No. 342.

FROM OUR FRENCH CORRESPONDENT.

BOULEVARD DES ITALIENS, 26th May, 1859. CHERE AMIE,-The form of the corsages will vary very much, the large basques will not be worn; but in dresses of jaconet or jean, several have been made with large casaques for summer wear, or in a very pretty style of pelisse; it is long, open on the arm, with one opening only, which forms the sleeve and divides the pelisse into three pieces; it is generally trimmed with a very narrow frill, or rather a plisseé à la Vieille.

Casaques of taffetas are made the same as the dress, sometimes the casaque, or shawl of marron, violet, grey, is worn on dresses of light materials.

Novelty consists rather in the ornaments than in the make of dresses, which remark extends equally to bonnets; one fashion, which is rather prevalent and, we fear, likely to become common, is the use of black ribbons and black generally in watered ribbons; trimmings are all more or less black, mixed with colours; this fashion had commenced last year and, though pretty generally adopted, it was fully expected to revive this spring, as proved to be the case. Some fashions, though simple but classic, often continue some time in favour; thus has it proved with the large casaques, the burnous, the feathers on straw bonnets, the capotes of lace lined with lilac or pink, so does it seem to be with black ribbons and trimmings mixed with black, and materials with black designs or stripes, etc. Wide ribbons are much worn, as ceintures, on all descriptions of dresses; the point d'Espagne forms a pretty trimming for dresses.

Sleeves of the Pagoda form are not worn quite so large, frequently, when of silk, they are tight at the bottom, with bouffants or jockeys on the top. Short sleeves are nearly all alike, two frills and two large bouillons seem indispensable, no matter what may be the material.

As descriptive of the present fashions, we are induced to give in detail the following toilettes:-A dress of green taffetas d'Isly, with double skirt; the lower one having a deep flounce of black lace, headed by a small ruche; the upper one terminating with a feston of the width of each breadth, and trimmed with black lace and a ruche. A lappet of lace, commencing at the waist, falls on the seam of each breadth, and is fastened at the bottom of the skirt; with this dress a bonnet of green crape covered by embroidered tulle, trimmed with ruches and bunch of flowers placed forwards on the front. Another dress of beaver colour had a gause of crimson placed on the seam of each breadth; the sleeves tight, trimmed with bouillonnés of the material to the elbow; high body and ceinture tied at the side. Another toilette of blue taffetas had a pyramidal ornament on, each seam rising as high as the basque; these montants were in three deep folds at the bottom, headed by a band of velvet repeated several times, and a nœud of blue ribbon between. Flounces are seldom seen less numerous thna seven, five, or two; they are placed on rather higher in front and lower from the hips; many dresses are lower at the sides, with small train. Taffetas dresses are more frequently with flounces than double skirts, the latter are preferred for young ladies, or thin materials of gauze muslin barege; the moires antiques and moires francaises are almost all edged by a deep border of velvet on black, the bordering of velvet is sometimes violet. The corsages round at the waist are endeavouring to supersede those with basques; but they are not considered so becoming to the figure, the waistcoat body is pretty, some have the points of the gilet trimmed with velvet.

Flounces are not now seen entirely covering the skirt to the waist, they are rather separated in touffes on single one, which should be bouffant en eventail, and diminish in width towards the top; if the material is thin, barege muslin, jaconet, etc.; the skirts are a little longer behind, and if of silk, plain without flounces, it is the fashion for them to train.

The coiffures for evening or dinner toillettes are very pretty, in general they are rather voluminous, resembling rather a bonnet than a coiffure; blonds, ribbons, and flowers all are used, and the taste displayed in the arrangement constitutes the beauty or elegance of the

VOL. 32.

The toilettes for little girls are made with full plain skirts; little casaque of square form open on the hips, the whole edged by a simple galon; a very pretty costume for a child of five or six years of age, is a frock and casaque of striped white jean, bordered by a white galon. Hat of Leghorn, edged with blue velvet and bunch of corn flowers; trousers of cambric muslin plain, and little blue boots.

Mantelets and casaques of black silk are very fashionable, only we must observe the mantelets must be formed as a shawl, not retaining anything of the make of preceding years-rounded or with hoodthese are not at all worn. A shawl of black taffetas or Cashemire,

edged with lace or guipure, are always preferred in grande toilette. Some shawls of grenadine are edged with lace; in this material are very elegant double ones with two points falling one over the other, one being pointed the other round. These are exclusively made in the newest colours-camareux, violet, Imperatrice havane; and others are sprigged with pavés of black velvet. The mantelet, the burnous, and the pelisse, divide favour. The long shawl in plain colours have been much worn this season.

The moment for elegant bonnets has now arrived. Flowers will be much used, and are so suitable for spring and summer toilettes. Pailles de riz are very pretty ornamented by courounes of daisies of every colour without leaves, violets, roses, white and purple lilacs, stocks, field daisies with the blades of fine grass, primroses, or touffes of pretty small flowers blended with wheat ears. Blond is also used to orna

ment pailles de riz, and Leghorns are often seen with a very handsome flowers, but no ribbon except that of the brides, bunches of pink acacia, numerous enough to form a half wreath, the brides of striped pink and white.

The fashion or mania for black is carried so far as to put black ribbon on pailles de riz on white crape, and, added to that, a ruche of black taffetas pinked, without blond, is placed inside, a small bunch of flowers only relieving the effect. In this style we may name one of paille riz ornamented with pinked choux or rosettes, one black and one blue; a wide black ribbon formed bride, the bavolet or curtain blue or black; inside was a ruche of black lace and small bunch of corn flowers.

Nearly all crape bonnets have a violette of blond or very fine lace, but they are not worn in front, but behind, and are much smaller; those termed Voilette Clotilde are the newest. With one of these on a straw bonnet for demi toilette, further ornament is unnecessary; it entirely covers the crown of the bonnet, drooping lightly to the bavolet. Wheat-ears of straw are much used mixed with other ornaments; inside the bonnets are touffes of flowers, diadems also of flowers, bandeaux of velvet, very wide, plaited or twisted, small rosettes of black lace, bandeaux of crape lisse or of ribbon ruched. In the form of bonnets there is no particular change; simplicity is rather in favour, and small flowers are preferred, or a large single one.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVINGS.

PLATE I.-Walking Dress.-Robe of barege, with three flounces; casaque of black taffetas, with deep frill, pinked, and headed by a bouillon; sleeves of two frills, and bouillons. Straw bonnet, trimmed with ruches of white ribbon.

Carriage Dress.- Robe of taffetas, the corsage of the gilet form with double point, ornamented by plissées à la vieille; triple bell sleeve, edged with plissée, and two montants up the skirt. Bonnet of mauve crape, with voilette of blond, and wreath of flowers across the forehead. Little girls' dress: Frock of embroidered muslin, with double skirt; par-dessus of mauve silk, with loose open sleeves trimmed with a plissé of the same. Hat of fancy straw, with feather to match. PLATE II.-Promenade Dress.-Robe of very small checked taffetas; the skirt has rows of galons rising up each side, with nœuds of ribbon in the centre; the same galon ornaments the body and open sleeve; under ones very bouffant, terminating at the elbow with two frills. Bonnet of white crape, with ruches and violet flowers.

Carriage Dress.- Robe of light green satin, with plain high body; Burnous of white muslin, with hood trimmed with ruches of green.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of glacé silk, with high pointed body fastening with buttons; the sleeves are full, with epaulet, edged with velvet. Bonnet of straw, with voilette of black lace, reversed on the crown à la Clotilde.

PLATE III.-Lall Dress-Robe of paille silk, with double skirt and upper one of tulle raised in drapery by bouquets of flowers, and wreath of foliage reaching to the waist; corsage with very deep point, and double berthe of tulle, loose pendant sleeves open to the armhole; coiffure à l'Eugenie, with roses at the back.

Morning Dress-Robe of taffetas: the corsage is ornamented up the side by embroidery, the body of the gilet form with double point, ornamented with fourragères, pagoda sleeves; coiffure of hair, with nœuds of ribbon at the back.

Public Dejentener Dress.-Robe of moire, with double skirt, the lower one having a band of velvet at the bottom, and the upper one ornamented en tablier, with bands of velvet; corsage with basque, edged by velvet, and pelerine of velvet, open sleeves to match. Bonnet of pink silk, with fauchon of lace and feather.

PLATE IV. Walking Dress.-Robe of barege, with three flounces, high body, and sleeves with frills; mantelet shawl of muslin, with frills. Straw bonnet, trimmed with black lace.

Child's Dress-Frock of popline, with double skirt, the upper one edged by a ruche; high body, with pointed pelerine, finished with a ruche, and epaulets to match, with full under sleeves of tulle.

Little Girl's Dress.-Frock of taffetas, ornamented on the skirt by bands of velvet up the sides, and manteau of the same, edged by a band of velvet. Straw bonnet trimmed with ribbon.

VICISSITUDES OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY.

A correspondent of the New York Tribune tells the following story:-"Some three years ago I was made acquainted with a most extraordinary narrative, of which I am now reminded by the sequel. I will state the facts as nearly as I can, without pretending to the precision of my informant. Shortly after the revolutionary war, a certain man was keeping a tavern in Trenton. He had two daughters, his only children, and both of them said to be comely lasses. One day a French gentleman, with a rich equipage, rode up to the tavern and ordered dinner. One of the daughters alluded to waited on him at the table, and he was either so fascinated by her actual charms or so mollified by the good liquors of mine host,' that when he had finished his dinner he offered the young lady his heart and his hand. She called her parents in to hear the singular offer, when he told them that he was a widower, that he had property, and that he loved their daughter, whom, with their permission, he would wed in form as soon as they could reach Philadelphia. He moreover asked them to go with him to that city, and see the marriage properly performed. Within an hour the parents, with their daughter, were in the Frenchman's carriage on their way to Philadelphia, where the marriage took place. Not long afterwards the Monsieur set sail for France with his pretty young bride."

Many years passed away without any tidings from the young lady who had entered into marriage in such circumstances. Both her parents died without hearing what became of her, and her sister was married to a man named Cook. When the Rev. Mr. Armstrong was pastor of the church in Trenton several letters came to him from a London lawyer acting for this lady, and asking what had become of her sister. Was she married? To whom? And had she children? In these letters the lawyer stated that the Frenchman treated his wife with the most considerate affection, but that his children, by a former marriage, resented her intrusion upon them, aud made her very unhappy. Her husband hearing how it was, cured the evil by threatening to disinherit them. In due time he died, leaving her in her own right enough property to make her independent. She afterwards removed to England, and was there solicited in marriage by a wealthy gentleman, a widower, with grown children. She told him her only objection to his offer was the fear that his children would make her unhappy. He called them together, and stated the matter to them with this very positive alternative-1 mean to marry this lady; if you will treat her with respect, which is due to my wife, I will now give each of you so many thousand pounds, and if you will not I will cut you off with a shilling.' Such inducement had the desired effect, and she was married the second time. In a few years her second husband died, leaving her a very fine estate in her own right. By the generosity of her two husbands she had been made independently rich, but she had not a single heir unless her sister had children. Hence the London lawyer's letters."

"It was ascertained that the sister married one Ellis Cook, and a man of that name lived in Hanover, Morris County, but Mrs. Ellis

Walking Dress.-Robe of moire, with full plain skirt, and high body, with basque; mantelet of taffetas, trimmed with three rows of fringe, the lower one rather deeper, headed by a bouillon. Bonnet of white silk, trimmed with lace and flowers.

PLATE V.-Pelerine of cross-barred muslin, trimmed with purple satin ribbon, and ruches of goffered net.

Chapeau of blue silk and fancy straw, ornamented with feathers of the same colour.

Chapeau of white braid, trimmed with pale green ribbon. Morning cap of net and lace, trimmed with pink roses and ribbon. Ditto of muslin, with rosettes, and strings of yellow satin. White sleeve of cambric, with wide insertion between the puffs. Sleeve of dotted net, trimmed with black lace and lavender ribbon. Bonnet of white tulle and blond lace, with bunches of pendelus, pink flowers, and broad green leaves on each side.

Evening cap of black and white blond, trimmed with black velvet and purple flowers.

Pelerine for a little girl. It is composed of muslin, trimmed with quilled ribbon, edged with lace.

Morning cap of lace and orange coloured ribbon.

DESCRIPTION OF MODEL.

The Model this month is of a young lady's casaque or jacket. We do not give a sleeve, as the pagoda or bell would be suitable for it, and it will be found applicable for any material required.

Cook did not answer the description. For a long time all the inquiries would lead right back to the Ellis Cook in Morris County. At last another trail was found which led them to an Ellis Cook in Vermont, whose wife proved to be the long-sought-for sister. Meanwhile the wealthy woman in England died, and her property went into the English Treasury until an heir could be found for it. A lawyer in this country undertook to get it for the Vermont family at his own expense, and in case of success he was to have half of all that was obtained. I am told that for ten or twelve years he has done nothing else but trace out this thing: perfecting the claim of his clients to the property, and at last, with incredible pains, he has secured his end, and has paid to the heirs their portion of the property. One of these heirs he found at the West, a humble cobbler, whose share was said to be some 16,000 dollars. The poor man was all taken aback with his good fortune, and told the lawyer that he did not know what to do with so much money, a difficulty which that acute gentleman met by advising him to give each of his six boys 1,000 dollars, and to invest the balance for his own benefit.

THE EMPEROR OF BELLS.-At the foot of the tower (Kremlin, Moscow) stands, on a granite pedestal, the Tzar Kolokol, or Emperor of Bells, whose renown is world-wide. It was cast by order of the Empress Anne, in 1730, but was broken seven years afterwards, through the burning of the wooden tower in which it hung. It is a little over twenty-one feet in height, twenty-two feet in diameter at the bottom, weighs 120 tons, and the estimated value of the gold, silver, and copper contained in it, is 1,500,000 dollars. In one of the lower stories of the tower hangs another bell, cast more than a century before the Tzar Kolokol, and weighing sixty-four tons. Its iron tongue is swung from side to side by the united exertions of three men. It is only rung thrice a year, and when it speiks all other bells are silent. To those who stand near the tower, the vibration of the air is said to be like that which follows the simultaneous discharge of a hundred cannon. In the other stories hang at least forty or fifty bells, varying in weight from thirty-six tons to a thousand pounds; some of them are one-third silver. When they all sound at once, as on Easter morn, the very tower must rock on its foundation. In those parts of Russia where the Eastern Church is predominant, no other sect is allowed to possess bells. In Austria the same prohibition is extended to the Protestant churches. The sound of the bell is a part of the act of worship, and therefore no heterodox tongue, though of iron, must be permitted to preach false doctrine to half the city.-Bayard Taylor.