Tlierc  are,  also,  borrterlngs  of  the  blue  fox,  sil¬ 
ver  cony,  moskratM  and  various  other  furs,  more 
or  less  costly,  according  to  quality. 
Russia  hare,  a  new  fur  and  yet  tn  be  tested  in 
popularity,  sells,  In  borderlngs,  at  from  |i  to 
per  yard. 
Black  marten  commands,  according  to  quality 
and  width  of  borterlng,  I.I.S6,  |i.75.  $a.2a,  and  ta 
per  yard ;  while  silvery  hlack  marten.  In  border¬ 
ing  three  Inches  wide,  sells  at  from  $4.60  to  $s.50 
per  yard. 
Bordering  of  sea-otter  sells  at  $10  per  yard; 
browu-wool  seal,  $.1;  gray  Siberian  squirrel,  tine 
quality,  ;  natural  gray  fox,  $1.50,  $2.26  and  $.'1.60 
per  yard. 
For  Information  received.  Messrs.  C.  o.  Gon- 
THRK’s  Sons,  ist  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York,  will 
please  accept  our  thanks. 
Among  the  specialties  of  the  season,  fur-Uned 
wraps  arc  perhaps  the  most  conspicuous.  Bcelde 
the  circulars,  which  have  reappeared  In  Antwerp 
silk,  plain  and  brocaded  silk  Slelllenno,  ilrap 
a'e(p,  etc...  there  are  paletots;  of  deep,  plain,  half- 
titling  coats.  Dolman  manUea,  with  both  tlie 
shawl-shaped  and  the  square  Hungarian  sleeves; 
round  sacquos  and  a  modified  wrap,  with  the 
paletot  back  and  the  deep  pelerine  front.  The 
usual  fur-llnlng  is  the  squlrrol-lock ;  but  for  this 
purpose  the  baok  Of  the  squirrel  as  well  as 
the  entlpj  skin  of  the  little  animal  are  used ;  also 
the  fur  of  the  black  genet  and  brown- wool  seal. 
A  silk  circular,  lined  with  black  genet  and  a 
genet  bordering  live  Inches  wide,  was  marked 
$200.  circulars,  lined  with  the  full  skin  of  the 
Siberian  squirrel,  range  In  price  at  from  $16tH.o 
$.'100,  according  to  tlic  quality  and  cost  of  the  ma¬ 
terials;  and  t  rimmed  or  bordered  with  black  mar¬ 
ten,  flsher-tall,  genet,  brown-wool  seal,  or  silver- 
fox,  the  price  Is  advanced  In  proportion  to  the 
cost  of  the  trimming— from  ftw  to  $350,  generally 
covering  the  cost  of  the  garment.  A  silk  Dolman 
mantle,  lined  with  squirrel-lock  and  bordered 
with  sllvery-heaver,  was  held  at  $125 ;  and  a  Dol¬ 
man  mantle,  lined  with  black  genet,  commanded 
the  same  price.  A  very  deep  silk  Doltnau,  lined 
with  s<iulrrel  lock  and  trimmed  with  hrown-wool 
seal,  was  marked  $155 ;  while  a  deep  sacquc-cloak 
of  silk  ftlclllenne,  cut  with  wide,  square  Hunga¬ 
rian  sleeves,  trimmed  with  brown-wool  seal,  was 
held  at  $12.5.  .rackets,  lined  with  squirrel-lock, 
range  in  price,  tor  those  of  the  most  simple  make 
and  Inexpensive  materials,  at  from  $30  to  $45 ;  and 
lined  with  squirrel-lock  and  edged  with  the  fur 
of  the  squirrel’s  back,  according  to  the  quality  of 
the  materials  employed,  they  range  In  price  from 
about  $40  to  $125— at  the  last-oaraed  figure  an 
elegant  flrMcle  being  shown,  with  cuffs,  collar 
and  pockeUflaps  of  sllvery-boavcr. 
There  never  has  been  a  season  in  which  furs  tor 
trimming  are  so  extensively  used  as  the  pre.sent. 
For  costumes,  chinchilla  will,  perhaps,  he  the 
most  prominent  fur,  Arlca  chinchilla  bordering, 
2>^  Inches  wide,  sella  at$l  per  yard;  four  Inches 
wide.  It  sells  In  the  best  quality  at  $14  per  yard ; 
while  the  Bolivian  chinchilla,  four  Inches  wide, 
sells  at  $0,  and  wider  at  $8  per  yard. 
Flsher-tall  bordering,  accnrdlng  to  width,  8ell.s 
at  $10,  $14,  $1«  and  $20  per  yard. 
Silver-fox  bordering,  according  to  width,  sells 
at  $8,  $10,  $12,  and  $15  per  yard. 
Black  genet  commands  about  $4  per  yard. 
Colored  lynx  .sella  at  |l,  $2,  and  $3  per  yard. 
Natural  coon  sells  at  $1.60,  $2,  and  $3  per  yard ; 
and  colored  coon  at  $2,  $.h,  and  $4  per  yard. 
Brown  Rllvery-beaver  commands  from  $2  to  $4 
per  yard ;  borderinga  of  the  black  sllvery-beaver 
sell  at  from  $t  to  $5 ;  and  of  the  plain  black  beav¬ 
er,  at  $1.60,  $2,  $3,  and  $4  per  yard. 
CHRISTMAS 
Herb  cornea  oUl  Father  Christmas, 
With  sound  of  hfe  and  drums ; 
Witli  mistletoe  al»nt  his  brows. 
So  mernly  he  comes 
His  arms  are  full  of  all  good  cheer. 
His  face  with  laughter  glows, 
He  shines  like  any  household  hre 
Amid  the  cruel  snows. 
He  is  the  old  folks'  Chnsimas ; 
Ho  warms  their  hcarta  like  wine. 
He  thaws  their  winter  into  spring, 
And  makea  Ujclr  faoes  shine. 
Hurrah  for  Father  Christmas ! 
King  all  the  iiiernr  bellfi ! 
And  bring  the  graaflsire*-  all  around 
To  hear  the  talc  he  tells. 
Here  cornea  the  iqirislmas  Angel, 
iSo  gentle  and  so  oitni : 
As  softly  as  the  falling  flakes, 
He  comes  With  flute  and  iisalm. 
All  ill  a  cloud  of  glory,. 
As  once  upon  the  plain 
To  Hhepheru  Iwys  iu-lcwry. 
He  bringa  gtn'ds  news  again. 
He  is  the  youiig  folks’  Uliristmas ; 
He  makes  their  eyes  jrrowliright 
With  words  of  hope  and  tender  thought, 
And  visions  of  delight. 
Hall  to  the  Chrlstnias  Augel ! 
All  peace  on  earth  hr  brings ; 
He  gathers  all  the  youths  and  maids 
Beneath  his  ehinmg  wings. 
Hero  comes  tlie  little  C'Urist-chlld, 
All  innocence  and  .)oy. 
And  liearing  gifts  in  either  hand 
BVir  every  girl  and  boy. 
He  teUs  the  lender  stonr 
About  the  Holy  Maid, 
And  JesuB  in  the  manger 
Before  the  oxen  laid. 
Like  any  little  winter  bird 
He  sings  his  swecleMl  song. 
Till  all  the  chemha  In  the  sky 
To  hear  his  carol  throng. 
He  is  the  thlldren’S  Christmas ; 
They  come,  wltlioiit  s  call, 
To  gather  roniul  the  gracious  Child, 
Who  brlngeth  Joy  to  all. 
But  who  shall  bring  Ihalr  Christmas, 
Who  wrestle  still  with  life? 
Not  graiidsires,  youtlis.  uor  little  folks. 
But  they  who  wage  the  strife: 
The  fathers  and  the  mothers 
Who  fight  for  homes  and  bread. 
Who  watch  and  ward  the  living. 
And  bury  all  0i6  (lead. 
Ah  ;  by  tlirlr  side  al  Chrlstmas-Ude 
The  Lord  of  Chriulmas  stands ; 
He  smooths  the  furrows  from  their  brows 
With  strong  and  tender  hands. 
*'  I  take  niy  Cnrlstmas  gift,"  he  salth, 
From  tnee,  tired  soul,  and  he 
tVho  giveih  to  my  little  ones 
Gives  alao  unto  me 
(Hose  Terry  Cook*. 
WINTER  AND  THE  FIR-TREE, 
“You  wish  t.0  hear  about  Winter?"  said  the 
Flr-trco  to  the  other  trees  of  the  forest.  “Very 
well,  then!  Lay  aside  your  prejudice  against 
him,  for  I  know  you  dlHlIke  him.  Do  not  Imagine 
that  1  am  partial  because  ho  Is  my  friend.  I  am 
only  true,  because  I  know  bim.  But  to  the  point. 
When  God  Almighty  had  created  the  world,  when 
flowers  flourished  In  the  fields  end  trees  In  the 
forest,  lie  called  Iho  8ea.sons  and  spake;—"  Look 
how  beautiful  the  earth  la !  T  give  it  to  you,  share 
flowers  and  trees  among  you,  but  love  them  and 
take  earn  of  them  too.'  The  Beasons  were  very 
happy  and  reveled  with  the  children  of  Nature. 
“This  lastod  a  while,  hut  soon  discord  began  to 
creep  In  among  them.  Bold,  restless  Sfirlng  could 
not  get  on  with  slow,  circumspect  Winter ;  glow¬ 
ing  summer  thought  Autumn  phlegmatic;  Au¬ 
tumn  upbraided  Spring  for  spoiling  the  flowers ; 
In  short,  the  strife  became  more  and  more  veho- 
meut,  und  trees  and  flowers  came  oil  the  worst. 
Then  said  Autumn, '  This  will  not  do  any  longer. 
We  cannot  tolerate  each  other ;  let  us  divide.’ 
“And  so  It  came  to  pass.  The  Seasons  divided 
the  earth.  Winter  built  his  liousc  at  either  pole ; 
.Summer  wound  Itself  round  the  center  of  the 
earth,  and  Spring  and  Autumn  created  their  do¬ 
minion  between  them.  You  will  see  later  on  that 
this  division  dirt  not  continue,  but  \»  very  nearly 
the  same,  and  Winter  still  dwells  In  his  old  house.” 
“  How  do  you  know  ?”  asked  the  Lime. 
“  My  cousin  told  me ;  he  visited  him  there  once.’ 
“  I’ake  care— he  is  tolling  iw  a  flh,”  whispered 
the  I’oplar  to  her  neighbor. 
FASHION  NOTES, 
trimmed;  when  trimmed  with  sea-otter 
they  command  from  $100  to  $450;  when 
trimmed  with  iinpluckert  otter  the  price 
ranges  generally  from $150  up  to  $375 ;  when 
taordereil  with  plucked  otter,  $150  to  $278; 
with  chine hlUa bordering,  lisotxi  $3no ;  with 
beaver  borderin.g,  $125  to  $260,  according 
to  quality;  and  with  bordering  of  black 
marten,  $l'W  to  $17.5— It  being  understood 
that  upon  the  ilncr  qualities  oT  the  seal 
skin  the  liner  hordorlnga  arc  generally 
placed.  Alaska  seal  sacqutss  sell  at  $50  to 
$200,  according  to  quality,  and  at  an  addi¬ 
tional  price  II  bordered  with  any  other  fur. 
Shetland  seal-muffs  and  boas  sell  at  $io  to 
$75  the  set,  and  Alaska  muffs  and  boas  at 
$12  to  $40  the  set. 
It  la  not  generally  known  that  Alaska 
seal-skin  Is  preferable  to  medium  quality 
Shetland,  Seal-skln  gloves  will  be  In  great 
favor  for  sleighing  with  both  ladles  and 
gentlemen.  They  i-ange  in  price  from  about 
$4  to  $12  per  pair ;  gauntlets  ranging  at 
from  $«  to  about  $16,  according  to  the  qual¬ 
ity  of  the  fur. 
As  usual  among  the  staple  furs,  the  Rus¬ 
sian  sable  IS  of  most  Importance,  lu  value, 
elegance  and  usefulness  must  render  It  al¬ 
ways  fasblonable,  though  It  may  he  com¬ 
paratively  little  worn,  because  of  the  few 
skins  permitted  to  be  exported  from  Rus¬ 
sia  and  their  expenslveness.  A  set  consists 
of  the  muff  and  boa.  For  seLs  of  the  best 
quallilesof  the  line  Unaolan  “  crown  sable,” 
the  range  of  price  contlnue.s  to  be  from 
about  $1,000  to H.iWO.  Ru.sslan  sables  of  ,a 
less  costly  grade  range  in  price  from  |S00 
to  about  $1,000  per  set. 
American,  or  Hudson's  Bay  sable,  ranges 
in  price  from  |60  to  $3»o  for  sets  of  muff  and 
boa.  This  fur  Is  almost  as  handsome  as 
the  Ruivslan  to  casual  observation. 
A  now  favorite  fur,  flsher-tall,  fetches  $75 
to  $150  per  set,  while  Jiiher-sHtn  ranges 
from  $30  upward.  This  fur  Is  durable  and 
mseful. 
Mink,  though  not  especially  fashionable, 
is  commendable  fonts  utility ;  sets  of  round 
muff  and  flat  boa  can  be  bought  for  $10  to 
$80. 
Alaska  sable  set-x  of  muff  and  round  boa 
range  in  price  from  about  $■20  upward.  This 
is  also  a  favorite  trimming  fur. 
Among  fancy  furs  may  be  classed  chin¬ 
chilla;  sets  are  quoted  at  $40  bo  $35,  and  It 
Is  very  stylish  lor  irtmmlog  also. 
The  sliver  fox  Is  still  the  favorite  of  the 
fancy  lurs  with  many  ladles  of  lino  taste 
and  remains  very  fashionable,  both  In  sets 
of  iiiuff  and  boa,  and  for  trimming.  Sets 
of  rnuiT  and  boa,  according  to  qualKy,  range 
In  price  at  about  $80  to  $200, 
HER  DIARY.-“  And  swinging  his  baton  above  his  head 
