THE RURai. 
NEW-YORKER, 
ifor Momnt. 
CONDUCTED BY MISS FAITH RIPLEY." 
BABY HANDS. 
BY ALICE! DALSHEIMKK. 
Oh ! soft little baby hands, dimpled and fair, 
Now lovimrly. tendorly clasped in my own. 
Your light touch has lulled to rest many a care, 
And awakened much joy, but to mother-love known. 
But joy not unmixed with vague fancies and fears. 
For I find myself wondering, dear little hands. 
If you’ll gather the most of life’s wheat or its tares. 
Now sown by your Fate iu the future’s broad lands. 
I presB you with pride to my lips and my heart. 
And murmur sweot words with each loving careRH— 
Oh! say, when my youth aud my strength shall de¬ 
part. 
Will yours be the. touch that will comfort and bless? 
When life's sweet hopes vanish, when sorrows betide, 
When God's rare and mercy are. shrouded by pain. 
Will your strength uphold me and tenderly guide, 
Or will this dear hope have been hoped, too, in vain ? 
Oh! soft little hands now curled up iu my own, 
Like two little birds with no wish to lie free; 
■What deods will you work when your wings will be 
grown, 
And away from this cage of true love you will flee? 
Will you linger unwearied in pleasure’s gay bowers, 
And seek but to cull all those joys that will fade? 
And weaving bright garlands of earth’s fleeting flow¬ 
ers. 
Forget how the crowns of the angels are made ? 
Or will you be eager some good to achieve. 
And follow the biddings of Charity’s voice. 
Dispensing those gifts that the wretched relieve, 
And winning by kindness the sad to rejoice ? 
Will you ever be ready true merit to greet, 
Unmindful of forms that your grasp would con¬ 
trol ? 
Will you spurn all those shackles that aim to defeat 
The freedom inherent in every true sonl ? 
Will you deem all work noble that’s honest aud right ? 
Nor shrink from a duty that Fashion might scorn? 
Will you strive to grow lovely in Heaven's just sight, 
By deeds that the world might not think will adorn? 
Will your purity last when by love you are sought. 
Though worldlinoBR tempt you against love’s d<* 
mauds ? 
The wreck of a life and a soul may be wrought, 
Through treachery dealt by a woman’s fair hands. 
Oh! dear baby hands, there’s no prophet could tell 
The magical strength that one day you might wield! 
May God over help you this gift to use well, 
And may it a harvest of rich blessings yield! 
t.Y. O. Times. 
-*-« » 
FASHIONS FOR SEPTEMBER. 
Indications from abroad seem to point to an 
exaggeration of the styles that have been most 
popular this summer. The “ tailor-cut” garments 
will still more closely follow styles affected by 
gentlemen, until. In extreme cases, we may expect 
to see ladles wearing gowns and coats that will 
almost be fac-slmlltes of cut-away coats, etc. This 
week we present a few or the latest novelties, par¬ 
ticulars of wlilcli are given in the 
Description of Cuts. 
Figure l Is a Ladles' Walking Costume In which 
comparatively little dress fabric Is required, for 
with deep plalttngs at the foot and the attached 
6726 
Fig. 2. 
draperies, the skirt may be cut from Silesia or 
cambric. The skirt Illustrated ts charming in 
construction, and Its slde-draperles are cut In sec¬ 
tions so that small amounts of materials may 
be appropriated for the purpose. The ;men 
are turned up and faced, but may bo made 
of the striped or any contrasting fabric, lined 
with crinoline and then sewed on where they 
would be turned up If cut on. The basque worn 
with the skirl, has a short, round front, and a coat¬ 
tail back, and is titled in the usual manner. The 
coat 13 a stylish affair of basket-cloth and finished 
like a gentleman's coat. The fronts are loose, hut 
the buck ts shaped by a seam at, the center and 
side-forms extending to the arm-holes. Pocket 
laps are on the slde-sklrts, and extra widths left 
at the side-back seams are lapped over the skirt 
and Invisibly lacked. Cloth or heavy camel’s-liair 
Is much used with such coats to wear with dark 
suits, or those composed throughout of the same 
material. Patterns Nos. «7H, (85-cents); coso, 
(25-cents); and 0735, (flo-conts), will be required 
ror models. 
Figures 2 and s are rout aud hack views of a 
walklng-sklrt, a good feature of which is the orna¬ 
mental possibilities of Its construction. 1 1 may be 
said. Indeed, It Is the chief feature, as but little 
trimming Is applied, all depending on the arrange¬ 
ment of the material. Three broad straps, com¬ 
mencing at the right edge, cross the front, and 
6726 
Fid. 3. 
their opposite ends are pointed and extended upon 
the gore at the left side. The right side-gore, 
which Is cut somewhat longer than the remainder 
Of the skirt, Is now joined to the opposite edge of 
the front. Its superfluous length is arranged In 
three upturning plaits, at nearly equal distances 
from each other, these plaits cmss-draplng It very 
stylishly and being tacked about an Inch from the 
edge In front. The gore Is then Joined to the front 
In a Dat seam, with the margin outside the joining 
forming an overlap. The back-breadth la also cut 
long enough to allow for draping and is twice 
shirred crosswise, one shirring being Inserted 
about 12 or 14 Inches from the top, and the next 
the same distance from the first. Shbrings are 
formed by making a tuck on under side, and 
through casing thus formed is passed a tape, 
which may be let out every time the dress Is taken 
off. A downward-turning plait Is laid nver the 
termination of each shirring to take up extra 
length, and then the breadth Is sowed to the re¬ 
mainder of the skirt, the upper part, of the seam 
at the lert, side being finished for a pocket. The 
fullness at top of the breadth Is laid In a triple 
box-plait, and then the skirt Is sewed to a belt. 
The pattern, 6,726, for this skirt is in nine sizes; 
price 35 cents. 
Figures 4 and 5 axe an overskirt of novel and 
stylish construction particularly worthy of notice. 
There are only three sections comprised In the 
formation, two of these uniting to make the sides 
and front, while the remainder constitutes the 
back-drapery. The gores are fitted over the hips 
by two darts In each, and while the right side- 
gore Is entirely undraped, the left one is prettily 
cross-folded In three up-turning plaits. The front 
edge of the right, gore Is a little deeper than the 
adjoining edge of the letl one, and has three broad 
straps cut upon It at equal distances apart. These 
straps are folded back upon It aud faced with the 
contrasting goods, and the two gores sewed to¬ 
gether as far as the top of the upper strap. Here 
the right gore extends upward diagonally, becom¬ 
ing narrower until It, reaches the second dart of 
the left. gore. The that dart in this side Is taken 
up and through the overlapping portion, and a 
row of large, flat pearl buttons and simulated hut- 
ton-holes ts placed along the outer edge. The 
straps are fastened down under similar buttons 
and button-holes, and afford a charming contrast 
to the elegant plainness of the other gore. The 
back is draped by two plaits turning downward in 
each side, and the fullness at the top Is laid in 
side-plaits. This pattern, 6,685, is In nine sizes ; 
price 30 cents. 
Fig. 4. 
Figures 6 aud 7 are stylish jabots, the first nicely 
taking the place of a vest, by which addition a 
high-necked costume Is made very dressy. To 
sustain the effect, frills of lace should be added to 
the wrists. A strip of foundation or stiff net Is 
first required, and to this the lace Is basted. The 
Fig. 1. 
appearance of the Jabots Is a guide to their con¬ 
struction. 
Figure 8 Is one of the stylish turban hats. A 
turban frame, a silk handkerchief and a fancy.'pln 
re used fn forming the article- 
6685 
Eig. 5 
Figures o and 10 are a jewel-stand. The finished 
stand Is shown In No. 9. The diamond pattern 
surrounding It, ot perforated cardboard, is shown 
In No. 10. Three smalt cane rods are needed, 
which have very small brass knobs put into them 
at the top, and are bound together with ribbon. 
A small cushion for pins Is placed about half way 
between the top and bottom of the stand; this has 
a cardboard foundation; It Is filled with bran and 
covered at the sides with velvet- upon which the 
diamonds ot perforated card are placed to corres¬ 
pond with those around the t.ray at the bottom of 
the stand. Three larger brass knobs than those 
used.to finish the top are fastened Into the canes, 
at the bottom. The outer covering of the tray Is 
of dark blue velvet, the Inside is a quilting ot rose- 
colored silk, with a quilling of rose-colored ribbon, 
and a little braid or edging Is put around to give a 
finish to the work. The canes are wound round, 
and the pin-cushion Is crossed by a narrow strip 
of perforated card, laid on to a narrow, dark-blue 
ribbon, and the edge of the perforated card is 
bound with It. The bows of blue ribbon are then 
tied on, and the stand Is finished. 
Figure 11 ts a clgar-ash bowl of cone work. Ma¬ 
terials: a piece of dark-colored wood five Inches 
in length and five Inches In width; cones, acorns, 
etc., vfigtn-cork, snail cocoanut-shell cut In half, 
tin-foil, glue, copal varnish. The foundation must 
be a piece of oak or mahogany, thin and light. To 
this a sort of framework of four sticks of wood, 
with the bark on, is placed at the edge all round, 
(see design). The half eocoanut is neatly lined 
with tin-t'otl. and a stick of wood split In half, also 
covered with loll, is glued across the top. Then 
the cork, cones, acorns and beech-nuts must be 
tastefully glued on to form a pretty combination. 
The virgin-cork will rurnlsh a roeky-looklng back¬ 
ground for the cone-work. When all Is arranged, 
and the glue has thoroughly hardened, the whole 
ornament is brushed over with varnish. 
- »» ♦- 
THE WOMAN’S CLUB. 
THE SERVANT QUESTION. 
“ The host laid schemes o’ mice and men. 
GaiiK aft SKley.” 
When I talked so coolly ot our work and rest In 
the afternoon, I did not imagine that the fates 
would bo soon make me •* eat my own words.” 
Don't the experience of the last few weeks cause 
me to give my heartfelt sympathy and pity t-o 
those poor women who are compelled, like the gal¬ 
ley-slave, to work unceasingly from early in the 
morning until late at night: 
Fig. a. 
The youug lady who condescended to assist In 
the kitchen department of our farm-house very 
suddenly informed me that urn wanted her at 
home the rest, ot the summer! The days were 
growing warmer, work was hurrying, more men 
were needed, strawberries were ripening and must 
