Weekly Mail

FEMININE FANCIES, ¡ AND FASHIONS. BY MURIEL." [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED,] TRON VISITING CARDS. Visiting cards of iron are the latest novelty in Germany, so I hear. While cardboard is cheap and satisfies all requirements why should people go out of their way to utilise mythiug apparently so wanting in malleability as iron. 1 use the word "apparently" advi- sedly, for I learn that forty of these cards laid ■me over the other are only one-tenth of an inch in thickness. The names are raised in silver, and the plates, being black, show up the lighter metal in clear relief. I presume the fad is an expensive one, and how are such jostlv social necessities to be disposed of after fulfilling their mission of courtesy ? Perhaps, it is incumbent on those who receive such oards, and, when they accumulate, to return them to their former owners in packets. THE DRAWtNG-ROOM. Queen's weather was not vouchsafed to her Majesty when she came tip to town on Monday, the 27th ult., for Tuesday's Drawing- room, There were more than 140 presenta- tions, Princess Christian taking the Queen's pla«e when her Majesty was fatigued. The iresses were unusually brilliant in tint and Hervid of contrast. Lady Dudley presented her daughter-in. law, the young countess, on her marriage. She wore white satin and vhite velvet, embroidered with lilies, and carried a bouquet of the same flowers, mixed with white orchids, and tied with white satin ribbon. The beautiful Georgina, Countess of Dudley looking almost is youthful as her son's wife-wore a white satin dress, with train of sapphire blue velvet, and carried a bunch of lilies. Lady Dudley's ornaments were her famous sapphires and diamonds. Lady Kdith Ward's gown was .vhite satin and pale green, and her large bouquet was of white flowers. The Duchess of Bedford, the mother by adoption of the younger Countess of Dudley, wore an elegant court robe of pink satin, trimmed mtith pink velvet, silver, and pearls. The train was of rey brocade shot silver, and on it a design of leaves in grey and pink. The train was lined with pink satin. There were not many court owns made in the newest fashion. One lady, .however, wore a white silk dress with design )f small satin dots, and also embroidered with sprays of pink roses, a golden butterfly hovering over each. The wide bell skirt was trimmed with flat pleittings of pink and slate ribbon. The green velvet train was lined with pale pink silk, trimmed with lace and pink and green feathers. One sleeve was in white silk, the other in green silk, th? corners of the green velvet train were brought over them, a lace berth being passed over the velvet. Among strong colour con- trasts was a petticoat of apricot satin worn with a vivid mauve train lined green. A train of ,-rass green velvet was w,,rii over a deep yellow satin petticoat. A pretty bouquet ivas made of Russian and Pama velvets combined, and tied with pale gold iatin ribbon. Small bunchws of violets were astened to the ends of the ribbon trails of greenery falling from the bouquet over the ribbon. Princess Christian, ever faithful to iier favourite ruby, wore a train of velvet over-bordered with silver fox fur over a white latin embroidered petticoat. The Queen's iress was rich black silk trimmed crepe and ,henille. Her Majesty wore the star and broad blue ribbon of the Order of the Garter and eight other Orders, these considerably re- lieving the sombre dress of silk and crepe. After the Drawing-room, at a quarter to live j'olock, her Majesty drove in an open carriage through Hyde Park to the A lbeft Memorial. J'he Queen looked in perfect health. As xpeoted, neither the Empress Frederick, the Irincesi; of Wales, nor her daughters attended be Drawing-room, nor were the Duchess of Teck and her daughter present. STRANGE, IF TRUE. By the way I have beard it said (I do not vouch for the truth of the assertion) that a bride, who was married in London recently, wore the dress that was to have been Princess May's bridal robe. A t the time of the sad event that necessitated its being cast aside it was reported the firm in whose hands it was had orders to dispose of the dress privately. I think this likely, but one cannot guarantee the correctness of the statement. HUMOUR! Another hearsay "I must ob roi) -"cle- that to tb, i ;i; *■ ry of the Duchess of Fife, if all goes shortly be added another menil -i. -l a oy. the little Lady Alexander Ooff wii • b; a less important personage than she h is !j. i ii since her first appearance on the present sia.se of existence. I';¡ J NCESS OF WALES. One grieves to bear that her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales is still overwhelmed with grief for the loss of her son, and pbysi- cally indisposed for anything like sight- seeing. There are few of us who have suffered cruel bereavement who have not felt the s me dislike to face the world again and fall back into the every-day life so terribly intenupted, nor how prone highly strung, super sensitive women live in constant dread of some other crushing woe or painful calamity. The Prin- cess is a bereaved mother who can as yet find no comfort in the fact that her son Has outsoared the shadow of our night iinvv and calumny, and hate alld pain. And that unrest which men miscall itelighv, Can touch him net and torture not acaiii. From the contagion of the world's slow stain He is secure, and now can never mourn A heart grown cold, a I.&,d grosti grey in vain, Nor when the spirit's self has ceased to burn. With sparkless ashes load an uidatnented urn, — Shelley, In the pronounced melancholy which op- presses the Princess still may, possibly, be presses the Princess still may, possibly, be ronnd the reason for the delay of the intended oruise in the Mediterranean, I am sure we wish the dear lady—speaking with a1 due respect to her and reverently as he- I seems those who quote the language of Holy Mother Church—" A happy issue out of all her afflictions. MILLINERY. [ have just returned from a tour of irispec- ] tion in town and first, with regard to millinery, one of the chief characteristics of -he present fashion is a commingling of colours, harmoniously as a rule, but not < always, I confess I do not admire the straw ribbon* with which milliners are making I :arac bows to trim both hats and bonnets. The straws are dyed in a variety of colours, s and then plaited, the plaits being more i or less wide. Some show several colours plaited, so as to form a design, diamond bail-ms, and so on. Other straw I I ribbons are in the colours pink and blaok, biaek and green, red and black, &c. The bows look exceedingly stiff and hard, and I II cannot understand any woman choosing this trimming when the lovely shot velvet can be bought for the same price, or nearly. Both hats and bonnets are made of straws to corre- spond. Thus a blaok hat will have an inser- tion of vivid ,i,e,n let in, and the wide brim turning up from the face is dyed green. Another model has a straw insertion in mixed colours showing round the crown of hst, whioh is repeated on the brim. ] The ocarse, rofigh straw described as If nut-j meg'' is very much used for bonnets, and is dyed in almofct every conceivable shade. Greens of the very lightest shades have a narrow I edging of black straw, a black straw will have a pale blue edge, and so on ad infinitum. There is one great drawback to the fashion I describe—nay, there are two drawbaoks. First, possessing a bonnet or hat in pro- nounced colours, it is almost sure to war against other articles of dress, because it is not likely we shall buy such headgear and live up to it, or rather dress up to it. The second drawback lies in the fact that such millinery is sure to become exceedingly common, so that those who wish to be exclusive will do well to pur- chase something less likely to 'attract the majority. CONFIRMATION DRESSES. I have seen some very pretty confirmation dresses. They are made of a soft kind of white woollen material, The skirt is very full, and gathered all round the waist. The bodice is made with leg-of-mutton sleeves, and has a full front gathered to a sharp point at the waist. 'he edge is encircled by a wide white satin ribbon folded and terminat- ing in a large rosette at the waist. A veil slightly gathered is pinned on the hair in front, and hangs below the waist at the back, but not much below it. White stockings and white iiid shoes are supplied, but these can be dispensed with in favour of tan kid shoes Nun's veiling is inexpensive, and where there is-a s in many cases-a prejudice against wearing a confirmation dress to dance or other entertainment, it is well not to go to too much expense. I knew one dear girl who felt the reluctance I refer to, and when, alas she died the gown in which she devoted herself to the service of her Maker served as her burial robe, a fitting one, truly. A confirmation dress need not be laid entirely on one side. It may appropriately serve as Sunday gown or an "at home" toilet. I certainly share the prejudice of wearing the dress-in which such solemn vows were taken—at theatres, balls, and like amusements. I will not call them frivolous amusements, but the confirmation gown seems to me to share in that consecration to the Almighty of which the sacred rite is so very significant. ROUND WAISTS AND DOUBLE SKIRTS. Round waists continue to be worn and, with them, Empire bands, fastened with rosettes. labbed basques are coming in again- pointed, not square, tabsr Rumour says double skirts are to be worn, and that already some skirts are as much as eight yards in circumference. One of the most popular combinations of colour is brown and green, as, for example, skirt and bodice, with wide pointed revers and cuffs to the elbow of moss-green cloth. The flounce at the hem of the dress and the balloon-like upper portions of the sleeves are of brown velvet. A HINT FOR THOSE WITH PRETTY NECKS. Later, when the weather grows warmer, 1 commend to the notice of my correspondents —those who have pretty necks—the fashion of making the bodica without a collar. The top is simply piped with silk, the whole of the throat being exposed to view, or would be, but for the broad velvet band that should encircle it. This band is fastened with a buckle the width of the velvet.. This style will be cool and comfortable token the hot weather comes, and the neck, if white and round, shows all the fairer for the velvet that encompasses it. RECIPES. I am often asked for an inexpensive means of softening hard water, pasta mack, and other water softeners, not comii g under that head. Effective and simple is a lump of Fuller s-eartb kept in the bottom of the jug. If the water be poured off carefully clouds will not appear, but if they do they are not harmful, but quite the reverse, A home-made cake loses its homely appear- ance when iced, and the process is so simple and inexpensive that I feel sure some of my readers will like to know how the icing is done. I prefer a good home-made cake to a confectioner's oako unless, indeed; it be one of Buzzard's. The icing cannot be said to im- prove the taste, but it rende s the cake far more attractive in appearance. il-fethod;- Put a pound of what is called ioing sugar into a bowl, and mix with it the white only of one egg, or, if necessary, two, and a few drops of lemon juice. The fewer eggs the better. The egg whites must not be beaten. Stir the sugar and egg till there is a smooth thick paste that will not run. Lay the icing on the cake with hands dipped frequently in cold water, and finally smooth with an ivory knife—a paper knife will do-dipped in cold water. Coloured sugar-plums, or the, tiny seeds known as hundreds and thousands look well embodied in the icing. Strips of angelica placed across and across may be substituted if desired. If a birthday cake, the name of the child the anniversary whose birth is commemorated can be traced on the cake with date below. The icing being coloured pink with cochineal. Write the name in pencil, and then make a paper tube narrow- ing to a point, bat large enough to allow the icing to trickle through until the decoration is complete.