The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1866-01-25
From the Congregationalist.
f.aE- A Mofiomaniac.


| fined to one subject-she is extra sensibl
all important One of dress and fashion
She don't regard the subject as of primar
Importance, but lsbors under the hallu
cination that the culture of the mind an
heart should take the precedence. She act
as il decency and comfort actually wer
the main purposes OF dress. and as If, ,thes
ends being accomplished, all were right.
She has lucid interval now and then
to be sure. wherein she deVotes hefsel
with great zeal to her wardrobe. and ha
drasses, &c., made, very much like othe
folks but it is soon over, and she agail
relapses, giving her first care to something
else, and just wearing the new garment
on and on, regardless of the changing fash
ions, till, something, they actually begil
to wear out! 4
| 1t il just so in regard to her children
she is forever attending to their studies, o
| work, or play, while she makes warm flal
| nels, and knits lambs' wool stockings fo
| them; but us to a real stylish rig-out, the,
| never have it. 1t actually gives me th
heart-ache to see them so wronged by thei
own mother, and they such dear, bright
good, pretty children. too.
The fact is, she gives no more time o.
| thought To the momentous matter of dress
than is really necessary.
You would not believe how ol0ivfcus
she is to new fashions.
"Iow do you like waterfalls?" said 1 t.
her last spring. $685..
II like them very much," she replied.
"Do you?' said I, surprised, (which
kind?"
"Oh, every kind" she replied never
saw one did not like"
Why in the world, then. don't you weaI
one?" cried i: you've just the head ant
hair for it, and 1 will show you''-
was cut short by her look of htteE be.
wilderment, and, remembering her mania
realized she didn't even know what wa.
terfalI is, but actually thought WAS talk
ing of-of what shall call them), water
tambles, Niagara, and snch y!
When. as sometimes does happen. thanks
to the dress maker. she gels a real, down.
right fashionable dress, and You go &c
meeting all agoc to soc it, she's about sure
to come slipping in very quietly, in some
plain, decent thing. she's worn at least a
doz'n times before.
"Why. in the name Of common sense
didn't you wear your now silk yestcr-
day ?" asked one Monday.
"Oh, i never thought of it," she replied:
"hut now that you remind me of it, I d-n't
link shall ever wear il to church; IL 5
uncomfortahly long, and is so made as to
require 'nnsfi time and Thought i'm ress.
ing. y church j. II" place TOR finery." f.
"Whatdo you want of the dress, then?''
cried |, quite vexed.
"Oh, TO wear to sCiiic' pl;sces where l
| should he singular withou, something of
the kind" she replied.
"Just rs If you weren't always singular
in your dress" cried I, my patience quite
gone.
She bluSirrd, with tears in her eyes, as
she s:lid, 81 don't want 10 be- singular, but
neat and comfortable, and enough in stvle
not Ia attract attention to myself; but the
fashions change SO often, and time flies so
swiftly on the wings of duty. | supp Sc |
do often gel too far behind tire times in
DRESS"
Poor dear! how did pity her! You
see the very heart OF her mania is, that she
don't care for dress pcr Sc, and SO don t
make il her chief end.
There might be Il gIeam Of reason i'm il. if
she wore old-fashioncd things from neces-
sity; but it's n" such thing. She has pleu-
ty of money ; her husband is rich, and so
devoted he would leave no stone unturned
t. get the moon down for her, if she asked
lin for it. The insanity ofit is that she
m IN and vet does not. dress faShionablv
"FurIhcrmore, it's "a cross" to her that
she is obliged 30 dress as all. One eve
ming she said to me. with sigh, 81 have n
dress maker coming To- morrow; isn't il a
t.ial?.'
Now, (thouEh I wouldn't for the world,
have anybody know it) am pinched for
means; so answered. with All inward
groan, ~ shouldn't think it trial. if I
had all these nice goods to be made up
'Shouldn't your" answered she, in in
nnrent surprise, bu. do. have Just
Been seeking patient by reading the third
chapter of Genesis. and refiectihg that il is
for our sins we have to dress Mt all. am
sure repent Of 'Adams's sim every time
have to get upa new dress" Did YOU
everl!l
One cold snowy s,,bhatff in Dec ,mher
she ,core n hood to church! I thought NV
self prepared for any development, but it
was too mnrh to see her sit there, listening
to every word of the SERMON, just az un-
conscious of her hood. as If the proverb
ladies' headgear. "See if don't give her
shaking up for this" thought I.
So seized upon her, going home, and
whispered in her ear. "What upon earth
possessed you to wear that thing to meet
ing?'
She glanced down, in a dazed way, at
her cloak, dress, over-snoes, then up into
amiss?'' .s ... ......
"That hood!' hissed I.
"Oh yes, forgot had it on said she
with quiet smile; ~ was threatened
with the toothachc, and couldn't go out
without it,
''Then stay Mt nome." growled I; ''you
wouldn't catch me out such day. spoil
ing my new hat and feathers, if wasn't
obliged to be there to sing"
''There is divine law against our for
saking the worshiping assembly," replied
my friend, solemniy; "but is there any
law, human or divine, against wearing a