Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-10
WHAT SHE THINKS OF Inv.

one says. nave JuoJ COnt III lIOnl
the street, and lam exasperated, furious,
savage, in short II am in passion, and
if could have my way
n "But what is it all about2 "tyou ask.
i Well, just look at the bottom Of my
dress skirt. Does it look as if it be-
longed to decent woman, or to tramp
All draggled and splashed, and dripping
over my nice kid boots Can you fancy
anything more abominable2 All the
morning I've been in Q simmer about it,
for I've been in the lower part of the
town, where there are black pools of the
nastiest dirt at all the crossings, and
where the middle of Broadway looks
like a miniature Lethe. II isn't mud
this horrible mixture that clings to me; ;
that won't brush off my shoes, and that
attaches itself so pertinaciously to the
fabric of my dress that it is well nigh
ingrained in it. No, this is paste com
posed of the filthiest filth of the city;
and l have appreciated the fact every
time 1 have stopped at a crossing this
morning to gather up my drapery bung-
lingly with one hand, the other being de-
voted to my muff aud bundle, and felt
that / was not half doing it, and knew,
as / waded out into the slush that my
skirt was sopping up all these abomina-
tions, and carrying them to my clean
white stockings. Then | thought some
hitter things, / can tell you
q Ny street dress is not demi-train. am
not quite SO much of an idot as that
amounts to. II is made Just as short as
the present style will allow. But it is
altogether too long for the street, for it
Just touches the dirt, whereas it ought to
clear it entirely. Then l shouldn't be
bothered with thinking of my dress on
the street. This comparative felicity
Fashion granted to every woman about
a year ago; but it has been her will to
withdraw it,from her humble slaves, and
now if, in defiance of custom, / should
have my dress made as short as | wore
it three years ago, should probably
subject myself to unpleasant misappre-
tensions in public. have to choose be-
tween that and comfort and cleanliness.
And this is why | am SO angry. Why
will the women be so foolish, j should
Ike to know, as to let their dress
makers, instead of their own common
sense, decide in such matters2 You say
Fam one of them, and that | ought to
set the example-as if it would do the
least good / might go about with my
dress Shortened to my ankles, to my
heart content, and get laughed at and
stared at and jeered at and perhaps
worse treated for my pains; but as long
as .so.called French dressmakers and
women Of wealth shall decide that
dresses must sop up all the nRstlnesS of
New York streets, / should have no fol-
lowers. And If. have to elect between
a soiled dress and being allowed to 60
quietly, without notice, on my way
through the streets, | shall choose the
former. But / don't like it, all the
same. want to know if there is any
woman who does-especially those who
have to clean their own dress skirts ?
On. how many times have ], over this
nasty work, vowed ] would never again
90 on the street with my dress touching
the pavement And then how l grew
the very next time | went out,
and stealing into corner stealthily
t1ok out the pins which held it out of
t6eEirt hoping that | should find clean
spots to walk in, only to be deceived as
usual.
And Just so long as | have to endure
this mortifcation of spirit, it is useless
to talk to me about giving women any
more privileges or any more rights.
They already have the right TO dress
in decent. not oVer-costy,
made in a sensible manner.
Do they do III Q Let me see them making
a proper use of what rights they already
have before you talk Of giving them any
morel '-l 'At
And l never will believe they are ht
to have anything to do with business or
politics as long as they havn't sense
enough to lift theiF skirts out OF the dust
and the mud. I should Ike to see a
man submitting to that sort OF thing
The idea of sweeping into Wall street
on a muddy morning in train quarter
of a yard long Therel That will do;
/ am too angry to say any more, and
must 20 and clean the mud from the
bottom Of my dress. Ugh banH
An after thOHght-Whieh comes TO
her while she is grumbling and brushing
with all her might and holding her head
on one side--with her nose very much
turned up-to avoid the cloud Of dust
which arises from the 1esecrated gar
ment. .l ,.,....... ,.......-if.sf,
1t is the height Of stupidity to have
any dress which is intended to be worn