The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-25
RALEIGH. y. c. April. 18th.

YOU are a true friend TO all North Car
olinians-to the women o partlcu-
larlv. On reading your appeal 10 Us
in a recent issue OF the FARMER y
there arose within me falnt
hope which l had entertained years
ago. but which, for want OF encourage
ment from others, had died OUT that
possibly, with you TO lead, something
might be done to make our women
care for something else besides dress
What was the original object OF cloth
ing? To keep IL warm III winter, and
10 cover our nakedness IN summer.
Alas, This latter object is not always
attained by some of the f~requenters OF
the hall-room.) Now l believe IN
dressing well. according 10 one
means, and in studing, TO a certain
extent, what is pretty and becoming
but | do not believe IN making IL
the object and end of ones existence 10
dress and keep up with the ever vary
ing fashion. This is the great trouble
Take a lady, of moderate means, who
can afford to buy a silk only once IN
two or three years. Much time is taken
in thumbing samples, and discussing
the matter over with friends before
the dress is bought, and then many
visits nave to be made TO the dress
maker-more time wasted IN IN
ing latest fashion plates to decide
upon the style of the make up-mOre
trips to the store for the dozens OF
things necessary for the trimmings
etc.
But there is an end TO all things
with a sigh of relief the dress IS put on
and with a smile OF satisfaction It Is
viewed in the glass, and the wearer
| now congratulates herself that she can
| go anywhere and look as stylish as
anybody; but alas, this comfortable
feeling does not last long. in less than
six months everything Is changed. tier
dress had been made with Oversklrt
deep in front and open behind, now
Fashion says up in front. down in the
back. | am often reminded of the
children's game, "Simon says up, 81
mon say down."
AS I said, in less than six months,
the owner of the dress which was the
cause of so much trouble and expense,
S in a peck of trouble. Many hours
Of anxious thought are spent in trying
to devise some plan by which an over
skirt that is long in front and short be-
hind can be turned into one short in
front and long behind. CA man would
say turned easily enough, just turn
it hindmost part before, but a woman
knows better than this.) Then the
| skirt of the basque is only a quarter of
| a ward deep, aud it ought now to be at
least three quarters. What can be
done? Only one or two things. Either
more money, that cannot well be spar
| ed, must be spent to buy more silk, or
the DOOR woman must back up into a
| orn when in company, to try to
| conceal the fact that she has on a bob
| tailed overskirt and basque. 1t is the
same way with clOaks, bOnnets etc.
Fashion says up, fashion says down,
so fast that it almost takes ones breath
| away. We go from one extreme to
| another so that clothing a year old can
| scarcely be utilized at all.
With the aid of sewing machines
how quickly we could get through
with our work, did we have our dresses
simply made as they were not many
years ago. 1t almost makes ones mouth
water for the straight seams, smooth
hens and ParOdi waists. | do not be-
lieve the machines have been a bless
ing. for the more easily we can do the
work, the more of it we do.
Well what have l done to mend
matters ? nothing but a little very poor
talk have scrubbed this off on the
spur of the moment because l wanted
to let you know / was for reform IN a
good many ways, and if you a sug-
gest some plan by which u wo-
men can be encouraged to be
independent-not such slaves to fash
ion. 50 that we will have more time
or intellectual culture, and that the
mothers can attend more to adorning
the minds of their children than their
bodies. | will stand by and hurrah for
you, if ! can't do anything else.
hope none of my readers Will infer
from what | have said, that You
or |, are in league with our dress re-
forming sisters of the North. | have
no sympathy whatever with these
public spirited individuals, Il dare say
the Times man, by investigating the
matter could prove them every one
| = L. - .. l.,nr-,, o.. IL foraalo loa...-