DESIGNS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 11 July 1923, Page 13

DESIGNS.

“I can A decide,” said Phyllis to nr.-, “whether to leave my jumper plain m embroider it in one of tnose lovely Egyptian designs.” “J. think, it I were you ” I began.

“Leave it plain!” barked the Admiral from behind his paper. "Designs arc dangerous.” “Dangerous!” exclaimed Phyiiis. “Mv clear Nunes, what do you mean!-" The Admiral screwed up his blue eyes till his thick white eyebrows looked like a couple of hat brushes. “I mean ‘dangerous,’ ” he snapped. “I once had an uncle in the Civil Service, whose career was ruined because Iris wife had a fancy for a foi-de-!ol design on her frock.” This promised to be interesting. We sat on either arm of his chair and insisted upon the whole story. “Very nice folleh ho was, too, poor chap,” continued the Admiral, when he bad been deprived of his paper. “Very promising feller, getting on nicely. They gave him a ratling good appointment in a port in China; duced good it was. I was a young lieutenant those days, and my ship was stationed close by'. “Well, when tlio appointment gets through, the first 1 thing my Aunt Emily thinks about, of course, is clothes. Never saw the use of women s clothes myself. “Anyhow, among her fal-lals she gets a grand frock costing about fitly guineas; all hems and gussets, or whatever you women call ’em,_ and_ all down the front was a bind of Chinese sign stitched in bright colours. Yen pleased with it she was, because sin thought it looked Eastern, and rich. She tells my poor Uncle Henry that it will he ‘so suitable’ for China.

“Out. they come to the port-, and the clothes with them, and, as soon as they’ve settled in a bib, they- have to give a big reception to all the Chinese big-wigs of .the district. A sort of self introduction to the local powers. “My Aunt Emily thinks this is an occasion for her smart frock. So she dools herself up in it and drapes it over with a fine scarf; and she, and my T poor Uncle Henry, receive their guests. “Just when everybody had .arrived and things were beginning to hum nicel.v, my- aunt takes oil her scarf, because si ic imagines it’s spoiling the effect-of her frock. Fine big woman she was. and that embroidery was as bright as a, railway poster. “In about Iwo minutes’ time there was an icy silence, which crept: over the room, like a sea ln‘-. M.v poor uncle began to suspect that there was trouble in the wind. It takes a great deal to agitate a Chinese big-wig, but in ten minutes cverv Chinese guest had left that bouse without a word of explanation. obvious in various singes of hi eh displeasure and extreme offence—and my; poor uncle’s prospects in the Civil Service wont'with them. “When f blew in. a few minutes afterwards ■(! bad been detained on mv ship), there were my; poor Uncle TUoivy and my .Aunt Emhy standing, looking very dazed, in middle ni lbs-, cniptv reception mom. ! bey told me all ‘about it. rny aunt nearly in .tears, “ ‘Whatever can have offendc.'. them ? ’ she wailed. , “‘Holy Mdses!’ f gasped. 10 saying something all up your froex! “ ‘What do von mean, “saving .‘••omething up my frock”? ’ she shrieked r.t m “T was f.rving to learn Cbhioso in those (lavs and 1 carried a d'ctionarv in mv pockd . I whipped ft out. am the three of ns together (irw.-.. - > (J.o design on that frock, symbol oy symbol. j. The Admiral paused. bis mu.un in Hi Fulton. ' 1 “ T fs noD rnr-mo to to 1 n M voung girls what that ombr“‘A'i/cTd Pnt it. took an bciur ami n-.vl. ; l .Per and smelling salts to revive my "’’“The Chinese are a dignified vmi proud mdion, and mv poor uncle hm. >-■ r T<All ought- to wear phdn clothes. Cn'-ette.