BEHIND A HAT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 114, 6 February 1908, Page 3

BEHIND A HAT.

■ These are- the reflections.of a Frenchman concerning the thoatro hat of this season of 0 . .. cart-wheel hats. -They appear over the signa-, r --turo of M. Henry Bidon m the "Journal des J Debats," and require no'comments. - • ■■ -A semicirclo of violet plumes towers above I . a flatrspace covered with velvet;,it is a hat. It is indeed-. the,]a«tvWortl ill hats, for. there ' couli : MWng•>MiA s J view,quite so -effetriiVblyr:-i Confound thogo ■ indolent large • plumes; the jagged outline of ? which makes a briak in the' solid obstruction! "6oodrbyei' : of ' vulture r "wing-feathers that rose' before, hiding" c wardv'scenes on'* the 'theatre- as' the - white 1 cloud hid tho top of Mount Ida!" At last wo 1 ■^have l the solid hat. * Carefully adjusted in front of a-spectator ot mcdram height, a'single one of these : hats '! : suffices to hide the stage. Its compact'shapo, C its syminetncal Outline-its heaped-up ipad of 1 trimming, < constitute r''-a.- creseent-shapbd 1 ■ screqn. . ... .. In fact, seated behind it, you 1 . are no longer at .tlio theatre; .you are listen- ■ : ing to a phonograph. repetition l of the play, ! but you hsten'to it .from behind a wallyou : v know; something->is on,.'and-you see , nothing. It is the height of tragedy. 'In a'' count/y-where actresses-aro very-pretty s thei - hat may possibly be. an unkind precaution taken by/the ladies'-to 1 the/stage beau-ties-from their jmsn-folk.-. For the men. do not seem to employ siiijilar repressive means. They, dq.no'; keep ..their,hats. on;..they: do Jiot'.appoiir. iit tho j theatre gearing ; bearskin hats-of the .kind;which , their.,' grandmothers : . used as .miiif9;_nbr do they affect, the holniet. of the. Ifing'ijf Italy.. .They are resigned. It, '.■ is.the -woh)eri:.who protest. : ,. . V ' .. .' A lady surmounted by ;<i "tea-table'.! hears another ljoliind her, .''lt iV a glume. ,- ' to, pome to ; tlie itlieiitre in thatj hat.";,., She" turns round. .Her accuser herself wears: a : structure ; of ,heroic , size.. Another. complains' to the manager,'. "Sir,.,l-am under a contract ; with the-theatre,, havothe right;to : 'gee'.". ... The other day .the' : complaints ..wore so fierce ; th.at'.ohe lad.y. fiiially.tpok .off , her hat, anil 161 . from-under; tho .prettiest little . head ill .the dressed, to givc.plcnsuro'to' .any, eyo, the hat had been : >orn,; not/bccAUse it Had. to hide any-. .- ■ thing,: but from.sliccn malice!. : . r >-.. Bead' work .nc,fc"'on]y: maintains. its; popularity,l says ran Australian .-.woman; it is developing: .continually.: ■: Particularly, well, worthy of.; consideration .is bead 1 work com- ' bined" with istejicilHng., - Stencilled designs : outlined 'with, beads serve'admirably for jthe i decoration: of,'..handbags,vblottors, wallets of' ' , . all kinds, ;cushipnsi:;and borders . for. table-, and curtains./. :. A-'-border of brown linen,< showing a/conventional design hv.bluo , outlined.,with green and black beads, has aj charm :all its, own. Wash leather takes-sten-; cilling -well, and,:washsleather,, stencilled and beaded, looks; well for belts, buttons, flat bucklcs and: small bags., - Crpcheted ; belts beaded arc also worthy of attention. A-.de-lightful iidea- in. connection with. stencilling has lately-been put into execution by' ingenious'workers.- : :The whole; of tho stencilled ensign- has* been outlined, with narrow. braid. As an Outlining there - is' nothing more effective tlian gold-cord, but when cost: is a consideration silk braid in thel narrowest'widths .--''makes' a verv good substitute- .