, 1874-08-09


heard the door below iue SHUT aE merry
strain whistlcd by some ono out.ido.. Looking
from my chamber window / 6nw . you IL, girl set
ting forth bris1ly walk to the nca rest neigh
boris, half mile distant. Her faco IT - fair and
rosy, her fgure welI-ruunded and tr,ng, and
rcyor in the least formed By corsets or outside
bones. To-day her wavy auburn hair " at' flowing
down her shoulders. her step was light and free.
But 81 dress makes the mau,'' and the woman
also. In the opinion Of many; and it was the
dress Of this maiden that NOTICED esr ecla!ly. as
/ mentally exclaimed: 1T il graceful! It is
TASTEFUL II il becoming to the time ;tlnl scene
OF the wearer." Let me describe it. Ny hero
inc had TIC idea Of sitting or standing for per-
trait but only this morning she wds c til ag me-
with III honesty aud earuestness t. ut made
her very dear to NC, how the reading Of
Herbert Spencer's BOOK on Education made
her teel that she onght to be 1olng II ulething
moro useful than her present life (whiel! is to la
helping the race along in some way, CT fitting
herself to help. 1t seems to mo t! INT Goa
has her in lis school, like al the rest ct ua, and
that her progress under His tuition il cl bet
ter than she fears. Yet. since she longs to help
her race, and secs aud feels wOman's present
need, think / need llpt fear her frow1.' when
she raaIs what have written for tho NInnan't
journal about hor, Eince this too Is me a.nt to
''help along.'' Hcr dress w1s nlndo mnt:sl like
the gyn1naallE susts--nct quite. Tbs Trousers
are less full, and the bad crond the leg tt i1a-
side the top Of the high-}aced boot. The ekirt
cut gored and ui1trmned, Of black broad <:lotl,.
falls about inches below tho Knee. The skirt
and trousers, in rather different rIiaro, w ere
present to her six years ago from lady w1lt,, be-
lng CONVINCED that the " american costume "was
tho 14cst healthfu1 and convenient drcRs for
women. lad made hcrself black broadclo Ii suit
lrurl her old riding skirt. IlAd worn it just cnce,
aid Thea, laid it aside forever" askel her
Why ee abandoned it, and hor answer has often
recnrled to ms II couldn't feel Hike u lady with
it OIL" !, for one appreciate TINT REASON fo1.not
wearing ellort skirt au trouacrs contrarv tt}tAe
public Sentiment. And 60 does the giri am
telling about. / cannot think what would in-
dnce her TO walk through the streets of city in
the costume sho has OIL to-day; and yet she
hopes and prays for, and believes in, the ap-
proachinG day wlen every woman may walk
abroad III open day comfortably a,,d convent emily
clothed il. short skirt and trousers, with no. ono
to modest Or mnke hor afraid. There comes my
maiden back through the woods accompanied by
two children. As she comes towards ne, be u,,-
buttoned short gray-cloth basque, with its black
velvet collar reveals n blue navy-1.anncl Carl
baldi waist. trimmed the aaur collar and
cuffs with lighter shade OF blue Opera tlannel
extremely becoming to its wearer This is q
spring home snit Ut Young wonlafl III the b:lck-
woods of Minncsota, and not at all What mi ght
be gotten up for any special occnsion. I can not
see why have not as good right to pronou1ace
it beautiful AZ the editor of the Golden A:1e
has to declare absolutely that 'Sood taato re-
quires the wearing Of drapery fulling long way
below the Knee"