The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-09-21

Thackeray thought men had made
great stride in more senses than one
when they consented to hide little feet
and big feet unfortunately in big, ugly
brogans of boots and there Is no doubt
that il was a larger step toward real
emancipation than was obtained by the
celebrated declaration Of independence
and equality which are foreign To the
very nature of things, and never can
exist though all the papers in the world
was explored to assert them and there
Is more sturdy independence about
pair of great, ugly boots than in A cart
load of documents. English girls and
women are strongly ridimIed by Ameri.
can women abroad for their big feet and
ugly shoes, but I think it Is more a
question of size of shoes than Of feet, but
they choose their shoes, as they do their
gloves, a size too small, and step---for
they break down in a walk--8s if
cramped An English girl, on the con
trarv, is perfectly oblivisus of her feet.
They do not look so dainty, it must be
confessed, athe promenade, As tho of
all American girls; but then she evil
IDENTIFY does not take them out for
exhibition on the street. me takes them
out for use; and, uncovered, | have
{
softer. and smoother thar those of most
American girls, which are nearly always
disfigured by cOrns, bJniOns, or over
grown joints.
Shall we ever dare, | wonder, to wear
useful shoes ike men, without reference
to their looks2 l think [ should be bet
ter pleased to see thsm doing that
universally and as sitter of course
| than polling a vote, foLin it would be
more of future health, happiness, and
| help for them. Not tina | want women
to cease to be beautiful, but ones ideas
! change about beauty. Ike men on the
| average, and they are b Gsomer as men
| than wo- IN are as woI y. They have
lost nothing by threwi- aside gewgaws :.
| and tigh boots, but : Y have gained
much. The other day " the pictures
OF a man and woman t n twenty-five
| years apart, at the time sey were mar
Iied and on their SLY wedding day
Her face was sweet, int gent, and hon
est his immature nd ". But what
a change in twenty-fy years His,
noble, much handsomer than when he
was young, full of evidences of
growth and oppertunity; hers, weak,
faded, wanting outline, color vitality,
nothing apparently behind 1t, evidently
a "cared-for" woman, Those life had
spent itself in little efforts to do and be
exactly like her neighbors. Useful
boots, when she was young, would have
given hers exercise, strength, freedom,
and changed the whole character OF her
| physiogomy, besides imparting better
| life to her children. 1t is a comfort. to
see how qui-Iy American girls get lie
nonsense taken out of them when they go
| abroad for purpose, to work and study,
fer example, with only little money,
and a great desire to make the most of
their chances In the British museum,
in London, and the museum of the
Louvre, or palace of the Luxembourg, in
Paris, they may be seen industriOusly
copying, in short, dark skirts, blouse
belte6 in round the waist, dark felt hat,
and hair cut short, no gloves, and shoes
of a kind that will not permit them to
walk or stand on the hard, bare stone
floors.
American girls at home are also begin
ming to learn that there is something In
the world besides dress. One, a school
teacher, wrote letter recently, asking
for design by which she could make up
dresses which would not look eccentric,
but which would be useful, convenient
and available for two or three years, or
until the goods were WORKOUT. She said
she was determined to dress herea ter
without reference to fashion, make her
garments when it was Convenient that
Is. during the months of vacation-and
her dresses 50 they should be good for