Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-01-12

! AMERICAN SHRIEKERs IN ENGLAND Last
] year, Miss Frances Power Cobbe and other Eng
/ lish ladies made viz gorOus effort to form club
for both sexes; but their effort ended with es-
tsblishing woman's club. The American Ia
dies will, probably, succeed no better. if so we'll
To tell the truth, there is, fear, certain mis-
giving in the best English society when an Amer
icsn lady is encountered, and sensible relief if
she turns out TO be ike other ladies'. Several
prominent American women have appeared here
from time to time, who have agitsted for reforms
among their seq with more bravery than tact,
snd have been regarded ss-if they have not
claimed to be-represen;stives of their sex in
the United States. One Of these reformers,
female physician well known in connection with
the "dress movement" appeared here some
two yesrs ago at 8 party given to her in COS
tune which she called the American dress"
the main features Of which we're thSt the skirt
res ched little below the knees, below which
were common trousers, ynd the body had stiff
and manly sspect. During the party the Amer
can lady in question took up her position in the
middle Of the floor and began to harsngue the
ladies on their sins Of costume So long as she
stuck to the generalities the proceeding seemed
hSrmless enough, whatever might be said Of its
taste. But the indignant reformer fixed upon
refined snd excellent young girl Of about Is who
had the misfortune TO be present, and who was
dressed in the ordinary low-boliei costume
which all English ladies wear at evening COM
pluies. This young lady's dress was not in the
least extrsyagant, aud there wss no one in the
room Of more modest appearance The Ameri-
can medical woman pointed to her with her 10
ger, ezclsimiug, 50 Gentlemen and lsdies, look
st that girls dress Is It deceut? Is il right
for women to expose themselves in that vsy2"
The poor girl Slmost tainted The lady Of the
house did her beat to stop the haraugue; every
eye in the room flashed indignation upon the
speaker; but on she went, with the manner Of $
stump-fpeaker, and was stepped only by the
breaking up OF the company. What comments
have been made in circles where this strictly
true AID unaiornei incident hAs been rela.ej, I
need not ssy. But now there is a report that
smother medical lady from Americs-more emi-
nent than the clothes-Womsa in her profession
IS occupying the intervals O.. her practice n
azitsting Tor similar Grass-rcform. Shocked
Al the fashion which European ladies' have IL
heritel from grest-grsudmothers. who hsi not
detected fully the creative hand Of Satan in the
human form. this American lady has started an
" Low-Neck-Atsocistion, the members of
which are TO pledge themselves never TO reveal
square inch Of cuisneous tissue below The ccryi-
cal junction with the superior th3rax, and to
refrain from going 10 court until her usiesty
rcscnis the rigorous rule which excludes high
bodied dresses on state occasions. How many
have enrolled themselves in this unique sooety
cannot sag. Nor need report the obvious ex-
ul9uailus which one hears frequently given q
the reasons Why American ladies are hostile 20
European fashions in this particular. They are
such s. explained Of oli the high-bolied cos
tune Of Margaret of burgundy, : comparison
Of certain American lsdy % whom .et % the
famous duel in which the son OF > confederate
iiplomatist figured few years ago. When the
alleged senderness Of American ladies il not
given in expl.nston, the Alternative is the Oh
one started by Mrs Trollope's narratives Of how
ladies in Americs tainted q, the mention Of
tables legs. aal the engagements Of other trsv-
elers who tell Of stsiurs purchased in Rome, 70
be carefully dressed in elk 10 '' the states. The
American iress--eformeresses will not alter Eu-
r1paa fashions q the particulars mentioned,
unless they can convert al the artists inf5 des-
cons hut they may succeed in giving theis
c0uutry-E0men : reputation f1r something w1rse
than meagerness Of form-namely, for that siai
OF pruiishness which Identifies artistic blAu-y
with pruutuce, and would recognize impurity
iu Ege herself until she became ashamed Of her
self sui c.csthei herself with innocence. IN ;he
shsre Of ruch dry goods as she could procure.
M ~. Corr1u i4 Cirri441ii CouHrr-