Smyrna times., 1877-08-15
Dress Parade.

We cannot help pitying the people whose
whole life seems to be spent on "dress
parade" The soldier often finds it not
the least of his hardships to pass an hour
daily in the exercise; but give a certain
sort of man or woman the means, and they
will make business of it. The starchiest
of collars, the longest cuffs, the tightest
dresses, the snuggest coats, all the most
uncomfortable array of fixings and finery,
they stick to-literally and figuratively-
through all the summer weather. A man
arrayed in loose linen suit, and pair of
slippers collar and cravat,-
taking his comfort on his own verandah at
nightfall, is to them vulgar creature,
while lady who appears in a simple mus
lin wrapper, after prescribed hour in the
morning, whatever the state of the weather.
has her bringing up" very thoroughly
impeached in their court. For the adult
people who find satisfaction in sacrificing
their comfort to the idol Of propriety, per-
haps no pity is necessary--for as somebody
said of conceited people, they have within
themselves the supreme source of satisfac.
ton. But plea for the children is in
order.
Wehave seen the doll l-baby fashions of the
town, for little girls and boys, transferred
to the country-house and summer resort.
Only the other day group of children
playing at croquet excited our sympathies.
The girls were arrayed in starched and en-
hroidered white dresses, and dccked out III
gay sashes, delicate stockings and no end
to finery that one hour of good, honest
play, such as girl of six to ten years old
is entitled to, would reduce to hopeless
wreck and ruin. They stepped round
prettily enough, but in constrained, artif.
cial way, clearly showing they were on
dress parade, even in the golden morning
hours, and were painfully conscious Of it.
Even the active, sturdy little boys were in
q measure sacrificed to their clothes, as they
very soon found out if they went to rolling
in the sand, or climbing trees, or tumbline
each other about in plays that are just what
the little animals need to develop then
bodies and teach them active habits anC
! selfreliance.
On the cars, recently, we saw family o
eight children coming from the West t.
the seashore, whose dress and appearance
| won for their parents-a staunch, cherry
substantial.looking elderly couple-our in
slant respect and admiration. There were
girls of an age that takes kindly to fine
raiment-from six to sixteen-but one anc
all, they were clad in light, loose-fitting
neatly-trimmed flannel suits, just the thing
for comfortable and healthful travelling
They wore no bustles nor hoops to interfere
with their ease in sitting or reclining. NJ
piles of hair, twisted and pinned on the
top of their heads, kept the brain hot, bu
all of their fine dark tresses were combeC
smoothly back from forehead and face, anC
worn in plain braids down the back. The
boys were dressed with equal sense anC
fitness, and when they were settled at thei
summer home there was no distinction o
sex" in the freedom and swiftnegs will
which the children clambered over the
rocks, roamed through the fields anC
woods, and played the merry games o
childhood. May they, and all such favored
ones, live long to call their mother blessed
There needs to be an amendment t.
many peoples catechism, for the summe
weather especially, recognizing the fac
that one of the chief ends of man is to tax,
his comfort,-and let other people tax,
theirs.