We hava been favoured with the following extract from the letter of a Indy ing Shanghai During our stay here the Autumn Race Meeting came off and very kindly sent us tickets. Unfortunately the weather was not kind. The races Inst for three days but as we go off on Thursday, we shall not be there the last day which is the most ing, I am told. There seemed me to be alack of enthusiasm both on Friday and Saturday but the absence of old King Sol made things dull and I heard a racing man complaining that the course was slow. I suppose he meant the ponies Tom says that all the arrangements made by the Stewards are exceedingly good. I know of one I appreciated and that was a most excellent cold tiffin on the Grand Stand to which we did ample justice.
was surprised to notice how well up-to-date most of the Indies were, in the matter of clothes; with clinging, trailing skirts not too dangerously long in front, and worn over "tempestuous" petticoats trimmed with elaborate frills and flounces. I fancy many of them had just got their new winter garments either from "home" or made by a Chinese tailor. I am told isa very clever person, but I think I could have pointed out maw costumes he had nothing 10 do One I much admired in your favourite colour, a sort of hyacinth bine. The material was poplin and the skirt was well cut and trimmed with graduated tucks or folds. A toque of the same colour was wera with it, and a untie in brown of the new frilled shape. Lhave not got accustomed t" them yet, and find them " little Grandmotherish. In your last you tell me cloth gowns are the mode, Well! there were several on the lawn both on Friday and Saturday. A cornflower blue one with hat to match, a dark green on an elderly Indy, nnd 'a dark brown trimmed with narrow velvet ribbon in same colour were all good, also black and white check trimmed with black braid, on a tall slight figure, had the unmistakeable stamp of a good London tailor. When we were in Hongkong most of the women were wearing coats and skirts, but here the toilets are more cluborate. Nothing can be nicer than a coat and skirt in the morning, but they must fit. So many of them stand out from the waist at the back, asit they were meant to be sxe-coats, I did see one or two good sac-coats to-day, both in tan, and in covert coating, which is always nice and on a damp day sd useful. One worn on Friday with a broad, low black velvet hat looked as well as' anything on the lawn.
do love pretty millinery and quite en-viol a girl who had on a red and white felt hat trimmed with red and white net, and a large bird in dove colour nestling at one side. It was in that new shape they call ber give and had red flowers tucked in under the brim. Ialso saw several gathered velvet hats, Just us you say, very few bonnets were to be sven, though I notice' one sweetly pretty one in polo blue velvet with ostrich tips same colour. I wonder if we shall find every one as fashionable up North.
"The English mai is just in and no letter from you, again.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.