Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-12-05


Lou Livermore, was brought In. | am
very FOND Of Lou, as, indeed, al. her
friends ere; though she still remains,
like Holmes aunt
The sole Rngathercd rose
On her ancestral tree,
She lives far up in the country, but oc.
casionally comes to Boston on visit.
Her note was as lollows:
DEAR HEPsEY; Here am in the Hub, at
the West end Of 1t; is that the hubbiest part,
/ wonder? ] am coming over to see
YOU on Thursday. ] meant TO 60 to-day but
/ can't I'm all used up--"clear tuckered
out" as AGnt Polly used to say. "What
has done II ?" Why, my new dress, and
such dress 1t win give you fits to see
how my back is hutched up and pulled out.
Lm regular balloon; a fashionplate; a
anything That Is huge and hideouR--a camel
or dromedSry, for example; only they, poor
things were born with humps on their
backs, anl wasn't. GLOW came ! so de
formed 2' In an evil hour listened to the
voice Of the tclnpter, and put myself into
the haRas Of a city dressmaker.
"she'a very Stylish" quoth the tcmpter.
Little rocked in my ignorance what that
meant and / went to her rooms In sweet,
conhding simplicity, bearing an innocent
looking dress pattern under my arm. | had
posing parsonage, Of whom stood In NOR.
Gal terror; and az length emerged, trans
formed. ! vent in slim ! came out stout ]
went IN erect, | came out humpbacked,
went In plain | come out bedzened; | went
in with forty dollars In my purse; | came
out with j1SJ enough to pay my fare home
on the stregtear-~the collapse having been
transferred from my purse to my person
with incredible celebrity and ease.
IA ktntb Ia. -
all''; yGs and pUa.balls alsoy | wish | had
the courage togo through the world in a
gnred gown without a pinch, or puff or
puckcs @ Is; bat haven I; SO am balloon,
Chat b. some nc0mprehcnsibe machinery is
raised into mountainous ridges. Surmount-
ing thcse ridges, Mt right angles to my body
IF there be body inside this corrugated
globe, Of which am in serious doubt, to say
nothing Of an immortal soul--prolects fan
shaped, ts.ringcd, be.puckered basque,
looking for all tho world like spread tur.
key tai, On top of this projection good
GileG .ryuk could be comfortably seated;
only 10 might fall in! | wonder IL pap
p0Ose gOadl't be inserted somewhere | do
so long 10 JlGud the useful with the orna.
mental
Now, E9psihah, you are sensible married
woman, competent to give good advice, and
I ask yoa, wnst am ] to doY Go round the
whole thing great smash, | should be
glad 10 preserve modicum OF self.respect,
but how car inside of balloon?
| shall appear in full spread on Thursday
to spenG the day. ! can't sit down; but |
shOaid Ike the loan of bed-post and cord,
! might 50 up, you know. Till then, in
every nbor Of my stiifening, Yours truly,
The GREAg ESrANpED.
Sal laughing over this, when in walk.
Cd Hester Graywood, another old friend.
After tEe first salutation, she slowly
twiricl herself round and sank into a
chair, esF aiming:
''Beno.d the woman who daresr
Ant ] saw; she, too, had on a new
dress il was OF sIlvery gray silk, made
with one skirt, without particle of trim
ming on !, and sacque just bound with
a bias iolQ or the same, Yes, she had
dared, ]. WAS really refreshing sight,
and She looked perfectly bewitching in
tEe Qu-kUr-l.ke costume. But, then, Hes.
ter GrGywood is such a pretty little crea.
ture, she can't help looking lovely in any,
thing, and she knows it, so it don't require
so creat courage in her to dare. Yes, she
looked charming, Yet, on second
glance, tEctg seemed kind of baroness
Z.
Was this because had looked so long on
mountains of frippery that my eye and
taste baG both become corruptedy Ten
years ago We all wore such plain, single
skirts and considered ourselves elegantly
dressed, why should they look mean and
skinny uow?
| read Louis note to Hester and she
promised % Join us at dinner on Thurs
day.
"E@tremes should meet " she said
she ~t4ld On u while, and we had lit
tie talk on dress and the bondage fashion
imposes gr how the taste of the commu.
atty is corrupted by the overloaded I'M
graceful styles in vogue now, and on
many Other things, such NJ sensible wo-
mcn DO t4..% about when they get togeth.
or.
zone Of the greatest evils of this ab.
surd overlooking, said Hester, us that
1t so fCGrtulY ovorworls women. We
hear q E-oa. deal about the hardshps of
the poo. shirtmakers in our cities; and
alcy are 80 Be pitied know. But there
are other women TO he pitied, too. Look,
Tor example, st my neighbor, Mrs T.
SHE is 8 lar representative of large
class, anu not m exaggerated case. Her
husband Is a Woodworking mechanic,
who earns good living, and ought to lay
up something for a wet day; but he can't
support we and six children in luxury,
especially IS tour of them are girls. Mrs
T, is 81 ambitious woman, and SAYS She
viii have l.e- children 'deCently dressed
that means iashionahly dressed. She
can't HEug. ~ hire her sewing done; so.
a. 4. ~ oil hnr l.,,,, 4. =.
makes ,Lv.- dresses; and if YOU have
'een G1.~.c, the eldest one, you can
ttagc wla, .hat implics"
Sne's very stylish looking girl
sud,
yves, ..rl her mother is very proud of
her, ~s a natural She is iust seventeen;
.nd what wonderful costumes she does
bloom III a, They are all alloat with
pulls eID RIFLES, quilts and frills, till
there's ,,arge IN inch OF untrim,ued
spa aa5-. Aer, and Clara and Nellie 20
~ TO '.Lou. very morning, each with au.
other 30 o1 tlrbclowed upper skirts and
under 50 rs, 6asqucs and sacks; vlila
aahv Ee e--b,e,s her dear little henrt-is
.u a3oa' no, with tiny III Mes on her
..ay sF..t,
isut she 6 darling" cried.
rs, uv-.v. with her blue ewes arl
agp'ta-5sl.a checks; but wouldn't She
ua iGss lis 'ty in plain white dress
with 10 edgtng round the neck and
sleeves . were the fashion? And the
pretty GA -e--,s the charm in her, her
1ya.y c.r ZION and fine expression, or
~ her -4 5g.9H and fringcsy'
Ia hHr, coarse" Said Children
a. j 5 l- .r.s are never SO pleasing as
we s.mU j. dressed
'Ce..a.-. =; and our taste is corrupted
w.eG va .J not see this. But there's