The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-07-31
[FoR THE "MoUNTAIN SENTINEL"
s.BIoOmer or No Bioonner.,,

This is the great engrossing topic of the
day-and the name of the lovely 'Innovator'
bids fair to become immortalized among the
mighty 'sProgressionists" of this, the golden
age of great discoveries. Such, dear Editor,
is Fame. One wins it with the pen or the
sword-another enables lovers thousand
miles apart to whisper their ''sweet nonsense"
by ightning-another again gives to the world
a new light and draws it from drop of water
and now a woman is to be made immortal
for daring to wear her petticoats eighteen in
ches shorter than anybody else!
We do not deny that this is an age of pro-
gress; but has not every age its follies? Dress
I is not q subject of slight importance. 1t will
ever be one Of the great criterions in the 'eye
of the world by which stranger is judged.
Nations have their established costumes-and it
becomes their distinctive mark so soon as they
are beyond the limits of their own country
The wealthy and the poor-the aristocrat and
the civilian are everywhere to be distinguished
from each other. Mrs. Bloomer proposes a
complete and sudden Transformation of the
present dress worn by ladies. 1t is no longer
a change of style, but we might almost say of
principle. 1t is undeniably ''pretty" for Ha-
rem-girl ballet dancer; but no less insult
able for enlightened woman, however be-
coming on the fiftieth wife of Grand Turk.
"Laying aside mere beauty" say the Bloom
erits, ''the promotion of health and comfort are
the chief advantages of the new dress" The
evils of any custom arise from its abuse. We
are not that the women of countries
where the long dress is worn are less robust
and healthy than those of any other. That a
few silly girls who move in the circles of fash
ion should impair their health by wearing an
immoderate quantity of clothing is not an argu-
ment properly applicable to the whole sex. The
true sphere of woman in life does not require
those peculiarities in dress that are indispensi-
BILE to a man. But hear the opinion of a lady
on the subject who has tried the costume, but
finds in it nc. Improvement; she says sswe lately
resolved to give it another trial; made one of a
prettier material calculated for summer wear,
and wore it for several days, at home and visit
ing amongst the neighbors and now we give
! it up, convinced it is a mistake. If the trou-
sers are loose at the ankle, they go flip flap; il
gathered to a band and falling over in puff,
they go slip slap, as one walks. If there is a
rufte to faH down tho top ef the foot, IL gets
in the mud, and is as ugly as the longest skirt.
If it is drawn up to be convenient, as much OF
the foot and ankle is exposed as need be in a
skirt short enough for all convenience and long
enough without trousers. Then, the trousers,
all of them give general appearance of de-
formity-of dropsical legs. Next, with skirt
that falls six inches below the knee one cannot
have the upper part of the trousers made like
the drawers worn by women and children.
They must be like mems pantaloons, or at least
those worn by boys of three or four years The
undergarments must be worn inside of these,
and they supported by straps over the shoul-
ders, or body to which they are fastened by
half dozen buttons, round the waistband
'Where the convenience of such a dress
would be, is difficult to imagine; and as for it's
healthfulness, there is not one in five hundred,
if it were generally worn, who would use either
straps or body to support the trousers, but
would make notches in their sides and hang
them upon the hip bones, just as they now do
the skirts, and as men lately did their panta-
looms, until the Surgeon at West Point had to
protest against the fashion as a fruitful cause
Of disease amongst the cadets, Trousers worn