ftlotrcs anir ifltamtrrs. 
_ip_ 
SPRING FASHIONS 
BY MADAME CHAKDON. 
Careful housekeepers are improving the 
Lenten cessation from dancing and visiting 
to prepare the family wardrobe for the com¬ 
ing season, making up first such of last year’s 
wardrobe as is still useful before buying the 
new materials. Ladies' dress, from the 
morning gown and under-gar men ts to the 
out and in-door toilette, increases in luxury ; 
indeed, the under-garments almost exceed 
now tu richness of trimming our out-of-door 
clothing, and we can only wonder at the 
invention of the new patterns in trimming 
and even in shape. Without losing ourselves 
in prosy reflections, we will merely warn our 
readers not to fall into Fashion’s errors whilst 
striving to keep pace with her, and admonish 
them never to forget that modesty is the 
greatest ornament of our sex. 
There is not yet a great deal to be seen in 
the way of spring styles, except that suits 
are made of a lighter kind of material. Now 
and then you see a young Miss promenading 
Broadway, wearing a jaunty spring suit, a 
white hat with a profusion of flowers, tow¬ 
ering ou her head higher thau ever. We 
notice, also, as a finish to spring suits, short, 
loose sacks and sailor jackets. It is rather 
curious just now to see the suow on the 
ground and the shop windows dressed up 
with the spring and summer goods. 
There are a variety of new dress materials, 
but as we have not space to mention them 
all, we will only select the most useful. In 
domestic manufactures Spuaoue’s calicos 
are most popular. There are a great va¬ 
riety of patterns; delicate flowers or sprigs 
on light or white grounds, and stripes or 
dots of alternating colors on dark grounds. 
These calicos are only twelve cents a yard, 
are considered durable, and make up pretty 
wrappers and children's frocks. Better 
calicos cost from twenty-five to forty cents; 
these show, of course, a greater variety in 
patterns. French cambrics have a large 
sale, and will be worn as much as last year; 
they are now sold at last year’s price, which 
was forty cents. White striped pique is 
from thirty-five to forty-five cents a yard ; 
fourteen to sixteen yards will make a hand¬ 
some suit. In Paris they wear these suits 
embroidered or braided, which every lady 
can do easily herself; they look, of course, 
much richer. 
Among the more expensive materials we 
noticed the small striped and checked sum¬ 
mer silks, also the summer poplins with sijk 
stripes. Cashmere is much worn, also mo¬ 
hairs and alpacas. Black and white dresses 
arc still quite In vogue—either shepherd's 
plaid or black dresses trimmed with white; 
the last mentioned is worn much in Paris, 
but requires great attention in trimming, for 
if the white is too conspicuous, it will not 
he considered in good taste. There is a no¬ 
velty in grenadines which makes up lovely 
for dinner dresses; the colors are of the 
rarest tints; the designs are beautiful flowers. 
Trlmminira. 
Velvet trimmings in all their variety are 
still quite popular. Laces of all sorts will be 
worn a great deal this summer, and those 
who cannot afford to buy real lace, will find 
excellent imitations. A crimped fringe is 
worn much on evening dresses, and looks far 
prettier than any other kind of fringe. The 
various styles of trimmings which are made 
of the dress goods, will remain in vogue. 
llat» nu<l Bonnets. 
There are many pretty spring hats, but 
the generality are unbecoming ; especially so 
arc the turned-up and high-towering styles. 
A pretty hat which we saw was of white 
chip, trimmed with black velvet and black 
lace; a water lily was set in a black ostrich 
feather at the left side. Another pretty 
shape was covered with crape of a lovely 
violet color, with a scarf of the same taste¬ 
fully arranged about the crown and a clus¬ 
ter of Marguerites over the brow. A stylish 
bonnet was of fancy straw, the back turned 
upward and piped with velvet. Stripes of 
straw were laid over the velvet trimming on 
the crown. A handsome bouquet at the 
hack, with long grasses which fell over the 
chignon. Another is merely composed of a 
Fanchon of lace, which is arranged tastefully 
upon a beautiful chignon, fastened back with 
a cluster of rose-buds. 
Wnlkiug ami other C'ostttines. 
A pretty walking suit we saw was made 
of alpaca, had a walking skirt withaflounce 
ten inches deep,box-plaited, and set on with 
a heading; the overskirt is cut in four 
leaves, the back is gathered up hi the cen¬ 
ter ; the sides are also gathered up and con¬ 
fined by straps of the material. The edges 
of the leaves are trimmed with a ruche of 
the goods, and three rows of ribbon velvet 
or braid. The sash is composed of two ends, 
trimmed to correspond with the overskirt 
and a large bow, composed of three loops. 
The waist is plain, and has coat sleeves 
trimmed on the shoulders and at the wrists 
with ruchiugs and bands of velvet or braid. 
An elegant suit of gray silk is made with 
one flounce, twelve inches deep, box-plaited, 
aud headed by five ruflics about three inches 
deep. The paletot is tight-tit ting, arranged 
en panicr in the hack. It is trimmed with a 
a box-plaiting three inches deep, aud headed 
by two ruchiugs. Waistband of 
the material of the dress, with 
a large bow without ends; 
coat sleeves, and trimmed with 
two ruchings. 
A neat and pretty dinner dress 
for a young lady is made of or¬ 
gandie, trimmed with notched 
flowers up to the belt. The 
waist is cut low and square, and 
made fltll, both hack and front. 
The sleeve is composed of two 
puffs, and has a ruche at I lie 
bottom. 
Another evening dress was 
composed of lavender colored 
silk, and looked truly elegaut. 
It was made with a detached 
train, trimmed with white lace, 
headed by a fold of satin ami 
two pulls of illusion. The waist 
was cut square, and trimmed to 
correspond with the skirt. 
Sleeves were composed of one 
puff, extending from the shoul¬ 
der to the elbow, where they 
are finished by a flounce of lace. 
Sash consisted of four large 
ends, trimmed to correspond 
with the skirt, and five large 
loops. 
Children's Costumes. 
A very stylish dress for a girl 
of ten years was made of light 
gray alpaca. The waist was 
trimmed with blue silk, edged 
with plaiting, and put on en 
bretettes. The skirt at the bot¬ 
tom was trimmed to correspond, 
with broad folds of blue silk, 
edges plaited. The sash con¬ 
sisted of t hree long ends of blue 
silk, fastened at the belt, and a 
bow without ends, bolds each 
to the skirt, about ten inches 
above the trimming. The 
sleeves were tight-fitting and 
the wrist trimmed to correspond 
with the waist. 
Another pretty little dress 
was composed of white pique. 
The skirt, had four gores, was 
plain in front and full ul the 
back. Three rutiles of cambric 
fell over each other; these ought FRON 
not to be too full. The over¬ 
dress was of the same material, and trimmed 
with two ruffles; the front was in one piece; 
the back consisted of two leaves. The waist 
was high, and closed at the back with but¬ 
ton-holes and buttons. The sleeves were 
trimmed with two ruffles. 
A charming little costume for a hoy was 
made of navy blue serge and trimmed 
with Hercules braid. The jacket was loose, 
aftd fastened with a strap at the throat. The 
pants, coming just below the knee, arc left, 
plain instead of being gathered, and were 
sowed smoothly to a pretty pom ted band. 
Braid was set down the outer seam and 
about the bottoms, and the edge ol the 
jacket aud sleeves was trimmed with the 
same. 
Another little suit was made of cashmere, 
trimmed with gilt braid and buttons. The 
waist was a single-breasted Garibaldi jacket, 
which was plain upon the shoulder, full at 
the belt, and had a pretty, turn-down collar. 
The sleeve had a cuff in which the slight 
be mebittotr. 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
.1 German Coume . (New York: Harper Sc 
Brothers.)—This new text-book tor the German 
language, by Fro?, Geo. F. Com¬ 
fort, of Alleghany College, is very 
comprehensive, and very well 
adapted to the wants of all classes 
of students. Its prominent feature 
is the precedence of practice over 
theory. Every word and gram¬ 
matical principle is presented In a 
living sentence) before it. is dellucd 
or explained. The course ts di¬ 
vided into Four Parts. Part First 
contains practical lessons; Part 
Second has familiar conversations 
in German and English; Part 
Third gives a compete! of German 
grammar, with an introduction 
upon the history, olmraeterisrlcs 
and dialects of t he language: and 
Part Fourth contains tables of 
German moneys, weights and 
measures, abbreviations, personal 
and geographical names, aud quite 
full vocabularies. 
The Tone tauter*. (Boston: 
Lee & Shepard.) We have come to 
look for musical emanations front 
“the modern Athens.” Here is 
oue of the latest,— not musical in 
itself, but relating to masters of 
music. The volume is number one 
of a series for young people, in 
course of preparation under the 
supervision of 15. Tour.jek, who 
llgured conspicuously in connec¬ 
tion with the famous Jutdleo last 
year. It presouts, in the simple 
guise of a story, very entertaining 
biographies of MOZART, and Men¬ 
delssohn, giving the chief inci¬ 
dents in their lives, describing the 
peculiarities of their most notable 
compositions, and telling under 
wlnit circumstances those were 
Written. The series promises to 
be of decided excellence. 
J\'aftiral W*tor// of the Human 
naee, (New York: S. It. Wells.) 
—In this quite pretentious octavo 
volume there are a mass of ethno¬ 
logical facts, illy arranged ; numer¬ 
ous speculations upon the eon- 
r| ruction of the globe, uninterest¬ 
ingly set forth; and a. number of 
colored Illustrations,* wretched In 
tho extreme, and a disgrace to 
"the art preservative." In his 
preface the author, Mr. John P. 
Jeffries, says: — “ Having long 
been convinced of the necessity 
of a work such as is presented in 
the following pages, l imposed 
upon myself tho labor of the un¬ 
dertaking.” Had he spared the 
imposition upon himself, ho would 
not be chargeable with an Imposi¬ 
tion upon t he public. 
FRONT VIEW OF B. K. BLISS & SON’S NEW STORE 
rimed fullness was gathered, and then trimmed prais 
riece; with the gilt braid and buttons. The but- t«oD\ 
waist tons which closed the front were gilt, so as 
[i but- to correspond with the trimming. The i8 
were pants were somewhat full at the baud, and you t 
rather close at the knee. The braid was ar- bufc i 
y was Hinged about the band, down the outer seam, 6< ^ c 
nmed !Ln( l about, the bottom, in the same way as p OW( 
loosw, on the jacket, in two rows, with a row of leave 
The gilt buttons set between them, on the outer Mort 
re left seam. f0 ”’ 
were [We are compelled to put answers to cor- Shop 
band, respondents concerning fashions on the pre- 8C,IUI 
t and ceding page. Especial attention will be 
I tlio given such inquiries hereafter.—Eos.] f u q , 
dltlventurr* of Caleb If 'til tame, 
ORE (Harper & Brothers.) Much as, In 
former years, has been salU in 
praise of this realistic fiction by Wu.i.iam 
Godwin, we cannot bring ourselves to admire it. 
If It was as painful to write ns it is to read, the 
writing must have boon done only ns a penanco. 
Ijtis one of those harrowing narratives which 
you throw down a half dozen t imes unfinished, 
bufc pick up us often and resume, impelled by 
some morbid fascination. This proves it to 
possess power, certainly; but is it a healthy 
power,-a power for good? Wo think not. Wo 
leave itdissatisfied.and withasenseof repulsion. 
Moreover, it is disfigured by profanity, and has 
few redeeming features. 
Jlfalocuc* Cram IHcleenti. (Boston: Leo & 
Shepard.)—As good dialogue pieces, in shape for 
school purposes, are not numerous, this volume, 
compiled by W. El ,jot Ferris, will supply a 
real want. It. contains forty-live dialogues, with 
full directions for their “get-up” and action. 
INTERIOR VIEW OF B. K. BLISS Sc SON’S NEW SEED STORE, 23 PARK PLACE.-(See First Page.) 
GO FORTH, BROWN HANDS! 
BY’ A. A. HOPKINS. 
Brown hands, go forth to your labor! 
Tho snow from the grass is goue; 
The blue-binl pipes to Us neighbor, 
At opening of tho dawn ; 
Tho Ottrth-IUe silently"hidden 
In sloop that Is twin of death, 
Awakes front Its rest unbidden 
With warmth In its rising breath! 
Go forth, brown hands, to your duty! 
Humanity (rails to-day; 
For life till brimming with beauty, 
Your generous tribute pay! 
Tho needs of a world are pressing; 
The key to supplies you hold; 
Tho plow is the people’s blessing,— 
Tho wealth of the soti unfold! 
Brown hands, go forth on your mission! 
Brown hands are tbo nations’ hope; 
They better the world's condition 
As bravely with earth they cope; 
They Scatter their hard won oarnltiga 
Ear over all seas and lands. 
And Peace hath its full rctumlnga 
In trust in tho strong brown bauds ! 
QO 
[toms fot* lumtUsts. 
MRS. THOMPSON’S WARE. 
A. DOMESTIC STORY. 
Mrs. Thompson stood by the kitclicn table 
paring potatoes for dinner. Something was 
evidently wrong with the little lady, for 
there was an unmistakable air of “ spile” in 
tho way she tossed the potatoes in the pan of 
cool spring water, waiting there to receive 
t hem. It was sultry weather; and through 
the open window came the sound of mowers 
whetting their scythes, blended with the cull 
of the robin, and the faint notes of tbo 
cuckoo in the shaded wood. But it only 
irritated Mrs. Thompson — indeed every¬ 
thing irritated her that day. Looking out 
from tlie back door, might be seen a lovely 
landscape, with broad reaches of meadow- 
land, fringed with graceful belts of birch ; 
and softly-rounded mountains lifting their 
velvety foreheads to the white, fleecy clouds, 
that went slowly sailing across the exquisite 
ether, like lingo drifts of thistle-down. But 
this also irritated her; everything could be 
beautiful save her life, and that was cold, 
and rude, and barren. At least Mrs. Thomp¬ 
son, In the plenitude of her present unsatis¬ 
factory mood, was telling herself that it was. 
To begin at the beginning, Jane Lawrence 
had been an unusually romantic girl, aud 
had gone for t wo years to a boarding-school, 
ftlie had always fancied she would marry 
some famous artist or scholar, who would 
take her to Rome and Venice, where she 
might live in a perpetual dream of beauty. 
She so loved beautiful things! Perhaps all 
women do; and that nitty be the reason so 
many are found ready to barter love for gold. 
But, contrary to all her pre-conceived no¬ 
tions, she married Robert Thompson, a 
plain, practical farmer; and instead of tour¬ 
ing it in Italy, she went to live at the old 
homestead, which bad been the abode of the 
Thompsons for generations. Dreams and 
reality are so very different, you see. 
Robert Thompson was a working farmer 
as well as a practical man, and till his.people 
worked. His mother had worked in her 
day, bis sisters had worked, lie expected his 
wife to work. She took to it gleefully; she 
had not been brought up with high notions 
by any moanB; and at first the work did not 
seem so much. But every experienced lady 
knows how the labor seems to accumulate 
in a plain farmer’s household as the years 
after marriage go on. There were plenty of 
men and boys about, but only one woman 
servant was kept; and Mrs. Robert Thomp¬ 
son grew to find she helped at nearly every¬ 
thing, save perhaps the very roughest of the 
labor. In place of lounging in elegant for¬ 
eign studios, or gliding down famed canals 
and streams in picturesque gondolas, site bad 
butter and cheese to make, and poultry to 
rear, and dinners to cook in the long, low- 
ceiled kitchen, and the thousand aud oue 
cares upon her shoulders that make up a 
busy household. Quite a contrast, as must 
be admitted. 
With things a little different, she’d not 
have minded tho work so much ; could she 
have had nice carpets and tasteful furniture, 
and books, and a picture or two, and flowers. 
The home was so very hard and practical, 
and its surroundings were getting so shabby. 
At first she bail noL noticed this, or cared for 
i it; but every year, as the years rolled on, 
made matters look dingier. Old Mrs. Thomp¬ 
son had not carecl to be smart and nice; 
Robert never thought about it. And what 
though he. had?—it is only natural for men 
to assume that what had done for a mother 
would do for a wife. 
The matter to-day—which had put her so 
very much out—was this. A sewing club 
bad recently been established in the neigh¬ 
borhood. There was much distress amidst 
the poor laborers’ wives and families, and ‘ 
some Lillies with time on theif bands set up 
a sewing club, to make a few clothes for the 
nearly naked children. The farmers’ wives 
had joined it; Mrs. Thompson amidst ^ 
others; they met at stated intervals, taking v 
