115

A WORD WITH THE WOMEN

(Elia W Peattie)

The members of the Rev Mr Savldge's church take much interest in the Itescue Home and recently visited the institution provided with the necessary and luxuious thing of life Religious serives were held, and a feeling of cordialty established between the inmates and the church people This is the sort of work that Mr Savldge believe in, and the sort he encourages his people to do

Those who wish to present the names of friends for membership for th Womens club must do so immediately It will be necessary that the names of applicants be read Monday April 29 in order for membership to be attained by the annual meeting with which the club year begins May 27, and at which offiecers are ejected

The present fashion of wearing gas silk waists with dark skirts is immensely convenient, and recommends itself to the economical woman, who can get up a theater costume, a dinner gown, a street dress and a dancing flick with the game skirt, and a judicious provision of appropriate waists In short, It is possible at present to dress the really stylish on very little mosney But the question which Rudyard Kipling put so pertinently, 'It is clever, but is it art?' ailse to annoy the wearer of silk waitsts Every woman who had studied the subject knows that she looks really dressed To determine whether or not her attire is artistic she will do well to ask herself the question if she dressed as she would like to be if her portait were to be painted A portrait painter, she knows very well, would consider her style, her complexion, and manner in connection with her garments He would desire her to present a sumphinc effect In order to attain this he would have the figures robed in one harmonious color from head to foor He would not think of painting a portrait thus divding the body if he Introduced two colors it would be by having them fall side by side in the drapery as an open coat might reveal a gown harmonious with it in color, or a court train might fall over a gown of contrasting tint, or a bright hat give accent to a somber costume But two cut the figure sharply in two at the waist, or the point which fashionable somen have chosen to consider the waist, is certainly not artistic

For two seasons now the waists have been threatening to go out of mode They have not yet done so On the contrary ladies send to the great modistes for designs dressmakers heap laces, flower ribbon and even jewls upon these pretty things, trifles they cannot be called since they frequently involve the expenditure of [$?0] to $100 and require six yards of material without the decoration Chiffon, lace silk, satin magnifcent broadages, bullion passementary and French flowers are lavished upon these devices The waist has assumed the proper un of a fine art-and art is not only song, but large in this case as the sleeves will attest There are as many ways of making the modern fancy waist as there are of painting a picture But these waists cannot be said to ecpress the individuality of the wearer to any extent They express rather the fantasy of the dressmaker The dressmaker in fact, is becoming a creature of imagination She may almost be said to have a right to associate herself with the article if not with poets The silk waist has lifted her out of the realm of artisans.