The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-10-15
A Single Swallow

The October openings are over, and,
il we may credit advertisers and fashion
correspondents, the world breathes again,
secure Of its puffs and petticoats for the
next three months The fact is, however,
that the women who care to follow changes
in style closely usually know them in ad.
vance Of modistes and newspapers, while
most women of means and culture, careful
as they may be with regard to the artistic
fitness of their dress, observe these chang
es but partially and with Indifference Ii
is the women poor both in pocket and self.
respect, who hinges her claim 10 respecta-
blity on her cloak or hat, 10 whom this un-
vailing Of Fashions DEGREES is matter OF
breathless interest. IL is pitiable to think
how many shop girls will pass sleepless
nights after their hard day 5 work To drape
their cheap poplins in imitation Of Worth :
last carriage dress how through all the
inland towns and country villages from sea
to sea hosts Of silly, shabby women wait
now needle in hand, 10 know what is
worn before they turn their last winter :
dresses or retrim their old bonnets how
the very rag picker child pins up her dir
~ hat with greasy ribbon and perks her
way along, confident Of her geutility. Not
that these people have any more zest for
change than their betters, but that they
simply have felt so gnaded by the lack Of
money that they imagine 1t is that which
draws the caste line, and having missed il
most ia the matter OF dress, they spend
their lives in frantic effort to hide such
lack At least that is the charitable con.
struction b put on the anxiety which wo-
men of even more than average intellect
follow the mode, to which men of a like
grade are Indifferent. We cannot believe
that any human soul values itself by a
scale Of frils and ruffs. The first effect Of
the Proclamation of Emancipation on the
negro women was universally To incite
them to get dress like their mistress 5,
"to be even with white folks but t.
them also we will believe the silk was only
the symbol of equality and freedom.
In these October openings we learn that
a picturesque simplicity is the highes
rule. Furbelows and paniers have van
ished and the scanty plain robe clings tt
the lovely figure close as the falling lotui
leaves TO Clytie's bosom. The mass o
dead womens hair is gone from thu
shapey head The long feet ar,
at last free to rest their corns and bunion
in heelless broad soled beds of ease. Ever
displays of costly embroidery or jewelr,
are forbidden. In short, says an emf
nent fashionable authority, the tru
woman OF ton will endeayor this Fall b,
the grace and simplicity of her attire t,
show that her husband has neither rob
bed bank nor been the leader of Ring
What does this portend? Is il only
new vagary ?-the usual disgust Of tn
fashionable leader at the aping OF her fol
lies by yet more foolish country people ant
servant girls, and her consequent retrea
into q region Of chaste simplicity? Or i
1t a symptom Of general reaction of tn,
country from sham into common sense
III y be the latter this feeble sign will
Doubtless be followed by others. Ii IL bu
the twitter OF the single swallow, but after
ward comes the. whole Summer. Reforr
N dress Will only preeede reform in furn
-, ''raaakc The dry goods OF pork msrchar