Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1877-09-05

tenant was well outside of the door.
Mrs. Clark resumed the untying of
her big bundle.
81 have brought here, ladies'
she said, "a suit which / have de.
signed as the uniform of the Order,
and it is one that / should like to
have worn by every member on the
occasion of our parade on the Fourth
of July. In order that you may see
how it looks l propose to put it on
With this Mrs. Clark removed
her little brown straw hat, with it's
brown vail, united her little neck.
ribbon and proceeded to unbutton
her dress. The Chronicle mans
breath came quick and sharp, but ne
resolved to stand it, come what
might. The cold perspiration stood
out on his forehead like moisture on
a toad's back; hut the thick, spotted
vail he wore hid it from the gaze of
the other lady.
After some further fussing with
the front of her dress the good lady
put her hand inside and brought
out something that looked like two
robins nests joined together with a
string. These she laid down on the
little desk in front of her. Then she
thrust her hands inside again and
united whole lot of white strings
and things. Then, with y little
shrug of the shoulders and quick
sfnirm or two, her black alpaca
dress went back and the reporter
caught the dull CLEAN of a bare arm
and something white around it. He
covered his face with his hands and
held them there. lie couldn't stand
it any longer. There was a rustling,
a humping about OH the platform,
and finally voice which said
"There, ladies, now / will put on the
garments of REFORM
The reporter looked up and was
inexpressibly shocked at the good
Mrs. Clark's appearance. She looked
like white gazelle. Her form ell.
tirely Invested of outer garments
resembled in character that of
half.starved greyhound; her limbs
were like antelope's limbs, and her
scanty white garments seemed
hardly big enough. to envelope a
tallow candle.
81 will now put OH the pantaloons,"
said the good lady; aud with this
she sat down and rather awkwardly
shot one leg into them and then the
other. Fastening them around her
waist she put on a short calico skirt
which reached just below the knee.
Then thrusting her arms into little
jacket or coat, the novel attire was
complete. The trowsers were cut
straight and reached quito to the
instep, and they were made Of some
dark coarse material. The good
lady did not feel quite at home in
her new rig, for she went strutting
about in a painfully awkward way.
Having completed the change OF
toilet, the good lady hammered on
the desk, and the Vicegerent en-.
tered timidly.
"Doctor, you may open the door
now,' she said.
In a moment half a dozen more
ladies entered and took seats, highly
amused at the appearance OF the ap.
partition on the platform. The half
dozen ladies being seated, Mrs.
Clark proceeded in all sOlemnity
with the business of the day. After
the reading of the minutes, the lady
read aloud the agreement, which
she invited these present to sign, |
viz: to adopt the style of dress in
which she then appeared, and march
in the procession with it on the
Fourth Of July.
There was not single signature
forthcoming, and after some little
time the good lady with a toss of
her head remarked that it was evi. |
dent the hearts of those present
were not in the movement.
One very thin lady said she |
thought she could hardly consent to
wear the srig that Mrs. Clark ap.
peared in, but she would like to
have little discussion about under.
clothes. There was no doubt in her,
mind but there was much room for |
improvement in the construction of
ladies' underwear. For her part
she had always worn. garters, but
she believed that to maintain the !
symmetry Of the limb the stockings
should be buttoned to ar elastic |
reaching to the cor
A Lady in BLACK (rising)-I al
ways wear mine fastened to the
Mrs. Clark (hurriedly)-Doctor,
you can't come in just now. You
must not be here, sir.
The Lords Lieutenant bad heard |