"You have said, master, that I can do it; your word shall not be brought to shame! I shall be ready in three days to appear as the Princess of Navarre."

"God bless you, my child!"

"Do you know that Gäerstker is going to sing Jean de Paris to-morrow?" cried one passer by to another. "I am hurrying off to get tickets, they say there is a great press about the box."

"But the first singer is sick, who is going to give the Princess ?"

"Little Sontag-the daughter of the actress?" "She? Why it is not long since she was playing with her doll-she was always a fine child but she must be very young,"

These and similar expressions might be heard in the streets the day before the representation and on the following evening, too, when, notwithstanding the intense heat, a large audience eagerly awaited the artistic treat of hearing the distinguished guest in Jean de Paris. At last Gaerstacker appeared, and played and sang so that it was a pleasure to listen to him, and he was met by bursts of enthusiastic applause. Now and then acquaintances would remark to each other: "Poor Ititle Henriette-poor child, how unfortunate that she should make her début with so great an artist!"

| nation but with the dignity of her bearing, could no longer repress his delight. The old man had no intention, however, that his softly spoken bravo should be the signal, as it was, for a burst of the most stormy applause that has ever been bestowed upon so youthful a candidate. This universal burst of applause at first not only surprised but confused the maiden, so that for one moment her voice trembled, but she bravely conquered her emotion, and then encouraged by the recognition, the notes rang forth with yet more fulness, clearness, and freshness, until a wondrously beautiful trill, of a roundness of tone and remarkable duration-so that the Kapellmeister was forced to hold his breath in amaze-ended the exquisite aria, “With what wondrous ardour." From this moment the victory was sure, for with that aria the young novice in art had elevated herself to the rank of artiste, and the great Gerstacker had to be con tent to share the triumph of the evening with a young débutante.

Henriette was received behind the scenes & the end of the first act by her delighted mother and her deeply moved teacher.

"I knew that my brave girl would not disgrace me, but I scarcely thought she would make an old teacher so proud," said the old man. "Der Daus! that was a trill! I thought it was never coming to an end, it would have terrified me had I not been so completely over

and yet she can sing so that I must take my hat off to her. Listen, Jetterl, one day you wil have a rich harvest of glory and honour, and when they press the laurel wreaths upon your brow think sometimes of the old teacher, the perchance, resting in the quiet grave!

Deeply affected, the maiden silently bore the honoured hand to her lips. And now both she and Gerstacker must again appear. In the second act the favourite Troubadour song caused great furore; Jean de Paris was obliged to repeat his part, but in the case of the princess, once did not suffice. Da capo, and again da capo, for the third time, must Henriette sing hers: the audience grew ever warmer is their enthusiasm-and it was no forced applause no feigned ardor, but the pure outburst of intense satisfaction, mingled in regard to Henriette Sontag with a joyful amaze that one so young could accomplish so much. Amidst a tumult of rejoicing at the artistic treat, for never bad Gerstacker been seen to such advantage,

the curtain fell.

Thus ended the first, altogether unpremeditated début of the youthful singer. Truly no singer ever met with greater, better merited triumph, no woman's name ever shone more brightly amidst the triple crown of greatest artiste, truest, most excellent wife, and most faithful mother.

Now she rests from her labours, from her rich, varied life, but the name of Henriette Sontag still lives. May it long be honoured!

FIRST FIGURE-WALKING TOILET.-Dress of Indian foulard, having a first skirt trimmed with silk cross-stripes of a darker tint. The second skirt has each width rounded at bottom, and trimmed on the seams. Sleeves close-fitting. Jacket of the same material as the dress, long sleeves in the Medici style. Rice-straw bonnet, of a round form, trimmed with crystal fringe, and in front with a cordon of dead foliage, prolonged to the top of the strings. The latter are made of white silk, fastened by a group of the same foliage.

SECOND FIGURE-INDOOR TOILET of blue gauze, striped with white, trimmed round the bottom of the dress with a band of blue silk, studded with pearls. Corselet body of blue velvet, or gros-grain trimmed with a similar ornament and a peplum of the same material decorated with a fringe en suite. Muslin underbody laid in narrow plaits. Waistband fastened with a rosette at the side. Blue velvet ribbon in the hair.

I send you a description of some pretty evening and ball-dresses, the models of which I have just seen. The first consists of a white satin dress, with under-body of the same, and green satin corselet. The head-dress consists of a cordon of foliage, mixed with clusters of berries. Louis XV. fan. Handkerchief trimmed with English point.-Secondly, a toilet composed of an under-skirt of white silk. Second skirt of white gauze. Under-body of white silk, with corselet cut square at top, and round at the waist. Short puffed sleeves. White silk under-body. On the hair a wreath of dead foliage.-The third dress is of grey satin, veiled with tulle of the same colour, puffed and ornamented with a cordon of roses. The top of the body is finished with a snow of white and pink tulle. Chantilly lace scarf. Coiffure real pearls and roses.-The fourth toilet consists of a mauve satin dress, accompanied with a tunic of mauve crape. Satin body; cordon of white roses thrown towards the side, and slanting across the middle of the body. The hair is ornamented with beads and clusters of white

roses.

For travelling and walking dresses short skirts will be decidedly worn: grey and other quiet shades are much in request for spring toilets. For a young girl the following costume will be found extremely pretty: the material is grey cashmere; the petticoat is plain, but the over-skirt, which is shorter, is cut in square turrets, or dents round the edge, and bordered with a double row of cerise satin galloon goffered. From the throat to the edge of the skirt the dress is fastened with a row of cerise silk buttons. The bodice is formed of a grey corselet and narrow braces, both trimmed with

cerise satin. No band is needed, the waist being simply corded with cerise satin; a short paletôt-sac, of the same material as the dress, is worn with it; this is lined with grey silk and trimmed all round with a double row of cerise galloon. On the left shoulder there is a tasteful bow, consisting of three loops and two flowing ends. This stylish toilet can be copied in poplin, and trimmed with black velvet, or in any fancy material, and ornamented in black braid. A very pretty style of short dress is to have it cut straight round the edge and slit up at the sides, as it then harmonizes with the short paletôt also cut up at the sides.

Dresses cut in the redingote shape are much worn for driving or visiting toilets. A pearlgrey poplin redingote, trimmed up the seams with narrow cross-cut bands of white satin, is a fashionable out-door toilet for a young married lady.

Basquines, fitting the figure, are again very fashionable; they are much more graceful and elegant than the short loose paletôt. That most elegant of all trimmings, lace, is again in vogue for dresses intended for weddings, visits, and other ceremonious occasions. It is arranged on the skirt, just above the plaiting edging it.

I have seen a dinner-dress, the whole of the ornamentation of which was effected with the aid of the sewing-machine of Wheeler and Wilson. Another toilet deserves notice from the peculiar beauty of the imitation-precious stones with which it was decorated, and the rare perfection of their setting; this latter robe is composed of a first skirt of white tulle over a transparent of white satin, and garnished at the bottom by un plissé-Marguerite, half of tulle, half of white blond; at the head of this plaiting a cordon of jasmine. The tunic skirt is of rosecoloured satin, ornamented at the bottom by a snow of tulle, strewed with butterflies composed of the most brilliant imitation-precious stones. The corsage is finished with a peplum-basque, formed entirely of a net-work of pearls, a coat of mail, the effect of which is charming. A guimpe of plaited tulle is worn with the corselet; upon the shoulders a puff of tulle, sprinkled with butterflies like those on the skirt. The sleeves (very short) are composed of a bouillonne of tulle over rose-coloured satin, and are bordered with a plaiting of blond. In the hair, butterflies of all colours. An elegant fan finishes this charming toilet-a fan composed of fine mother-o'-pearl, sustaining a cordon of roses posed upon white lace. This model is a fantasy, a charming caprice-a toilet bespangled with pearls.

I shall reserve for next month my talk of bonnets, &c.

every

three

The foundation of this antimacassar is in square netting, which is made by beginning with one stitch only, and netting two in that one; then turning the work, and making one in the first stitch and two in the second. Again turn the work, and do two in stitch except the last, in which must be made. This last row must be repeated until the extreme width is attained, which, in this case, is one hundred and thirteen stitches. The triangular piece now made is one-half the antimacassar. For the other half, instead of making two in one at the end of the row, you will net the last two together as one, It would answer the same purpose, as far as the decreasing is concerned, to omit the last stitch at the end of the row; but the edges then do not correspond with those of the first part.

When the square is finished, let it be washed, and rinsed in starch-water; after which it is to be pinned neatly on a pillow to dry, and it will

then be much easier to darn, the holes having taken the proper square form.

THE BORDER, which must now be donc, is very simple. With the same mesh as you have used for the square, do two rounds. Then with a three-quarter inch mesh do one round thus: five stitches in one, one stitch in the next. * all round.

2nd round. With the small mesh net a stitch on every stitch of five. Miss the single one. 3rd. Same nesh. Four stitches over five. Miss the intervening.

4th. Same mesh. Three stitches over four. Miss the loop between. Miss

5th. Same mesh. Two over three. the loop between.

The darning is now to be done from any handsome Berlin wool pattern. The extreme coarseness of the cotton employed for this part fills it up rapidly, and makes it look very well. It is extremely suitable for those whose sight is not very good.

It is pretty for babies' berceaunette blankets or cot covers, lined with silk, or knitted in very coarse wool for travelling rugs. Different kinds of wool must, of course, be selected, according to the purpose for which the knitting is intended. We will give our readers the directions for knitting the stitch, and they can then make use of it for either of the articles just mentioned. We would advise them to select, for a baby's blanket, white fleecy wool; for a cot cover, double Berlin; and for a travelling rug,

8-thread fleecy. The following directions will be found correct for hnitting the stitch: Cast on any number of stitches that will divide by 4, and allow besides 1 for each end. 1st row. Ship 1, * make 1, slip 1, knit 3, draw the slipped stitch over the 3 knitted ones, repeat from *, knit 1. 2nd. Knit 1, purl all out the last stitch which knit plain. 3rd. Same as 1st. 4th. Same as 2nd. The pattern is very easy to knit, and is very quickly executed.

POETRY received and accepted, with thanks.-From H. J. S. (in our next number); "Meeting and Parting;" One Happy Heart."

66

(Unless we receive an assurance of the originality of this paper we must decline its acceptance). Received, but not yet read." The Squire of Ashbury;" Going Home."

Song;" "To a Bouquet;" The Clouds are Frowning," "The Warrior Queen;" "The Landseer Lions."

plication on the subject of our correspondent's request, but have not yet been favoured with an answer. The manuscript was forwarded as desired. Alderney."-The author of " Rambles," &c., is reminded that no contribution has come to hand. To CONTRIBUTORS. Our rule for the return of manuscripts has been so frequently published that it ought to be unneccessary to repeat it. If stamps are not sent, we will not hold ourselves responsible for the return of manuscripts.