Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-11-19
reform mutt begin somewhere else,

reform mutt begin somewhere else, |
fancy"
Il supp.ssso," l said With a sigh
"but the whole subject is full OF
diGicultss."
"All oi which might be overcome il
women had . spark OF independence.
Here is = tangible evil Tor them to grsppls
With, nov they have waked up 10 .
sense of their strength and capabilities.
Yea. they may IS well begin reform
here, rs OF the nation At The ballot box.
| said, laughing. but how TO do il is
the question. Is there any standard by
which dress can be judged and regulit.
sd?"
Not now," said Hester; but | be-
lieve the principles Of art. true art might
be applied 10 dress s TO other things;
but there is an essential, intrinsic beauty
or uglinsss in orr garments, entirely ire
spsctiys OF fashion; in other words, that
it is one thing to bs well dressed and an
other TO be lashiossbly dressed"
Yes" said "but whst is it TO be
well dressed ?"
II can tell you what 1t isn't" said
Hester. "lt isn'l TO wear huge pro
tuberance on your head or on your back,
which if you had been born with it.
would have been considered = shocking
dsformily. 1t Iat 10 conceal Gil ne lines
OF the human Ggure. or TO make 1t one
mountain of trimming. when trimming
should always bs subservient. adding
grace, and defining out lines. And then,
too. il must bs something permanent. 1t
can't 10 The changing thing fashionable
dressing 10. Art ~ouldnt malss balloon
OF US this month, and = scsn,ily drsped
statue the next; she wouldnt tilt us up
on heels that agonize our toss, and pitch
US down stair. to-day, and to morrow set
US on the ground like so many GS,-footsd
lndi.us
That would 10 comfort" ! Hld. If
VIXEN dress MAS made, il would stay
made. and look well till j! was worn
out. ii would lessen halt our laboS.n
We'll. Hspsy, believe the good time
is coming the time when re Shall have
higher civilization. aud break the chsi ;
fashion letters US with now. Then We
,hall distinguish between true dss,ty
aud ds.ormily, and our miIliUsrs sud
dre>s-masers will be ar.tSt>S, aad uot
, m09.Sicy; aud instead OF Topping and
stretching Us all on one iron-bed they
viii study adaptation 10 age, complexion
and character, till we come out vi their
hands individual, ss well as comfortable
and attractive. When we think OF it,
isn't it strange how il ever came about
that We lei ourselves all be worried into
syacll,yh he same shaped garments, no
matter how diflsront We are in size and
igurs'"
Very strange and absuld." | said {;
and Hester went away.
Exactly al one o'clock on Thursday
the Grca, Expanded arrived. She was
good deal pulled out truly. and made all
| manner OF iun OF herself. When Hester
GIaywood came in wearing her um-
trimmed gray silk, she made low
/ obeisancs.
II do the homage. thou most heroic OF
womankind :" she cried II cast myself
in The dust at thy feet, envy, | adore
| thee. thou woman who dsrest!"
Finally we 60! little quietsd; though
naturally enough. our thoughts stlll ran
on dress.
II am Disguised with myself" said
Lou; II really am. don't want to be
fashionable; | couldnt afford it il did
but my tastes are oil plain ane simple. |
consider such AZ overloaded, pulled out
concern as this not orly ridiculous, but
vulgar; yet here / au wearing il; and /
lose my elfrsspect in consequences. But
how can | help myself' How in The
world didyou msnsge, Hester, to get =
sensible dress msdes"
Just by my horribly obstinate tenn
per-" said Hester, laughing. First l
had pitched battle with Mrs. Cuttit, and
came of victorious; then ran the gaunt-
let OF her twenty sewing girls, who
opened all their forty eyes in holy horror
at tn. trying on"
II should us soon think oil fighting
Hercules" said Lou. There's no place
where sm 40 thoroughly cowSd as in
dressmskers' rooms. don't dare TO
peep or mutter."
Yes, snisble people like you rather
submit than make fuss
but thsy ought 10 make a fuss, said
Lou; "itt sheer corardics in NV cAss,
not smisbiIity Every lsdy's dress should
be an expression of her own individual
taste and character; but look st us! We
are sll turned out just alike, like So many
ninepins.'
well what is to be done about i'll" |
asked.
why not form an auti.fashion society,"
said Hester. and get all sensible women
to pledge themselves 10 dress according
10 their own ideas OF proprietJ, without
regard to fashion Union is strength
aud organized effort the order of the
day"
"Capitalw cried Lou: "we'll draft and
sion q danlarnfinn of indenandance and