Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-11-23
Fact, Folly and Fashion.
STYLE.

We no longer hear OF ''geDteei PEG
pie. Once, t. be considered such, vas
TO fashion asprants what 10 be pronouhc
ed "sty fish" now is-tbe acme Of their
hopes. But "gentiity" no longer bars
the doors of arlstocIatic mansions against
those who cannot claim it as a preroga>
tive. In its place stands sentinel as
much grimmer, IA vulgar afFrctation is
more formidable than simple good breed
ing; that sentinel is "stye." GeBtiIity
was The birthright of its possessors; they
inherited it. as they did their fortunes and
their names; wore it as born king
wears his royalty, and believed in their
exclusive and divine right to it. They
carried themselves graciously, and With
q kind of whole souled concescension to
ward those, whom they honestly SUP
posed God had created for the sole pur-
pose of filling a sphere of infsriorlty -
And after all there is nothing worthy of
admiration 10 that innate royalty which
is kiugly without assumption, simply be
cause it can't help being so; which as
ser,s itself without superciliousness and
is felt and acknowledged TO be right.
Geutilty is grand old VOID, but It's
usurper. "style" has not even dictionary
sanction to its pretentions to the sigbific
auce in which it is now most commonly
used. 1t is of the same palentage as
"shoddy," and the advent Of the latter,
necessitated that Of the former TO give it
companionship and support. Style is.
rs vulgar parlance expresses it, put on"
gsntihty Is inherent The stylish woman
is pronounced magnificent" and if she
is tall, "majestic." Women ape. and
mtn run crazy about her. But take her
! to pieces once; subject her to an analyti
cal process and, ten to one, you will learn
that it is her clothes and jewels that are
"magnifcent." Divested Of these, sharp
elbows. scrawny necks and sallow com
pIexions become naked facts Then YOU
will stand in the presence Of Niagara aud
Mont Blanc, 10 silent modification, that
you once bestowed the only adjectives
worthy of Natures masterpieces, upon
a trail, hustle, chignon aud pair of
high heeled boots. Twin spirit to the
stylish woman, is the stylish man. With
what unimpeachable prettiness, this
handiwork of the tailor, the barber and
the boot-black, lifts his left hand, on
which CLEANS a ring, something smaller
than dinner plate. and removes the Gig
ar from his mouth. Eefore meeting lady,
whose garments tell him that she is one
of "our setr' Passing on, he insolently
blows volume of smoke full into the
face of one, upon whom he considers the
civiiily of hi. mighty littleness would be
lost. And here, he doubtless judges
rightly. But he solves an important
problem for her. Watching him, she is
fully convinced of the truth of the "Dar
winian Theory" She sees the s'connect
ing link" between man and that ancestor
he fain would repudate, and is no longer
skeptieal concerning the origin of the
race.
ETIQUETTE.
In the fashion world, there is nothing,
perhaps, more impcrious in its demands
and more narrowing in its influence than
etiquette. Comfort, good taste, good
sense and truth aud relcntlessly sacrificed
TO meet its demands. In feudaI times,
when 1t was dlsgraccful for lord to know
how to read aud write, one can under
stand how grave court;eis and stately Ia
dies of honor could wraogls for days to
gether over some puuctiiio of precedence;
and even latter, when We read of tue
Ia lies at the Court of Napoleon. d,votng
their leisure hours to practicing
pirouette, that the rules Of the Royai
household demanded should be executed
in a certain manner, we are not so much
astonished; but in this age and country,
where we are so fond of lsuding our in
tellectual superiority; where it is said
that precedence is established by merit,
AMI where no individual is compelled to
make flop of himself. for the entertain
men. of a sovereign, it is somewhat mar
vellous that we are willing to perform
such self imposed penalties.
Etiquette requires girlhood and boy
| hood to be spent III posturiDg, bowling
and smiling under the tuition of some
| French Madam or Monsieur, that the
man or woman may be fitted for society.
Spontaniety of expression, of gesture and
of thought even. IS high treason against
etiquette. 1t has laid ban upon natur
alness, requiring every emotion to be re-
pressed or expressed to order. Etiquette
lays its edict upon our social life, and
adolescent and gray beard bow acquies
anceI spend the early evening in waiting
for the hour prescribed, and begin the
work of society at an hour when respect
able people ought to be in bed. Eli
quette says that several gentlemen oc
cupying seal in church, shall, when
belated lady enters; raise, march into the
aisle, right about face, and march back
again, after she is seated. An annoying
punctuation, mark this, for the pastor |!
and if uud,r its infection he should soft
Iy think; what Mrs. Stanton said she
wanted to say on certain occasions, we
are inclined to think the recording angel
would blot it from his book with char
liable tear. Etiquette says we shall bow
| a. lat ehan