The Portland daily press., 1874-09-15
ChamiIO0nS.

1t is plain that this word is not to enter the
field OF literature unchallenged. A cores
pondent OF the Journal laments its exist
ence, in periods of classic English, tries to
convert 1t into bds chdusse cheniSe, and even
regrets that smock-breeches did not appear in
It's stead. From Denver. Colorado. comes a
postal card with these lines, "There is much
IN a name, and DR.. A and have racked
our brains to find a substitute for 'chemioon.'
we could not wear anything with such a
dreadful designation. She is delighted with
tout-ensenble; 1 prefer the less airy 'alto-
gether.' Is not that an improvement
There must be brief explanation, or wo-
men, TAR and near, will continue to tax their
wits for more acceptable term, and will de-
wise a thousand substitutes in vain. For the
word shimmerloon the committee are not re-
Sponslole. 1t exists in spite of them, and has
shown a vitality which they are too wise to
contend against. A scene in one of the old
miracle plays on the Creation, opens with
this direction, "Adam crosses the stage. 90
ing to Ee created" So the word Simmer
loon crossed our stage repeatedly, and became
well known to us, before the garment it rep
resents had taken shape in cotton cloth.
Whence it came we knew not; and if it de-
noted any actual creations of the past our
most eager inquiries failed to discover them.
But we OWNED what shimmerloon would
be, and believed in it as possibility, till faith
gave place to sight.
When two ladies of the committee appeared
on one of our exhibition afternoons, and,
with an air of serene triumph, unroled new
garment which they had labored over for
many days, imagining, Swapping ana ImproV-
ing 1T, but saying never word OF their work
till it was revealed to us in its perfection, we
stared, .gazed into each others eyes and ex-
claimed, 1T is the shimmerloonp' ,''Behold
what | have mader' said one; ssI have
nvnluoI ny,to g
IL proves to be Che embodiment of our
dream.t' "Christen it," said another. "I
have brought IFS name with it," was the re-
ply, and she gave US an appropriate and mus
lcal word, which none of us can now recall.
Its faultless italian perished as soon as ut
tered. But the name that had been floating
about vaguely in space, waiting for an object
to appear upon which it could lfasten, seized
and appropriated the new invention at a
glance. No one spoke of it by different IT,
tie, no one remembered it by any other; it
was and ever will be the cbemiloon. A change
OF spelling was the most its helpless maker
could effect; and this was only an attempt to
ally the strange term with familiar designa-
tons Of the past.
Such is the history of the word, as far as
known to us. But it is not altogether friend
less; the Committee have learned to like 1T,
and it even has its ardent admirers You
shall hear what distinguished. clergyman
and lecturer, who has just brought home
from Edinburgh package of flannel chemi-
looms, in obedience to directions from his
dress-reforming wife, writes concerning this
abused appellation. 81 rejoice that The good
cause has been going on from glory to glory;
and sincerely congratulate you on the last
achievement, which has enriched the English
language with a new and exquisite word
How much literature will owe to the struggle
for emancipation from corsets and tyranny!
While 1, in my prosaic way, was bringing the
thing across the sea, you were idealizing 1t
and wedding it to sweet sounds and sylabes
forever. Poet, lover, philosopher, all will
weave into dream,lvow and history this word.
In future years the signing seranader shall
sing:
"Wake, dearest wake! Love lifts to thee its tune;
The earth is listening meath the shimmering moon
Arise, and don the snowy shimmerloon!
Thus shall the ballad-maker write:
"Oh, Maggie was bonnie lass!
Too fair to die so soon;
Soft was her step upon the grass,
Aud white her shimmerloon.
All vanly may young Edwin pine,
In vain implore loves boon,
No more he'll see on Mondays line
uarx c1,s ,arIao