THE LADIES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7499, 19 October 1895, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE LADIES.

LATEST ENGLISH GOSSIP. I THE DUST-CLOAK REDIVIVUS. , Dust-cloaks have returned to popular favor, and in new and prettier styles than of yore. Some are made of Tussore silk, but alpaca seems to be the material most in use, and very handsome cloaks of this stuff are made for travelling purposes. One specially delightful confection I met with on my travels was made of fawn alpaca, decorated with brown lace. The cape was full and bordered with lace, and a deep collar, accordion pleated, made a most becoming finish. The skirt was cut en princesse, and trimmed round the edge with brown lace laid on as flatly as possible. The very newest capes are elaborately ruched and frilled with chiffon and lace, as well as bespangled and appliqued with jet and embroidery. BLOUSES. A blouse for morning wear was effective and dainty. It was made of figured wool crepon in a pale shade of blue, and trimmed with frills of the material. The crepon was arranged over a tight-fitting foundation, reaching just below tbe waist, to which the material was gathered at the neck and waist, back and front, where it fastened in the centre. The shoulders were trimmed with a collarette of the material, edged with a frill, and the neck was finished with a little turndown collar. A charming finish to the waist was given by means of a wide scarf of the material, which fastened in a knot on the left side, and had long, flowing ends. THE ENGLISH SERVANT-GIRL. I saw the servant-girl in her neat black dress and cap and apron, earning from fourteen to thirty pounds a year, with ' beer money ' and ' wash money ' thrown in. Her wants were few, and with a reasonable mistress her privileges were many. Both during my career as a servant and as an inmate of a servants' home I failed to find a single servant, either in or out of a situation, who had not a snug account at tho savings bank in readiness for a rainy day. HINTS FOR AFTERNOON TEA. When visitors call during tho afternoon a slight refreshment in the shape of tea and cake, or thin bread and butter, is usually handed round, it being an easy and convenient form of showing hospitality ; but there are a few points worth remembering, and which will serve as a guide for the inexperienced hostess. Don't have the tea too strong, and don't let it stand long on the leaves. If tea is required at intervals during a long afternoon, place the tea in a muslin bag, which can be removed when the tea has drawn ; it can then be kept hot as long as necessary. There is nothing so unpalatable and undesirable as strong or bitter tea which has been standing for any length of time. Never provide anything sticky. Bread and butter should be rolled, and sandwichos so daintily made that no soiling of tho fingers is necessary. Another impor-