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THE LEPER'S CONFESSION. 2

The agrafe seen from beneath the hat is of emeralds; so are the ear rings, brooch, belt, clasp, and the slides of the belt are studded with small emeralds. The gown is made of soft gros de Naples; the colour, buff or camel's hair brown. At the belt the corsage is cut rounding in front, very gracefully to the form. The belt is a piece of bias, green satin or velvet, clasped in front, and hanging down nearly to the feet in two long ends, finished by tassels; these ends are united twice by means of slides put on like those of a purse. The sleeves are separated in two divisions; they are finished by a fan like cuff, turning back towards the arm. The skirt has no ornament but a deep hem. Green velvet bracelets, clasped with emeralds.

CARRIAGE DRESS. Hat of Italian straw, trimmed with figured gauze ribbons, and two long white ostrich feathers. An embroidered muslin canezou spencer is buttoned down the front with delicately wrought silver buttons; it has a double falling collar, worked with a wreath, and bordered by points; over the neck and breast the muslin is plaited in horizontal folds, and the shape is elegantly defined by lapels that turn back to the shoulder. The back is a little full at the lower part, but plain in the neck. Half sleeve epau lettes, finished with rich vandykes, almost cover the beret sleeves of the dress. Ruffles at the elbow. The manchetts at the wrist are worked in the same pattern. The gown is lavender gros de Naples, shot with mallow colour; the sleeves are very full at top, and strait to the lower arm. A twisted rouleau is the sole ornament at the bottom of the dress. The gaiters are white silk, and the shoes lavender coloured morocco. Bracelets, chains, and clasps of silver.

WALKING DRESS. The bonnet is made of soft gros de Naples, white shot with purple pink, which makes a beautiful and durable French white. The shape is new, and of that class which English ladies love to adopt, combining the modesty and elegance that are desirable in a morning bonnet. A large plume of wood hyacinths surmounts the crown, which is low and sloping forward. Much blonde is used among the bows, and rays of fluted lilac satin placed alternately with waved quillings of narrow blonde finish the inner front. The ribbons are lilac, and white striped gauze ribbon. A rouleau of silks is put round the front; wound with narrow lilac ribbon to match the trimmings. The dress is French green satin, vert de cour. A double cape trimmed with narrow green fringe, cut in a point on each shoulder, falls half down the full sleeves.The bracelet and belt buckles are of silver worked in fillagree. The skirt of the dress is finished at the knees by a narrow fringe, put on a little waved. The boots and gloves are a pale fawn colour. __

For the Lady's Book.

THE LEPER'S CONFESSION.

BY R. PENN SMITH.

And the Leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. Leviticus.

THE Curse of heaven is on me.* It has pursued me from my birth, and will adhere to me until this body is mingled with its primitive dust. I brought it into the world with me, and there is no human skill can tear it off. It has turned the whole human race against me. My father fled when he first beheld me, and my mother, even while her heart yearned to press me to her breast, snatched her nipple from my boneless gums, and put me aside with horror. The natural channels leading to the heart, have been closed up against me. I have been shut out from communion with mankind. My affections have been crushed, and weeds have sprung up from the soil where flowers would have blossomed. All have fled before me as from a living pestilence, and in my turn I have fled from all, even as Cain fled, fearing an enemy in all he met.

I was reared alone, as if I partook not of the privileges of my nature in common with the rest of my race. I had been taught to feel that even the air I breathed was upon the sufferance of those who were but mortals like myself. My heart was frozen in the first budding of its affections. My parents were but parents in name, and my brothers and sisters feared to acknowledge the ties of kindred with me. The cup I drank from was marked and no one touched it, and even the house dog was driven from the trencher that held my food; not for my sake but in pity to the dog. The days of my boyhood were passed in solitude, and at night, I have laid myself

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 * Rhotaris, king of the Lombards, published an edict against lepers, by which they were considered dead in law, and enjoined not to come near to sound persons, but to apprize them of their approach, by making a noise with a wooden clapper. So early as the eighth century, St. Othmar, in Germany, and St. Nicholas de Corbie, in France, instituted leprous houses, which had been already numerously established in Italy. King Pepin, in 757, and Charles the Great, 789, issued ordinances, by which the marriages of lepers were dissolved, and their association with the healthy prohibited. In fact, a person afflicted with this disease, was treated as a dead body, funeral obsequies were performed, and masses said, for the benefit of his soul.