DESCRIPTION OF THE

FOUR

PARIS-PLATES OF SPRING FASHIONS:

Accompanying the present Number.

Plate 1313-FETE-CHAMPETRE DRESSES.

First Figure.-Dress of embroidered book-muslin, made en redingotte, the body tight, and nearly open to the waist in front-to show a worked stomacher—a rich border of embroidery forms a trimming on the body, and gets narrower as it reaches the waist; a similar trimming goes down the fronts of the skirt. The sleeve is half tight, and cut open to the elbow on the outside, where it is trimmed with embroidery. Apple-green gros de Naples bonnet, ornamented with white lace and es, on the outside, and bows of white satin ribbon underneath. Pale-buff gloves.

Second Figure.-Dress of cameleon glacé-silk with a double skirt-the upper of which is open in front, and trimmed all round with ruche of the same ma erial. The body tight and rounded a little at the waist in front. Three-quarter sleeve, shewing a white one underneath; a berthe of the silk cut in large scallops, which are trimmed with a ruche of the silk-bow of green ribbon in front. Guimpe of lace and insertion. Pink bonnet, trimmed with flowers. Pale-yellow gloves.

:

Plate 1314.-Dress of peach-blossom-muslin. The skirt long and unornamented, tight low body, made with a point; short, tight sleeves. A white muslin fichu edged with lace, and of a novel cut, forming a berthe over the back and shoulders; the ends crossed on the chest, and knotted at the waist, behind. Cap of tulle, with a single row of lace across the front, and a double border over the ears; it is trimmed with pink-sarcenet ribbon roses are placed over the ear.

Plate 1314-Second Figure.-Dress of taffetas d'Italia, white and green-striped, having a running pattern over the white stripe. There are two deep flounces of the same material cut at the edge in a scallop, on which is placed a narrow passementeris or gimp, low body, tight at the top, and having a few gathers in the centre at the waist: short sleeves; trimmed with lace. White crape bonnet trimmed with lace.

pocket-handkerchief.

Straw-color gloves, fan, and worked

Plate 1316.-Toilettes de ville—or visiting dress. Redingote of silk à reflets lemon-color and pink. Skirt open in front with wide revers or facings trimmed with gimp-corsage— gilet three quarters high at the back and over the shoulders, open half-way down the front, and closed the other portion with three rows of silk buttons. A revers trimmed with gimp, goes across the back and terminates at the opening, thus forming a small cape: sleeves half long, with a turned-up cuff, trimmed with gimp, under-sleeves of white fulled muslin; Under-dress of eambric, worked up the front of the skirt, having a tight low body, embroidered and trimmed with lace. Capote of pink crape trimmed with three folds of pink tulle, and rosettes of the same material. White gloves and parasol.

Second Figure.-Dress of blueish gray-silk, having a deep flounce; high tight body and short sleeves; caraco of black lace, which descends a little below the waist, and forming a half-high body open in front; it is trimmed all round with lace, and closed in front with a red bow; the sleeves reach nearly to the waist, and have an epaulette or jockey formed of a fall of lace. Bonnet of Paille de riz, ornamented with a half wreath of foliage which terminates at each side with three, full roses. The trimming underneath is green. Gloves, bracelets and bouquet.

Plate 1317. OPERA DRESSES.-Dress of gray silk having a slight tinge of lilac, plain skirt; low body with point, and a small cape open on the shoulders forming the berthe which has two folds of the same color all rou rt, tight sleeve similarly trimmed. A wreath of roses is placed in the hair, which is braided low over the ears. Black velvet scarf lined with white satin. White gloves, gold bracelets.

Second Figure.-Dress of pale-buff silk, having a plain skirt, tight low body and sleeves. Berthe composed of two falls of application d'Angleterre, finished with three white bows in front. Gauze scarf; coiffure of lace intermixed with very small flowers of different colors. Gloves, bracelets, and bouquet.

Third Figure.-Dress of pink levantine; plain skirt, low body, and berthe of folds of tulle and blonde. Tight sleeves, with a bow of pink-ribbon in each. The hair dressed in a braid at the back, over which is a wreath of small roses. Gloves and bracelets.

Fourth Figure.-Black-satin dress, plain skirt, high body, with a revers descending from the shoulder to the waist; tight long sleeves. Lace-cap trimmed with blue ribbon very small, lace collar.

ULRIC KOFFMANN,

OR,

THE BANDITS OF BOHEMIA.

CHAPTER I.

IN one of the stone-paved cells of the castle of Offenbach, which, having survived its reputation as a fortress, was now appropriated for the reception of criminals sentenced to long periods of imprisonment, sat two captives before the pine-wood fire, whose cheerful blaze, illuminating the massive walls of their dungeon, mitigated, if it did-not entirely dispel the horrors which solitude naturally invokes when associated with guilt. It was a gloomy, November, night-the wind howled down the capacious, barred chimney, while drops of rain falling on the hissing embers, proclaimed the violence of the storm, but elicited no remark from those who were under this compulsory protection from its inclemency. An iron lamp, attached to a rusty chain in the roof, was suspended over a plain oak-table, on which lay two or three well-thumbed volumes, including a missal and breviary-beside which were a pitcher of water and a small loaf intended for the evening repast of those whose appetites were restricted to so meagre and unsatisfactory a diet.

The elder prisoner was a man apparently between fifty and sixty years of age. His hair, which was white as snow, hung in clusters on his shoulders, and harmonised with his beard, which having been suffered to grow without interruption during his imprisonment, gave to his visage a patriarchal and venerable appearance. There was, however, a peculiarity in his manner-an endless restlessness-wild, and, occasionally, frenzied glances of his eyes, which were calculated rather to excite compassion than awaken feelings of respect and veneration. His spare, decrepid figure was clad in a loose, grey, morning coat, and as he sat before the fire, in a low-chair, warming his shrivelled hands, an involuntary groan would ever and anon betray the anguish to which his remorseful spirit could give no more explicit utterance.

Opposite to the old man, and engaged in reading, sat an iudividual, whose age and demeanour strikingly contrasted with those of his fellow-prisoner. Mental energy and decision of character, blended with a scornful air, bordering almost upon misanthropy, were stamped upon his swarthy and expressive countenance. He could scarcely be pronounced handsome,' yet there was in his large, dark and flashing eye-his finely-sculptured mouth and ample forehead, a penetration, firmness and intelligence, which more than compensated for any trifling irregularity of feature which might be placed to his account. Though his attire was somewhat degagé -his contempt of artificialities extending even to his wardrobe-his air and manners betokened one who belonged to a much higher grade of society than that

with which, either from crime or by misfortune he was now identified. Judging from his appearance, his age might be five, or six and twenty, but his slender figure seemed scarcely to have attained maturity, and such, indeed, was the case, his precocious intellect, and the manliness of his deportment having conspired with other auxiliaries to reduce him to his present melancholy state of degradation.

The work which engaged this young man's attention, was a collection of those celebrated speeches of Mirabeau* which, like an admonitory peal of thunder, ushered-in the sanguinary horrors of the first French revolution. The occasional smile of indignant scorn which played upon his features, showed that the philippics of the republican were highly relished by his ardent admirer, whose attention was so absorbed by the overpowering eloquence of that tremendous orator, that the entrance of a female into his cell, with a letter in her hand- —a young girl, whose simple beauty might have won more favors than the most striking words of the finest oratory, failed for some time to elicit from him any token of recognition. To explain this strange insensibility, it is, perhaps, only needful to mention that the student was a politician of a wild, inflexible and uncompromising character.

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This young girl—the impersonation of Faith, Hope and Charity-whose presence in that abode of crime and misery resembled a rose among some weed-covered ruins -was the daughter of colonel Rimbert, who held the office of Governor of the fortress. Her sweet and cheerful disposition, took-delight in ministering to the comforts of and in consoling those unhappy creatures, with some of whom-and she had attained her seventeenth year-she had been acquainted from infancy!

With an oval countenance, soft, blue eyes, and a complexion of exquisite delicacy, she seemed quite unconscious-and, possibly, was so that she possessed any qualities to warrant the gentle sighs, which oft-times escaped from one individual in particular, in the course of his conversation with her, and which must have tended rather to aggravate than allay the sorrows incidental to his personal captivity.

Approaching the student, on tiptoe, and entirely concealing the letter which she carried beneath her little, blue-silk apron, the young girl bent over his shoulder, and smiled to perceive the earnestness with which he prosecuted his political studies.

"Is that a very interesting story, monsieur Mirabeau?" she inquired, in a soft, silvery voice, as the young man, raising his eyes, beheld the fair maiden, whose advent always made them sparkle with increased vivacity.

"Exceedingly so" replied the student, turning-round, and regarding his fair interlocutor with a look, more tender than patriotic-" It is a story, Therese, to make mentrue men-weep, and tyrants tremble-but why do you call me 'monsieur Mirabeau,' -you know my christian name, and, in a christian spirit, what better title can I have than Ulric?'"

6

"None" said Therese, somewhat abashed; but quickly recovering her confidence, she asked with the prettiest air of naïveté imaginable "What is a tyrant, Ulric, I have frequently heard you speak of tyrants, but I never saw one-some say my father is a

* See the portrait of this ugliest of all ugly men, in our collection of authentic portraits.

tyrant, but you would-not call him so, when he merely does that which is his duty." "There are many tyrants, Therese" returned Ulric, folding his hands over the back of his chair-there is 'Fashion,' the tyrant of the fair sex.'

"We seldom have-reason to complain of his tyranny, here" observed Therese laughing, who is your next tyrant?"

"A tyrant with a bauble on his head" exclaimed Ulric "but I will say nothing more of him from fear of wounding your loyalty."

"Have you finished?" demanded Therese.

"No" replied Ulric in a subdued, but hurried and impassioned tone "I will tell you who is the greatest and most formidable tyrant-one who consigns his slaves to the most miserable captivity, and inflicts upon them torments such as woman—cruel, cruel woman-only, could devise or administer."

The young girl turned-aside, while her cheek crimsoned before Ulric's earnest gaze.

"His name, Therese, is 'Love," whispered Ulric, as, raising her hand, he pressed it softly to his lips.

As soon as Therese had recovered from the shock, occasioned by this unprecedented breach of privilege, she presented Ulric with the letter, to deliver which had been the ostensible object of her intrusion upon his privacy.

"This has-not been opened" he said, looking at the seal, whose appearance fully justified his assertion.

"Do you wish it to be opened?" inquired Therese.

"The Minister" replied Ulric "has thought-proper to direct that all letters addressed to me should be opened before I receive them; doubtless, from a very humane feeling lest they should contain any poisonous preparation, which might deprive the Government of one of their warmest benefactors.

"Really, sir, you are very ceremonious," said Therese, smiling, "but as you willnot take your letter in its present state, will you allow me to open it, instead of my father?"

"Certainly" cried Ulric "it is of no consequence to me, by whom it is opened, so long as the Minister's injunctions are obeyed."

Therese smiled, and taking a small pair of scissors, attached to her little, blue-silk apron-she made a very neat incision round the seal, and then delivered it to Ulric for his perusal.

It was interesting to observe the emotions of surprise, indignation, and disdain, which, in rapid succession agitated the young man's countenance, as he hastily glanced over the communication, which, had it been penned with the deliberate aim of insulting the reader, could-not more effectually have attained its object.

"Excellent father-kind-hearted and generous old gentleman" he ejaculated with a smile of bitter contempt, as he paced his cell in a state of excitement, greater than Therese had ever seen him exhibit, "and so he would have me barter my heart -my mind and my soul for that contemptible thing called-Liberty--would have me sacrifice man's noblest privilege of bestowing his affections where, when, and how he would, in order that his son might wipe from the family-scutcheon the odium which a