iends should allow
their feelings to be hurt, unless they are very close to the bride and
have chosen the present with particular sentiment. A bride never changes
the presents chosen for her by her or the groom's family--unless
especially told that she may do so. But to keep twenty-two salt cellars
and sixteen silver trays when she has no pepper-pots or coffee spoons or
platters or vegetable dishes, would be putting "sentiment" above "sense."

=THE TROUSSEAU=

A trousseau, according to the derivation of the word, was "a little trusse
or bundle" that the bride carried with her to the house of her husband. In
modern times, the "little bundle" often requires the services of a van to
transport.

The wrappers and underclothes of a young girl are usually very simple, but
when she is to be a bride, her mother buys her, as lavishly as she can,
and of the prettiest possible assortment of lace trimmed lingerie, tea
gowns, bed sacques and caps, whatever may be thought especially becoming.
The various undress garments which are to be worn in her room or at the
breakfast table, and for the sole admiration of her husband, are of far
greater importance than the dresses and hats to be worn in public.

In Europe it is the custom to begin collecting linen for a girl's
trousseau as soon as she is born, but the American bride cares nothing for
dozens upon dozens of stout linen articles. She much prefers gossamer
texture lavishly embellished with equally perishable lace. Everything must
be bought for beauty; utility is not considered at all. No stout
hand-woven underwear trimmed with solidly stitched needlework! Modern Miss
Millions demands handkerchief linen and Valenciennes lace of a quality
that used to be put as trimming on a ball gown, and Miss Smallpurse asks
for chiffon and less expensive but even more sheer and perishable laces.
Not long ago a stocking was thought fine if it could be run through a
wedding ring; to-day no stocking is considered "fit to put on" for town or
evening wear unless several together can slip through the measure once the
test for one.

=THE MOST EXTRAVAGANT TROUSSEAU=

The most lavish trousseau imaginable for the daughter of the very rich
might be supposed to comprise:

_House Linen_

One to six dozen finest quality embroidered or otherwise "trimmed" linen
sheets with large embroidered monogram.

One to six dozen finest quality linen sheets, plain hemstitched, large
monogram.

One to six do