The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-08-15
Cause Of RetOTt from the Ladies.


The odiouS man of the Courier seems
to relish nothing better than a "crusade
against fitting hoops" which cause, he
asserts, has been strangely mistaken.
Commenting on feminine plea for their
grace and utility, he remarks: 1T is not
because ladies show their legs, for it is
habitually done by the women of many
nations, and is not necessarily indicate.
But the fitting hoop makes a pretense Of
covering the legs, as though one should
say, 1 am showing you what I ought
not to- If the ladies will wear short
dresses, instead oflong ones looped up
and held out, sensible men will find no
fault Weave glad to learn Eastern Ia
dies wear pantalcts; our ladies might
very properly adopt the habit" Now,
ladies, isn't this a pretty tyrade against
US? And, as our sex prevents US from
taking tangible satisfaction by giving him
pummeIing, let US seize and hold him
by every available button hole, and pour
into his ears such volley of anathcmas
as he never before heard, and give him
the benefit of that 'organ" of speech
which has been proclaimed we possess to
an unlimited degree; let US give one
unanimous shout ofindignation; confuse,
dcaten, madden him with the mcllifluous
cpithets, ''brute," ''monster," "fend
incarnate!" How dare you insinuate
that the ladies of this city wearn no panta-
lets? How could you, sir, thus boldly
accuse US Of such an unheard of lndeli
cacy? Shameful, ridiculous; It's mon
strous libel, an Infamous miSreprcsenta-
ton, an objectionable non.appreciation
of our be-ruf1ed, be.futed under-gear
1t is false and base, and we wont bear it
tamely-that We won't; and, You don't
take it back, you will not soon again have
the pleasure Of acknoW ledging beauti-
ful boquet from lady friend. We pre-
fer to send our flowers whence come our
compliments. Your style Of returning
compliments don't seem to prevail among
intelligent people.
We advise you the next windy day, to
rub up your specs, sit down fair and
square at the window Of your sanctum,
(wherc YOU are sure to be seen on windy
days. and do not pretend to ''ignore the
fact" Of the existence ofsome ofthe finest
handiwork in the way Of "frillS and cdg-
ingS," Any one but an obdurate, cap
tiouS editor, Of your species, would pro-
nouncc them faultesS and then, sensible
men never find fault with a wel-dressed
lady At all, and do not consider a subject
to call firth ugly criticisms. We will
not wear short dresses until it is decreed
hy'faShion or custom to do so. You
would be the first to open a battery Of
censurc on our APPEARANCE in the streets
in that style, and "bloomcr costume is
not generally in favor. We will persist
IN wearing our dress long in the drawing
room, for its gracefulness, and looped Up
in the street, for its ncatness and conve-
nience, which latter style we think a
great improvement on all the 'sweeping-
the-strect system" which prevailed for
merly, and created ridicule> and rebuFc
to an alarming extent. And as for the
"tilters," they are quote indispensable,
and we Will have our skirts held out by
them for all the "likes O you"
fit shocks your sense Of propriety to
see our "pretty CATERS" and elsie thread
hose" don't look higher so pertinacious-
", to let our optics deceive you and ac-
cuSc US so outrageousIy. Pull down
your blue shades and be sure You don't
keep out when high winds prevail. We
did not dress our pedal cXtrernities with
immaculate hose and high-heeled boots
for your dull eyes to sQuint at, nor Tor
the crowd Of loafers who stare US out OF
countcnance and "out Of gait" at the
street corners. We dress to look neatly
and feel comfortably, with regard to
prevailing modes, as every lady should.
We dress to please, and feel sure We re-
ceivc the Just appreciation Of all well,
bred gentlemen, who make Us feel our ct-
forts are not 'Nabor lost" We have
heard enough about bonnetS, "water-
falls" and "tiltlng hoops" and we think
it high time to put it down; and Mr..
Editor of the Courier will yet live to
learn, as many have before, that an at
tempt to reform dress is futile, and we
would recommend silence to you when
again YOU think of occupying the ques-
tionable position of inspecting and re-
cording what ladies ''don't. wear under
their crinoline," or yon will hear again
from IAN enraged redrcssor of wrongs"