The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital from Topeka, Kansas • 6

iiii llli Mm OF THE GENTLER -SEX. HERE'S A HEW BAG, Made for Dainty Parasols That Are Too Often Left Standing in Corners. View News and HANGS ON THE BEDROOM WALL 111 IK SHRINE or How to Make It of Cretonne Silk for an Acceptable Easter -Gift. How the Modern Woman Dedicates the Bathroom to Health and Beauty. LATEST AND BEST APPLIANCES.

Useful Hints for Those Whose Means Do Not Admit of Lavish Expenditure. In the general distribution of articles, useful and ornamental, in bags and stands and cases, the summer girl's parasol has been strangely neglected. Thera is always a stand for canes and umbrellas in every hall rack, but there haa never been any special provision for tha parasol, which, being a thing of dainty silk and muslin, requires the utmost care to keep It from getting soiled or mussed. Even in the girl's own boudoir there is no place to put her sunshade except the box in which it cama or the tray of her trunk, either of which is extremely unhandy and hard to get at. On account of the Inconvenience of putting It away in such receptacles every time one comes in from a walk or a drive, the dainty creation is too often left standing in a corner of the room or closet where it collects dust and loses all its freshness.

For this reason, something must be done to protect the flower like affairs that are to be carried next summer. A woman's solution for any question of how to preserve, or protect, or stow away an article is usually a bag of some kind, and she has yet to find any more adaptable style of receptacle for everything- in general. There is her shopping bag, her bag for pieces, soiled clothes, opera glasses, and every other li fj I ii article that she has to do with, and now the exigencies of the case demand still another the parasol bag. This bag will be found extremely useful to hang In one's room during the summer in the crowded quarters which economy often makes necessary. It is easily made and need not cost more than a quarter, if one does not gj in too much for fancy ornament.

The materials required are, one yard of cretonne, about three yards of the aluminum tape that is sewed around the bottom of skirts to make them stand out, and a ribbon or cord of soma kind to hang it up. The width of the cretonne is sufficient for the length of the bag. To make it, double the ends of the cretonne together and slope off both sides like the front gore of a skirt, with the small end at the bottom. These gora shaped pieces are then sewed together, forming a bag that is half a yard across at the top and less than a quarter of a yard at the bottom. The aluminum tape is now brought out.

It is used to form rings that hold the bag out at the top and bottom. It is run through hems made for the purpose just as rubber tape is inserted, and is TYPES OP SPUING MILLINERT AND NOVELTIES IN SKIRT TRIMMINGS. Few, probably, realize In what a degree the bathroom Is a fin de siecle luxury. Lens than twenty-Ilvc years ago It ti found only In the homes of the favored few, but now no house of the smallest pretentions! Is without one. Tha bathrooms of the wealthy today rival thorn; of the Romans In the period when perfumed baths were taken two and three time a day.

The room is large and airy and Is Hooded with sunshine; the walls and celling are tiled In pure white, or In delft, white and blue; the bathtub Is of sunk deep In the floor; pure silver Rlcams In towel-rack anil and as the pure, clear water Hows from the nickel ihowcr, one Is transported to fairyland where, In a cavern of sparkling perns, the drip, drip, drip of some ice-cold spring is heard. It Is only In the- palaces of the rich, however, that the bathroom suggests anything poetle. The bathroom of the great middle classes displays rather a practical understanding of the laws of health, and a desire to comply with them. The most desirable bathroom has a window faring the pouth or the west, enabling its occupant to take a sun as well as a water bath. There should ftlso be some means of heating it in cold weather, since a bnth taken in a chilly room Is apt to do more harm than Rood.

If the room is not connected with the furnace, pet for it a small gas stove and light it about fifteen minutes before the bath is to be taken. There should be nothing the bathroom which can harbor any lurking gortr.s of disease. Everything must be of such a nature that it can readily be cleaned witli soap and water. For the walls and celling, tiling is certainly preferable, but as it is very expensive the modest housewife an excellent substitute in tiled paper, which comes In the same colors and designs. When paper Is used for the walls, the celling should be painted, not kaiso-mined.

pure white. The woodwork should also receive a few coats of the name. The best tub for ordinary use is of porcelain or enamel. Unfortunately many houses which have been standing for some years have cabinet tubs. They are ur.ually of hard wood, and if varnished and given a high polish from time to time, may be kept In perfect hygienic condition.

Carpets no longer cover the floors. bathers demand Inlaid mosaic patterns, also in the delft colors, while ordinary mortals urc content with linoleum, which, if not a delight to the eye, may be kept perfectly clean. Every bathroom should contain a washstand. In many it Is of marble, built In the room, with the polished pipes exposed beneath. If not.

It is best to supply one of painted Iron, In white, to harmonize with the walls and celling. The newest towel-racks are of nickel, Instead of wood, as formerly. One stationary rod, to be fastened to the wall, may be purchased for a dollar; three HER CLEVER THEFT. ALL ABOUT THE WOMAN OF FASHION. hearts of fashionable women, and will be used on the few picture hats that only the very fair will appear in, this season.

Such hats never go out of style for the young and beautiful, but it is only when everybody is wearing them that the woman of plain visage dares attempt them. The long, droop She Has Begun to Visit Spring Openings for Points on Her Easter Bonnet. The bath rug Is certainly an excellent institution. It is made of heavy Turkish towelling, and each member of the family is provided with one, and after use it is washed Just a3 a towel would be. Very fastidious persons, who object not only to putting the foot on linoleum used by others, but to coming into contact with the bathtub as well, line the entire tub with a coarse linen sheet before filling it with water.

A similar sheet Is placed beside the tub, and, her bath over, my lady steps into it. This sheet Is so large that the corners can be used for drying purposes, instead of a towel. Sponges are no longer used for bathing. The searchlight of modem science has discovered that germs cling to them, and that no amount of care will keep them perfectly clean. In their place, we have brushes and mittens.

In buying a brush, careful attention should be given to the condition of one's flesh. It Is said that a woman Is able to bear a much harsher brush than a man, whose muscular flesh offers a greater resistance. In the same way, the requirements of different women vary. Round brushes, while offered in great quantities at the stores, are not nearly so serviceable as the long, narrow kind. The latter have long handles, curve in and out, and enable a person to give any part of the body a thorough brushing.

If one objects to HIGH CROWNS AND NARROW BRIMS. Story of How an Ingenious Woman Robbed the National Treasury. There is no department In all the United States that Uncle Sam guards with such jealous care as he exercises in his surveillance of the National Treasury. Enough arms and ammunition are stored in this building to stock an arsenal and the slightest alarm would bring a regiment of blue coats to its defence in forty seconds. The closest watch is kept over the most trusted employes and It would seem that theft of any description is impossible.

Yet it is on record that a clever woman once robbed the treasury of no one knows how many thousands of dollars. It was never known just how long her thefts had been going on but the story of her detection is somewhat romantic. It was one day in the fall of 1888 that this woman, wishing to celebrate the anniversary of her birth, took a day off, leaving a certain amount of money in her desk which had been sent by the sub-treasury of New York for redemption. It happened that in her absence the sub-treasurer telegraphed for an immediate return of the new money due in exchange for that which he had sent; so another counter was set to work on the money, assigned the absentee. This substitute soon discovered fraud and reported the case at headquarters.

The woman's method of procedure ing feathers mat are lost in nuns oi bonny hair will continue to droop over fair faces, but folks of only average good looks will shun them, and buy hats with two feathers standing up together instead of the solitary one of last season. Sometimes a big, fluffy aigrette is made to keep the solitary feather company instead of procuring a mate. When loops of ribbon are used in conjunction with feathers the latter are made subordinate, the ribbons standing up at the loftiest possible height and the feathers forming a sort of hedge at the base. A straw hat with a decided tilt at the left side of the back has a couple of bunches of violets underneath, with loops and feathers arranged on top in the manner just described. A small straw bonnet, with a brim that does not project beyond the pompadour in front, has a bunch of flowers at each side of the back which runs down a little distance over the hair.

The only other trimming is a high bow of soft loops of striped ribbon perched at the very edge of the brim on the left side of the front. Another, with a high crown, has a puffing of mousseline for a brim, and two ostrich feathers standing up at fastened at the ends. The top ring should be wide enough not to crush the parasol but no wider than is absolutely necessary, as otherwise the accommodations for dust will be increased. A heading formed of a double hem of the goods about four inches wide adds to the beauty of this article and helps to keep dust out. Indeed, soma of these may be made with buttons and buttonholes or ball and socket clapps with which to fasten the h-m together after the parasol has been inserted.

The lower ring should be less than an inch in diameter, the upper, perhaps four inches. A couple of strips of tape may be sewed up the side seams of the bag to preserve the shapa when the parasol has been removed, or some lead weights at the bottom will serve almost as well. As these bags are cheap, there is no reason why one should not have as many as one has parasols. Three is a very convenient number and all may be hung together from separate ribbons on the same hook. In this case contrasting patterns of cretonne ara pretty, or perhaps shades that harmonize with the hue of the parasol which it is to contain.

The latter bus- What to Aim at and What to Avoid in the Successful Trimming of a Home Made Hat. mm ji-SHL -0- JJL t( I Ja i Sflidrpzrd: fa pffe jife iiii -4-rFM--q JU- i mit nh tJfe fet'H I I I I I CT" III i may be made very attractive, and other combinations will suggest themselves to the woman who knows what colors are most becoming to her. The kid straps are less than half an inch wide, and the crowns are not very high. Other hats are so small that they look like bonnets. Some of them, indeed, are bonnets which set on top of the head.

Just a suggestion of the bell crow-n in rather miniature form is quite common among the hats with narrow, rolling brims. It is allowable to enhance these brims a trifle with puffings of chiffon or lace, but not with enough to make it project very far over the face. Perhaps these new hats are designed to harmonize with the pompadour style of dressing the hair a style which bids fair to become more popular as the season approaches the sea bathing time when any style of coiffure which keeps its place in spite of salt air and water is bound to be at the highest premium. Dutch and Normandie bonnets will be very popular, and to some extent those mere hair ornaments which were worn on the street some years ago will return to us again. Some of the shapes have straw brims with satin or velvet brims, and these will be found very easy for home manufacturers.

Such hats as are large have brims that turn away from the face very abruptly with trimming underneath, but the majority of brims turn up on the left side. All have trimming under the brim, for this softening effect is a great favorite with women who are pretty as well as those who are plain. A great many wings appear among the trimmings of the early spring. This is doubtless a means of transition from winter to summer, as flowers are sure to take their rightful place by midsummer. A red straw sailor has a wall of red and black wings standing up around Its crown and held in place by red chiffon.

The wings stand high In the back and narrow down to nothing in front, something after the manner of the lace ruchings that are worn inside of stock collars. A few hats have wings perched on top of the crown to add height to the headgear. Indeed, all trimming Is built up just as high as possible. Even was certainly ingenious. From her bundle of money she would select nine bills of the same issue and denomination.

From each of these she would cut a portion from the first a piece equal to one tenth, from the second a piece the size of two tenths of the whole bill, from the third three tenths, from the fourth four tenths, from the fifth five tenths, and so on up to nine tenths. She then took the first tenth and pasted it to the bill from which she had cut two tenths, using a piece of paper the size of one tenth to make up for the piece taken out. The three tenths and another piece of paper took the place of the four tenths, and so on until, when she had finished, she had one more bill than she started with. She then put all her pasted bills in the package, including the extra one, and took out one that had not been cut for her own use. Having counted her money she arranged it in the usual package and put her seal upon it, after which it was counted by two different persons who did not open the packages, but merely counted the ends, and hence did not see how many patched bills had been sent by the of New York.

After this it was all sent to the macerator, which completely destroyed all evidences of her guilt. As it so happened that she had not removed the extra bill on this particular day, there was no convicting evidence against her and she was simply discharged. It was afterward heard that she had lost all her ill-gotten wealth at the hands of-a dishonest dealer in real estate, and not long ago she died of cancer in a small town in New Jersey. This matter was kept very quiet at the time of its" occurrence, but it stands on the records of the Treasury, and employes of the department vouch for its truth. It ought to be said, however, that no such fraud can ever occur again, as measures have been taken by which it would soon be detected If Copyright, 1897, by Bacheller Syndicate.

Although Lent is not yet half gone, the woman of means has begun to attend the spring millinery openings, where she orders stacks upon stacks of hats "sent home on approval" that she may select her Easter bonnet at her leisure. Perhaps this feasting upon the flesh pots of Egypt in the form of a costly bonnet is not exactly devotional for this season of the year, but so long as the longing to adorn herself In it for the public gaze is curtailed, she may be forgiven the vanity which is her birthright. The woman who has not means also visits the spring openings if she has any time to spare, but she doesn't order any hats sent home, for she hasn't the slightest intention of buying any. She only looks and longs, and looks again, for she must impress the style of her pet bonnet upon her mind so that she may be able to remember how it looks when she gets back to her own modest store of cheap materials which bear so little resemblance to those on the fresh, new bonnet she has been looking at. It is the style more than anything else that she studies, for this is what makes a hat different from what it was last year.

The woman who trims her own hat must have the courage of her convictions and set to work with perfect confidence in her own taste. It is always better to copy something one has seen In the stores than to attempt original invention, though it is frequently necessary to omit some of the trimming for economy's sake. In making changes, however, one has to consider what it is that makes the hat attractive or gives it its style, else the whole character of the thing may be changed. One of the chief characteristics of the spring hats is that they are small. There are a few large ones, but they are the exception.

The milliners must have been in collusion with the parasol makers this year, for the woman who has a care for her complexion will find little protection for her face among the hats of the season, and she will thus be compelled to provide herself with something more substantial in the way of a sunshade. Even the sailor, hats which are always depended upon to act as shields against old 'Sol, have rather narrow brims. Some of the new one3 are rather elaborately gotten up. A brown straw brim not over two Inches wide has a red corded silk crown with three straps of white kid buckled round it for a band. The woman of invention will not be long in discovering in this style a means of rejuvenating her old sailor.

If the old hat has a bell crown It would be better 'to remove it entirely and cut the surplus width of the brim from the Inside, as the new sailors have rather large crowns. The new crown may be made of buckram, covered with A MODEL. BATHROOM. PARASOL, BAGS. all the hats tilt side, a fashion the left side.

Nearly slightly at the left Lthe flowers are made to- stand up in such vigorous treatment, a pair of mittens may be used. The mitten made of loopha is very like a sponge when wet, and is really excellent. Others are of Turkish towelling and linen braid, the latter knit on coarse needles. An additional advantage is that they can be made at home. The so-called "friction glove" also enters largely into the modern bath.

It is used dry, to promote proper-circulation, and may be employed at any time, whether a bath has been taken or not. It Is made of root fibre, knitted horsehair, horsehair made into a brush with the back of the mitten of stockinet, and also of macrame cord. The knitted gloves are best for those who desire mild treatment. For such, also, are towels knit of braid or very coarse cotton on large needles, answering equally well the requirements of the "friction glove." Special brushes for the face are prepared of camel's hair and goat's hair, the latter the better by far. These are the means taken by modern women to preserve their health and youth.

Much advice regarding beauty Is given, and much wisely followed. Tet the keynote of the situation Is the bathroom, and each day sees It- more carefully guarded as a shrine of Ilygeia. Copyright, 1537, by Bacheller Syndicate. dollars will secure a rack with three movable rods, while a very pretty towel shelf can be had for $1.50. The best soap-dish Is one that hangs on the edge of the tub, and is made of twisted wire, with a small majolica dish.

It costs about seventy-five cents and Is very convenient, especially with children, who are apt to place the soap where it will spoil the woodwork. An exceedingly dainty standing soap-dish is of plated silver, with five prongs to hold the soap up and keep It dry; price f3. Solid silver dishes may also be purchased, but as the cheapest are twenty-five dollars they are not likely to become very popular. Nowadays a shower Is considered absolutely necessary, although many 1 atbrooms have been built without tVem. One with a rubber tube that cea be screwed to the faucet may be purchased for $1.50.

If a double spray 1, Cr sired, an additional fifty cents will mi that. Another essential adjunct bathtub is a small seat of such that it can be fastened to the i the tub. This does away with crta.ble footbath, which, at best, a. nuisance. Mem bather, however, Is not with a bathroom, pure and To be entirely satisfactory, it -piled with an endless va- brushes, and mittens.

Beggars on Horseback. At Cordova, Argentine Republic, the very beggars ride horseback, and one of them, who Is very well known to many travelers, goes about begging with a certificate that he is entitled to be a mendicant. Of course all the servants there have horses. narrow high bunches that have no visible stems, these being veiled by blossoms wired into place by the ingenious milliner. A.

thin, material is much used for folds, by French milliners. It is coarsely woven and usually has some suggestion of gilt or silver tinsel about It. Being wiry, it keeps its place better than ribbon or silk and it will found very useful to the, amateur, as it gestion is the best, because It is thus made easy to elect the right parasol before removing it. As an Easter gift such a bag would be very acceptable, and since it can ba made both cheaply and quickly should be eagerly seized upon by those, who are looking for something new. Individual taste will suggest many and various forms of ornamentation, such as, for Instance, a wide ribbon heading at the top or a frill of narrow ribbon at the bottom, wreaths of violets or other flowers.

The three bags may ba hung together on the same hook on tha wall of one's bedroom or side by si da on different hooks. It will also ba found very convenient to hare a set of them hanging on the wall beside tha hallrack. ANNIE LAURIE WOODS. Copyright, 1S97, by Bacheller Syndicate. which Is pretty generally becoming.

It is quite a Jump from hats to the bottom of skirts, but It will do no. harm to call attention to a few of the novel styles of trimming depicted in the accompanying illustration. The three ruffles at the bottom are characteristic of many of the new skirts. Thin dresses organdies, Swisses, and the like have five ruffles at the. bottom and some of them are bound with baby ribbon at the edge.

Indeed, the narrow edge in a contrasting color will be very fashionable, as is seen from the recent Importations of made up ruchings. Skirts for thin dresses are pretty full, but cloth dresses are made somewhat narrower. ANNIE LAURIE WOODS. Copyright, 1897, by Bacheller Syndicate. A Wrinkle Effacer.

A good way to get rid of the ugly sewed Inside the brim. wrinkle between the eyes Is to. rub it 1 silk and then is almost a sufficient trimming In itself. It comes in all colors, green being one of the prettiest tints. A small turban wound with this trimming needs only the addition of a couple of quills to make a very pretty knockabout hat.

Feathers still hold their place In the The straps of kid will help to keep the silk cover in place as well as tq cover well with glycerine or some other ointment before retiring and theiv bandage It with a smooth binding of linen. The bandage should be worn all night. up seams or flaws in the workmanship. Wfc.it a straw with a pale blua crown.