Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1878-11-15

rum lNu ihNl
Who does not sympathise with Bay.
ard Taylor's Quaker widow" when shc
confessed with such q charming niaret,
that
"My wedding drcS was a>hcn silk,
Too simple for my TASTE,
WANTED lace around the neck,
Aud u ribbon ut the waist"
Poor, defrauded little bride! won
der ii ull the years OF quiet happiness
that camo aiterward, Cunsulcd her Tor
the denial of the pure, womanly wish
that on that one day she might look her
lovclicst Ii was her one declaration OF
independence. For women have the
same inalienable right to dainty fabrics
and bright colors that they have to life,
liberty and the pursuit OF happiness,
and never was better opportunity ut
iurdcd them To crafty their taste fur
luxury OF texture and harmony OF color
than is offered this season. The great
tidal wave OF decorative art that swept
over the country since the Centennial,
has invaded the domain of dress. With
a growing knowledge OF the principles
of art and design, with II kcencr and
trucr feeling of artistic beauty, has come
u pronounced change in costume. We
are spared harsh discor,ls in color and
the girl OF the period, whose school OF
design drawing has taught her the beau-
" oi simple, unbrokcn lines in drapery,
will, consciously or unconsciously, bc
guided by il in the making OF her new
iill dress This newly awakened mr.
tistic perception demands beauty; and
the active part that women are taking
in business life demands comfort and
substantial material, aud the result ot
this is that women dress more sen
sibly and more gracefully now than ever
before.
The girl of the last decade was frivolous,
or supposed tn be. She was lily oi tho
field, altogether given over to vanity,
and apparently Of littleuso in the world,
unless ID were To point the moral oi IL
Saturday Recie,r editorial But the girl
of to-day knows everything. She dazzlcs
and dizzies YOU with her crudition. She
studies for Harvard examinations, and
belongs to Plato association, and
reads under the auspices of the New
England Club, and writes for the mag
aziucs. She does everything. She Is
unthing il she Is not artistic. She draws
from the antique; she wants tn join n
life class; she cnrres on wood aud
paints on china, and models daintily,
in clay. And il is when she brings to
the making oi street costume the same
artistic perception that she would bring
To the painting of u picture that she dig
nifics dress, and proves that much learn
ing hath not made her so mad that she
is unmindful Of the charm OF II pretty
toilet. In the light Of this new gospel
of good gowns" dress becomesa fine art,
and millinery u means ot grace. There
is still another reform, however, which
American women ought pcrsistently aud
conscientiously to wor tn bring about
and Is to buy American goods. The
shoddy so-Callcd Japanese silks and
poplins, of English manufacture, sold II
lew wears ago, have been Il dlsappoinl-
mcnt 10 all buyers, hut the first woman
has 10 be heard from who was ever dis
appointed in an American silk OF reliable
Manufacture. Our ilanncls, camels'
hair cloths, blankets and suitings, at halt
the cost. are as good as the foreign, and
American women, for their own sake as
well. should make ii "a point OF honor Ia
accord to American manufacturers that
recognition ri thcexcellcnce and honesty
of their goods which they arc rapidly
winning in the worlds market: This
done, the girl of our period, viii he ~
invulncrable to criticism ~ she Is uhaP-
praachahle in taste