The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1873-02-19

said Hester, laughing. "First had a pitch
ed battle with Mrs. Outfit, and came off vic
torious; then ran the gauntlet of her twenty
sewing-girls, who opened all their forty eyes
in holy horror at the trying on. =
II should as soon think of fighting Her.
cules,' said Lou. There's no place where
am so thoroughly cowed as in dress-makers'
rooms. don't dare to peep or mutter.'
Yes; amiable people like you rather sub
nit than make fuss"
"But they ought to make a fuss, snid Lou !;
it's sheer cowardice in my case, not amia-
preston of her own individual taste and char
acter; but look at us we are all turned out
just alike, like SO many ninepins.'
"Well, what is to be done about ite"
asked.
"Why not form an anti-fashion society,""
said Hester, "and get all sensible women to
pledge themselves to dress according to their
own ideas of propriety, without regard to
fashion? Union is strength, and organized
effort the order of the day."
"Capital!" said Lou; "we'll draft and
sign declaration of independence and you,
Hester, shall put down your name with a
great dash, John Hancock-like."
"Fll make out list of grievances" said l..
Easy enough to do that, said Lou "worn-
out mothers, bankrupt fathers neglected ba-
bies, disguised husbands.
Hold there I" | cried. Husbands are
as fond of dress as wives, SO far as my expert
ence goes"
"Why do they keep mp such an everlasting
fault-finding with our extravaganza then?"
Well, my dear, men are not always severely
consistent they are eloquent on that theme,
know but put plainly dressed girl on one
side of man. and a tluttering piece of mil
linery ON the other and ten to ono he will be
enchanted with the latter. John Seymour is
not the only victim of pink and white ty-
ranny.'"
"Then men are in a measure responsible
for the evil said Hester.
$50 | tell Tom," said "Let every man
who approves of simplicity and economy, de-
vote himself to the plainest-dressed girl in the
room, turning a cold shoulder to those who
wear diamonds and such like sinful things
and he will do more to effect reformation
than by years of preaching. Girls like to
please nice young men, and no harm done
either just as the young men like to please
nice young girls The influence is mutual
and wholesome. Let young men frown on
extravagantly- young women, and
young women scorn all dissipated, fast young
men, and a vital change in manners and morals
would soon follow
AT this point in our discussion heard Toms
step in the hall and with him came Prof
Downing an old friend of his, whom he had
asked to dine with us. The professor is a
fine-lookng man, besides being learned, agree
able and a bachelor Now, Tom and | never
make matches but, having had such good
time together ourselves, we do sometimes
wish certain of our friends would take fancy
to each other and the night before we had
spoken of the professor and Hester saying
how nice it was he should happen to be in the
city just then to meet her
Moreover, knowing his refined, almost Sc
we're taste, and his dislike of all display had
all the morning inwardly chucklcd over Hes
icI uHtiiihhico uicoo IL WAS 81 eAdctiy bHc
thing to suit his fastidious taste. How lucky
it was she wore it!
The dinner passed off delightfully."-. Tom
in his most hospitable mood Lou and Hester
brilliant the professor genial and the soups,
salmon and roast lamb all being done to a
turn, the hostess serene. The learned profess
sor and the pretty Hester could not have come
together under more suspicious influences ;
and Tom and had great complacency in our
little plan.
A few days after, Tom told me he had been
drawing the professor out little on our
guests.
"And what did he say Of IIester?" asked
eagerly.
"lIe said this Miss Graywood is certainly
quite pretty but what pity it is she doesn't
dress better! Your friend Miss Lvcrmore,
sets her good example there"
"Thc horrid man and he pretending to
have classic tastes !" | cried. And Twill you
believe it p Tom and are now both quite
sure that the professor who detests fashion
and frippery, who admires only "chaste de-
signs" and .classc outlines is actually in
love with Lou. And the balloon did it Yes,
the balloon did it
Oh, the consistency of men - Old and Neto
DANIEL WEBsTERs ADvIcE.--Other young
people may find the advice of Daniel Webster