Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-11-21

fectly bewitching in the Quaker-like
costume. But. then. Hester Gray
wood is such pretty little creature.
she can't help looking lovely in any
thing and she knows it &: so it docs not
require so great courage in her to
dare. Yes, she looked charming. Yet.
on a second glance, there seemed
kind OF baroness about her. as if some
thing were wanting. Was this be-
cause had looked so long on noun
aims of frippery that my eye and
taste had both been corrupted: Ten
I years ago we all wore such plain,
single skirts, and considered ourselves
elegantly dressed: why should they
/ look mean and skinny nov.
I read Louis note 10 Hester. and she
I promised Ia join US at dinner on
Thursday.
Extremes should meet she said.
She staid on a whiic. and we had a
I little talk on dress. and the bondage
/ fashion imposes how the taste OF the
/ community Is corrupted By the over
I loaded. ungracelul style in vogue now.
and on many other things, such as
sensible women do talk about when
I they get together.
One Of the greatest evils of this
absurd over-loadina.' said Hester, Is
that 1T overworks women. We hear a
l great deal about the hardships of the
/ poor shirt-makers in our cities; and
they are TO he pitied. know. But
there are other women to be piied too
! Look. for example. at my neighbor,
Mrs. I. She is fair representative
I of a large class and not an exaggerated
case Her husband is hard working
mechanic who earns good living and
I ought 10 lay up something for wet
day; but he cau't support q wife and
six children in luxury, especially as
four of them are girls. Mrs. I. IS an
I ambitious woman, anG says she will
have her children .decentlv dressed :
that means fashionably dressed. She
can't afford 10 hire her sewing done !;
so in addition TO her house work, she
makes their dresses; and if you have
seen Oracle. the eldest one. YOU can
judge what that implies
shes 4 very stylish looking girl
said.
Yes; and her mother is very proud
of her as is natural. She il just seven
t -~~s. .sau "iisas "vliuvIIuI costumes
she does bloom out in. They arc all
ahoat with pufs and ruilles. quiils and
: frills. till there's scarce an inch OF un-
/ trimmed space about her; and Cara
and Nell go by to school every morn
Ing, each with another set of furbe-
lowed upper skirts and under skirts,
basques and sacks while baby belle
bless her dear little heart lis all
atioat, too, with tiny rufiies on her tiny
skirt
Isn't she q darling:' cried.
Yes, lovely, with her blue eyes, and
apple-blossom checks; hut wouldn't
she be just as pretty in plain white
dress with u bit OF edging round her
neck and sleeves, If it were the fash
ion: And the pretty Gracle-is the
charm in her lovely complexion and
fine expression or in her iurbelows and
fringes|
In her, of course, | said. Children
and young girls are never so pleasing
as when simply dressed
Certainly and our taste is corrupt
ed when we do not see this. But
there's poor Mrs. +. thinks it's abso-
lutelv necessary TO follow the last
fashion plate; so she works like a
slave from morning till night, and her
sewing machine is often going till AZ
ter midnight. No wonder she looks
broken down and has neuralgia and
diseased spine. She has done the
work of two women and it is the hard
est kind of work too Every inch OF
all those interminable yards of hem.
ming and binding. gathering and
fastening passes through her fingers,
TO say nothing of the contriving and
fitting and basting and ripping.
wonder the woman is alive. don't
believe there is Il sewing woman in
this city harder worke@.'
But why don't the daughters help
her z
Those in school haven't anv time
Oracle does all she can. But witt
her calls aud callers. practising and
picknicking. croquetting and coquet-
ting, it would be cruel TO expect her
to do more than make the plaines'
portion of her under Clothes
But its absurd, said for "A me
chanic's wife TO 90 into such extrasa
gances.
Il don't know as a mechanics wifi,
..au he aynactad tn ha more SausihI.
! than other women said Hester dryly
A reform must begin somewhere els,
| fancy
, Il suppose So said with sigh
{ but the whole subject is full of diff
cuIties.'
All of which might be overcome i
, women had spark of independence