax, one-half ounce; oil of sweet almonds, two and a half ounces; cucumber juice, three-fourths ounce. Melt the first three ingredients in a porce« lain kettle. When melted remove from the heat and add the cucumber juice. Then beat quickly with an eggbeater until the mixture is cold and firm. It can be used very nicely on the chapped hands. If it was the cucumber milk you meant, write me again. BABY MINE—'Yes" will answer e last you will “Beauty Tslk.” first two question: answered In to-day’