Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-07-16

piled to dress as to other things; that there
is az essential intrinsic beauty OF uglncss
in our garments, entirely irrespective Of
fashion; in other words, thotit is one thing
to be well dressed, aud another to be FASH
ionably dressed"
Yes" | said; "but what is it to be
well dressed ?"
| can tell you what it isn't" said Hes
ter " 1t isn't to wear a huge protuber-
ance on your head or your back which, if
you had boon born with it, would have heon
considered shocking deformity. It isn't
to conceal all the lines Of the human figure,
or to make it one mountain Of trimming,
when trimming should always be subservi.
ent, adding grace, and defining outlines
And then, too, il must be something per.
manent 1t can't be the changing thing
fashionable dressing is. Art wouldn't make
a balloon Of US this month aud scantily-
draped statue the next; she wouldn't tilt
us up on heels that agouize our toes, aud
pitch us down stairs to-day, and tomorrow
set US on the ground like so many hat.foot-
ed Indiana"
That would be a comfort" | said. "If,
when dress was made it would stay made,
and look well till it was worn out, it would
lessen half our labors."
Well, lepsy, believe the good time
is coming,-the time when We shall have
higher civilization, aud break the chains
fashion fetters US with now Then we shall
distinguish between true beauty and de-
formity, and our milliners and dressmakers
will be artisteS and not m0diSteS i; and, in
stead of looping and stretching US all on
one iron bed, they will study adaptation to
age, complexion to character, till we come
out of their hands individual, as well as
comfortable and attractive. When we think
Of it, isn't tstrange how it ever came about
that we let ourselves all be worried into
exactly the same shaped garments, no mat
ter how different we are in size and fgure2'
avery strange and absurd" | said and
Hester went away.
Exactly at one o'clock Thursday the
Great Expanded arrived. She was a good
deal pulled out, truly, and made all manner
of fun Of herself When Hester Graywood
came 10, wearing her untrimmod gray silk, =,
she made a low obeisance.
al do thee homage, then, most heroic Of
womankindl' - she cried Il cast myself in
the dust at thy feet; envy adore thee,
thou woman who darestm
Finally we got little quieted, though
naturally enough our thoughts still ran on
dtess
= am disguised with myself, said Lou.
+" really am. don't want to be fashion
able; | couldn't afford it if did but my
tastes are all plain and simple. consider
such overloaded. raiied out eoDoorn as
this not only ridiculous but vulgar; yet
here am wearing it, and l lose my self
respect in consequence But how could
help mysef2 How in the world did you
manage, Hester, to get sensible dress
made2"
"Just by my horribly obstinate temper,
said Hester laughing. First | had a
pitched battle with Mrs. Cuttit, and came
off victorious; then ran the gauntlet Of
her twenty sewing girls, who opened all
their forty eyes in holy horror at the
trying on"
al should as soon think Of fighting Her
cules,' said Lou There's no place
where | am SO thoroughly cowed as in
dressmakers rooms. | don't dare to peep
or mutter."
"Yes; amiable people like you rather
submit than make fuss"
but they oughtn't to make fuss,
said Lou. It's sheer cowardice in my
place, not amiability. Every lady's dress
should be an expression of her own indi-
vidual taste and character but look at US
We are all turned out just alike, like SC
many nine-pins.'
"Well, what is to be done about it ?n
asked
"Why not form an anti-fashion society,
said Hester, "aud get all sensible womer
to pledge themselves to dress according tC
their own ideas of propriety, without re
gard to fashion? Union is strength anC
organized effort the order of the day
"Capital !" cried Lou we'll draft ant
sign declaration of independence, and you
Hester, shall put down your name with {
great dash, John Hancock like"
"'ll make out the list Of grievances,
said l.
Easy enough to do that" said Lou
" worn-out mothers, bankrupted fathers
neglected babies, disgusted husbands =
7" Hold there" cried. " Husbands are
as fond of dress as wives, SO far as my ex
perence goes"
"Why do they keep up such an ever
lasting fAult-dnding with our extravagance
them"
E "Well, my dear, mes are not Away
severely consistent they are eloquent ol
, that theme, know; but put plainly
, dressed girl on one side Of man and I
futtering piece of millinery on the other
and ten to one he will be enchanted Will
, the latter. John Seymour is not the onl,
victim of pink and white tyranny"
"Then men are in measure responsible
for the evil" said Hester.
E 80 | tell Tom," said. Let ever.
man who approves Of simplicity and econ
. omy devote himself to the plainest-dresse'
, girl in the room, turning a cold shoulder Oh
a those who wear diamonds and such lik
I sinful things and he will do more to etiec
a reformation than by years Of preaching
f Girls like to please nice young men, and n
harm done either, just as young men like t
: please nice young girls. The influence
/ mutual and wholesome. Let young me
frown on extravagantly-dressed young VIC
men, and young women scorn all dissipatec
fast young men, and vital change in mar
], ners and morals would soon follow"
4 AT this point of our discussion | hear
f Toms step in the hall and with him cam
y Prof Downing, an old friend Of his, whoI
Y he had asked to dine with us. The PrC
r fessor is a fine-looking man, besides bein
learned, agreeable, aud bachelor. Nov
n Tom and never make matches; but, hay
IS ing such good time together ourselves "
do sometimes wish certain Of our frienc
d would take fancy to each other; and tt
n night before we had spoken OF the PR
% fessor and Hester, saying how nice it WI
IS he should happen to be in the city ju
d then to meet her
" Moreover, knowing his refined, almo
IN severe taste, and his dislike of all dspa
Q. had all the morning inwardly chucklt
!" over Hester's untrimmed dress; ii was
= exactly the thing to suit his fastidio'
Is taste. How lucky it was she wore it