PETERSON'S MAGAZINE
Vol. XLIII          PHILADELPHIA, JUNE 1863         No.6.
EDITORIAL CHIT-CHAT
  WEDDING-RINGS.-- The "plain gold ring," so often refered to by modern poets, and which is so familiar to all the present generation, is but of comparatively recent introduction.  Formerly these rings were ornamented in various ways, and some were remarkable for their cunning device and beauty of workmanship.  The wedding-rings of the Romans, who originated them, displayed joined hands, intaglios, and inscriptions.  Later, the "gimmal" or double ring, which opens into two and yet cannot be separated, was used, and rings ornamented with filigree and enamel.  It was also the custom to inscribe wedding and betrothal rings with appropriate mottoes.  In Germany and Italy finger-rings seem to have been more elaborate during the Middle Ages, and more recently, than has been common in the United States.  There is the betrothal ring of Martin Luther with Catharine Von Bora, which is composed of an intricate device of gold work, set with a ruby, the emblem of exalted love.  The gold devices represent all the symbols of the "Passion."  In the center is the crucified Saviour; on one side the spear with which the side was pierced, and the rod of reeds; on the other is a branch of hyssop; beneath are the dice with which the soldiers cast lots for the garment without a seam, and below are the three nails.  The whole is arranged so as to make a large cross, surmounted by the ruby.  Inside the ring are the names of the betrothed pair, and the wedding-day in German, "Der 13 Janij, 1525."  This ring was presented to the intended wife at the betrothal, and worn by her after marriage.  The ring used at the marriage ceremonial was worn by Luther after the wedding.  This is a "gimmal" ring, an emblem of the married state.  There is a motto engraved within, in old German.  On one hoop is a diamond, the emblem of power and duration; and on the inside of the hoop, which is concealed, are the initials of Martin Luther, followed by a "D," denoting his title of doctor.  On the corresponding surface of the mounting of the gem of the hoop are the initials of his wife -- "CvB."  The gem on this side is a ruby, the emblem of exalted love.  These rings are doubtless the design, and probably the handwork, of Lucas Cranach, the friend of Luther, who was one of the three witnesses to his betrothal; and it is no doubt owing to the combination of artistic knowledge with practical skill in this kind of art workmanship, that we are indebted for these beautiful productions.  So far as we have been able to learn of the use of the plain gold ring at weddigns, it became common, in England, in the reign of George II. or George III., and was imitated in America, then in colonial vassalage to Great Britain.  It was an era when taste was in a deplorable condition; when chairs, tables, and every description of furniture, anmd houses, were made plain and heavy: so the finger-rings and other articles on which both skill and good design had been formerly bestowed, were made to correspond.  We cannot but think that it would be a reform to return to the ancient fashion.  The wedding-ring is expected to be worn during a lifetime, and it, above all others, ought, therefore, to be beautified by taste and art.
RADIANT WITH HAPPINESS. - The Peru (Ind.) Republican says: - "Always suspect persons who affect sweet smiles, great softness of manner, and enunciation studied and low, and who appear incapble of openly expressing their feelings.  But when you see a person with Peterson's Magazine, you may depend upon it that the smile which is radiant upon his or her countenance, is one of unalloyed happiness.  Such was the smile we saw, and the happiness we witnessed when the May number of this most superb Magazine was delivered to subscribers, last Monday morning."
LARGE POINTED COLLARS. -- Large pointed collars are again coming into fashion.  What is called the Shakspeare collar has been adopted by many fashionable ladies in Paris.  It is made of fine linen, and cut with a point in front; sometimes it is embroidered in black, and sometimes with fine white embroidery, and trimmed round with wide Valenciennes lace.  The sleeves to correspond with the Shakspeare collar are very deep, and are fastened with four gold studs.
WILL CRINOLIN LAST? -- There is another report afloat that crinilione is to be abandoned; but we do not believe it.  The fall of crinoline has so often been predicted, and it never comes to pass:  the prediction is never realized.  The Empress of the French protects it, and it remains fashionable.  The Countess Walewski, notwithstanding, appeared at court ball last month without any crinoline whatever; but that is not sufficient to dethrone it, the example must be set by the Empress Eugenie herself; she it was who made the fashion, and she is not likely to abandon it.  Besides, we must confess that this extension of our petticoats, although at times troublesome and "in the way," yet is becoming and pretty; it adds dignity to the figure, causes the waist to look smaller, and gives grace to many women, who would look awkward without it.  Dresses are made longer than ever in the skirt.  They are generally much trimmed; the invariable plaiting round the bottom; above, either crossway pieces of velvet, hanging buttons, gimp, and floss silk ornaments, ruches, and bows of ribbons are all used for ornamenting the skirts:  the trimming frequently reaches as high as the knee.  In the street the dress is always raised, and the boots are visible; the most fashionable are those made of Russian leather, with leather or steel heels.  These are the great novelties in boots; they are the invention of a noted Parisian boot-maker.		 STILL IN TIME -- In answer to numerous inquiries we state that it is still in time to subscribe for 1863, as we can supply back numbers from the beginning of the year.  Recollect, also, that this is the cheapest of the lady's magazines; and is by most persons (and we think those of the finest taste) considered the best.  On this point, the Plover (Wis.) Republican expresses the almost universal opinion, when it says: -- "Peterson's Magazine for April is already on our table.  Its frontispiece is a very fine and expressive steel plate engraving, entitled 'The Quarrel,' in which the pouting maid and whistling swain both seem to feel rather uncomfortable in the region of the heart.  The colored fashion-plates, and sixty odd other embellishments, with two pages of music, demonstrates that there is no falling off in the efforts of the publisher to maintain the high standing of his Magazine, notwithstanding the greatly increased cost of the materials which are used in getting it up.  Two dollars is a small price to pay for such a Magazine now-a-days, yet it is all that is asked for it in single subscription.  In clubs it is much cheaper."  We would add that our Magazine is the only one in the United States which has not either raised its price to clubs and agents, or diminished the number of its pages
REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS
The National Tax Law, as Amended.  By C.H. Hall.  1 vol., 12 mo.  New York: Carleton. -- This little work not only gives the tax law as amended at the last session of Congress, but also embodies all the offcial decisions, the official list of assessors and collectors, and alphhabetical schedule of taxable articles, and complete compendium of stamp duties.
OUR NEW COOK-BOOK
Every receipt in this cook-book has been tested by a practical housekeeper.
MEATS
BEEFSTEAK DUMPLING. -- Choose a juicy piece of beef, without much fat, and cut it into neat slices about half an inch thick, sprinkle some salt and pepper over them, place a small lump of butter on each, roll them up tight, and flour them  a little.  Line a basin with plain suet paste, fill it with the rolls of beef, add a few mushrooms and a little catchup; cover up the meat with the paste, tie up the basin in a floured cloth, and boil it three hours.
FANCY ARTICLES FOR FAIRS
WAFER BASKETS. -- These are pretty, and not difficult to make.  Form the basket in colored cardboard, by cutting a shape which will stand well.  Let it be three inches and a half acress at the bottom, four and a half at the top, and three inches and a quarter high.  Shape the top into sixteen vandykes, one inch deep, and cut an open-work pattern in triangles, or any other form, round it, with a straight strip for a handle, and a well-fitted round for the bottom.  This or other pretty form of basket will do.  For ornamenting it with the wafers, have for each ornament three wafers:  one whole; a second cut into one half and two quarters; the third into four quarters.  Wet the cut edge of the half wafer, and set it upright on the whole wafer; in the same manner fix two of the quarters at right angles with this, and then fix in the remaining four quarters, one in each division.  Ornament the basket and handle with these according to fancy.  The contrast of color in the basket and wafers, the size of the basket, and the size of the wafers used, may be varied at pleasure.  The handle should be fastened on with a bow of satin ribbon, of the same color as the wafers.  Pretty mixtures are:  scarlet on black, white on blue or any other bright color, dark-green on pale-green, or purple on orange color.  The baskets will hold sweetmeats, and afterward (as presents) will be valued for the sake of the little manufacturers.
NOTE-CASES. -- The shape to cut for the note-case may be four inches and three-quarter wide, by one foot long.  This folded up into four, is the outside of the note-case and two pockets.  Cut two pieces of the material four inches and three-quarters wide, and four inches and a half deep, to form inner pockets with flaps (which should be a little shaped at the corners) to fold over in the center inside and shut up two of the pockets.  The note-case may be of silk or cashmnere, nicely embroidered or braided.  For braiding a thing like this, it is best to trace the pattern on tissue paper, tack that on to the silk or cashmere, and tear it away when the work is done.  The edge must be finished with a cord agreeing in color.
IMITATION MOSAIC BROOCHES. -- Procure a brooch intended to hold a miniature.  Trace the shape on a piece of very coarse, open, book muslin.  Find a Berlin pattern of flowers, or any other pleasing subject which will suit this in form and number of stitches, and work it with fine decca silk.  It must be put in the miniature frame when done, and the effect will be found to be very good.
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS.
HOW TO REMOVE MILDEW FROM LINEN -- First of all take some soap (any common sort will do), and rub it well into the linen, then scrape some shalk very fine, and rub that in also; lay the linen on the grass, and as it dries wet it again; twice or thrice doing will remove the mildew stains.  Another way is to mix soft soap with powdered starch, with half the quantity of salt, and the juice of a lemon.  Lay this mixture on with a brush, and let the linen lay out on the grass for a few frosty nights, anbd the stains will disappear.  All linen will turn yellow if kept long unused, locked up in a linen press, excluded from air and light; so the best way that we have found of restoring it to its color is to expose it to the open air in nice dry weather.  Exposure to the light and continual airings will be found the best way of preserving its whiteness.
 		 A POMATUM TO MAKE THE HAIR GROW -- Take hen's fat and oil of hempseed, of each a quarter of a pound, melt them together in an earthen pipkin, and stir the mixture with a wooden spatula until it is cold.  Rub in the pomatum every day for eight days.
FASHIONS FOR JUNE
  GENERAL REMARKS.--  The varieties of new materials for summer wear are innumerable.  Alpacas, summer poplins, and summer silks, are among the most popuilar of the spring goods; but for little later in the season are mixtures of wool and silk, thinnner than the articles just names, but more durable than bareges, and less liable to crumple than tissues.  These goods are usually of some of the shades of brown, fawn, gray, or lilac, though some are in small black and white plaids.  Grenadines are nearly all black, with small detached figures of only one color, as brown, violet, bluye, green, orange, or crimson.  The organdies are nearly all of white grounds with bunches of roses, carnations, or groups of blackberries and leaves.  These organdies are exquisite, but come at the high price of one dollar per yard.  There are other organdies in dress patterns, at eighteen dollars the dress, which are lovely.  The ground is white, with a fine hair-colored figure running through it;  but around the bottom is a band of white about an eighth of a yard in width, covered with rose-buds.
We mentioned in a former number that plain cambrics come with patterns printed round the bottom and up the front of the skirts, such as a buff cambric with a black Maltese lace pattern; another buff cambric with a bold braided design in black printed upon it. etc., etc.  The effect of these printed imitations is so excellent, that at a short distance it is impossile to believe that the lace was not genuine Maltese, and that the design was not in reality braided upon the material.
THE SKIRTS OF DRESSES are still made very  long behind, and are much gored, to throw the fullness nicely to the bottom.  They are now arranged behind in large gathers, and plaited in small plaits from the gathers to the front.  Bodices are being made with three points behind and two in front; the small tail behind is still also worn, but the round waists are never seen unless a sash is worn tied behind, and then this mode of bodice is admissible.  Sleeves are made to fit rather closely to the arm, the long, very open sleeves being now seldom seen.  Epaulets are very generally worn at the top, with a turned-back cuff at the bottom to correspond.  Unless the figure is tall and slight, we think the epaulets give too much width to the figure, therfore stout persons should on no account wear them.
BASQUINES are coming in fashion again, though as yet they are so small as hardly to deserve the name.
CAMLETS, ALPACAS, AND FOULARDS of one color, as well as figured foulaards, are at present the favorite materials for morning dresses.  They are usually made high and closely fitting to the figure, with  two points in front, and with a small swallow-tail basque at the back.  The sleeves are cut either open and very narrow round the bottom, small bell buttons being carried up the seams as far as the elbow, or they are closed at the wrist with a pointed cuff, which is at least a quarter of a yard deep.  These guantleted closed cuffs are very popular for morning wear, being found to be infinitely more convenient and comfortable than the wide hanging sleeves, with the pagoda-shaped white undersleeve, which so speedily lost its freshness, consequently its beauty.  Over these deep-pointed closed cuffs white linen cuffs of the same shape are worn.  No decision apparently has been arrived at on the subject of the morning white linen collar.  In London the small standing collar, with the narrow-colored silk cravat, the pointed cavalier collar, and the small rounded one, are all fashionable.  In Paris there is at the present moment a great tendency toward the introduction of large linen collars.  To the fairest and best of complexions this large expanse of white linen proves very trying.
MUSLIN CRAVATS are still worn round the throat;  they are made narrower than formerly, and are embroidered at both ends.  Some have a narrow Valenciennes edging around them;  they are tied exactly as a gentleman's cravat, with the ends standing out in a line with the bow, and not hanging down as formerly.
THE CHANGE IN THE SHAPE OF CRINOLINE is daily more apparent in Paris, but in London there is no difference as yet visible.  In the former city, crinolines and steel petticoats of all descriptions are made flat and clinging from the waist to the knee, and from the knee downward they expand until they attain round the bottom larger and wider dimensions than formerly.  For out-doors wear these crinolines are nade to reach only to the top of the boots at the back, as dresses still continue to be drawn up;  but for evening and in-door wear they are made much longer at the back, and are cut with a train or fan-like expansion, as dresses with trains fall more gracefully over petticoats which are cut in some measure, although in a lesser degree, in the same shape.
MANTILLAS are various shapes.  The round, full ones are probably the most in favor.  The pelerine, of a shawl shape behind, with long, square ends in front and trimmed with ruffles of silk, is also very much worn.
BONNETS are still made high, though not with so sharp a point in front as formerly.  The trimming continues to be very much on the top, but with persons of good taste this is never exaggerated.
 
 

 

 

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