The Kanzas news., 1858-09-04
Hoops and Things.

HOOPS ana TnlngSs
We confess to having had our share of
| fun at the skirt-expanders with which our
women set themselves out. Not that We
dislike hoops or criuoline, but anything is
legitimate material for satire, out of which
good-natured laugh can be extorted, in
this hard and ofer-serious world. The wo-
men have enjoyed the fun as well IS the rest
of us, and SO no harm is done. That ex-
aggerated amplitude of skirt in which some
of our ladies indulge, who don't know when
they have got enough of good thing. is
really ludicrous, and IS proper theme for
ridicule. These oyer-infiated balloons re-
mind us of the picture of the seIE-infisted
frog in the fable, and We always feel an in
voluntary apprehension that they may burst
and break things.
But we go for the expanded skirt, within
moderate and modest limits, provided the
cone be gracefully shaped and the frame
work does not show through, like the pain
full ribs of starved horse. 1t was at first
supposed that crinoline would be one of the
short-lived fashions, only surviving for a
few brief months the exigency in the pri-
vate life of the Empress Eugene of France
TO which it owes its introduction. But it
seems likely to become one of the perma-
nent fashions, and it has advantages which
recommend it very strongly, both for COM
fort and grace. The multitude of heavy
skirts which it has displaced were positive
discomfort to the women, and not only so
they were a source of physical pain aud
weakness. The suspension of such weight
about the loins could not be otherwise than:
injurious, and the physicians testify that
many cases of debility and suffering IN their
female patients have been removed By the
substitution of the elastic skirt for the mass
of heavy pettieoats. As to their compsrae
tive comfort there can be no doubt, and the
women are unanimous in their testimony on
that point.
The experience of lady is given in Go
oline for few weeks was entirely free from
back ache and the other uncomfortable feel
ings which she endured while wearing nu-
merous and quilted petticoats, and could be
about the house on her feet all day. and suffer
less from tiredness, than she had previously
done by the middle of the forenoon. She
said that she had the curiosity upon one
occasion, to weigh the set of skirts former
ly worn, and those recently adopted, and
that the former weighed somewhat over four
times as much as the latter. This differ
ence in the weight, with the greater freedom
of motion, and exemption from an oppres-
sive heat about the lions, might be sufficient
of themselves to convince any one, that
those suffering in the way referred to must
experience relief from the adoption of hoop
ed or light skirts. A physician in the same
magazine says he has had quite number of
cases of the same sort. In a sanitary point
of view, therefore, the success of the ex-
panded skirt may be considered as well es-
tablished.
There is room for improvement in the
material and construction of the skirts
Crinoline is the best article, but it is very
expensive. The hard, stiff hoops are aWk-
ward, and In many cases inconvenient.-
Some ingenious mantua maker should set
her wits to work to invent something that
shall be perfectly elastic, yet light and less
rigid than anything now worn, something
that viii allow lady to sit down comforts-
bly, in the seat of railroad car, or other
narrow quarters, without positive inconve-
nience or discomfort. IF instead of series
of hoops, the elastic substance could be sub
divided and woven into the whole fabric, so
as to produce an equal expansion, yet yield.
ing readily to the slightest pressure, it would
be just the thing. If We were in the Yui-
canized rubber business, We think we could
get up the article, and so secure the ever
lasting gratitude of the better part of crea-
ton. But, unluekily, that is not our mis-
sion, and the ladies must accept our good
win in place of more practical service.
On the whole, we believe in the expanded
skirt, the lighter the better, and if it could
be in some way hung upon the shoulders
instead Of about the waist, better still. If
we were an inventor, We would devote our
genius to the perfection of the hooped pet
ticoat; if we were poet, its praise should
be one of our fayorite themes; If We were .
woman we would wear the ightest and most
graceful expander we could find, and never
more eovet the wearing of those awkward
and uncomfortable leg coverings In which
men are imprisoned-( this especially for
married women but being disinterested
observer and outsider, so to speak, in respect
to crinoline and other feminine comforts,
We can only say We like il and would stick
to it if We were woman, even If tbs En-
press Eugene and Queen Yictoris should
both drop il of in sudden freak Of FASH
ion. as pretty likely .hey win, and run about
again with the calico tapping about their
ankles, like bunting about Gag staff in
calm. Fashion or no fashion, stick to the
crinoline. We say.-Spriagfeid RepaHioaa.
A New Type-settsng Machine.
Mr.. Greeley a uooti iudoa from his prac.