Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1881-05-18
Only for Once.

ridiculous'
Here John Harding laid down the magazine
article he had been reading, and which had
for its theme the apparently inexhaustible one
the follies and shortcomings of the sex to
which he had alluded.
Mrs. Harding glanced from the bow she was
fashioning to the solemn face of the speaker.
In some things That is encouraging sure
ly have known such quantities of men that
were silly and ridiculous in so many. What
is it now wonder?"
Loftiy obliviOus to the quiet sarcasm in
these words Mr.. Harding continued:
just look at the way they dress for in
stance"
"Ohr
Not only devoid of common sense, but Of
all artistic elegance and great beauty"
Really, JOHN retorted Mrs Harding.
drawing her needle through her work with so
much energy as to snap the thread, 'however
silly women may be in your estimation think
they might know how and in what style to
dress"
They might suppose was the cool re-
sponse; but they don't is very evident.
Have you read Dress as it relates to Health
and Beauty in the last monthly?"
No" responded Mrs. Harding, with toss
of her head. 1t was written by some man.
l suppose"
No matter who it was written by; it il
sound sense, every word Of it, l wish you
would study that article, Mary it would do
you an immense amount of good. l don't
mean to say that you haven't sense in good
many things, which surprises me all the more
that you should show so little in the way you
dress
Mrs Harding red cheeks grew still redder
John Hardingr
There now, Mary, don't fly into passion
because tell you the truth, all for vour own
! good. Just look at the trimming on the skirt
OF your dress, for instance; according to all
artistic rules the line should be unbroken from
waist to feet, and here it is cut up and destroy
| ed in half dozen places"
Have you ever seen me in dress whose
skirt is entirely plain, or, as you term it, with
the line unbroken from the waist to the feet. =
No, but l should be very glad to do 50. =
on would? Have you any complaint to
make? If you have beg that you won't be
backward about stating it,"
Il don't mean to be. There's the hat YOU
wear. That is what you call it, | suppose.
though for any use it performs it might as
well be called most anything else, mass of
ribbons, feathers, and flowers piled up as high
as possible, and worn on the back of the head.
And then your hair!'
How would you have me arrange it, my
dear?'
why, simply drawn back from the fore
head and coiled low at the back of the head Sc
as to prove its artistic outline. Something the
way 1t is in that picture See here!"
Mrs Harding glanced at the picture to
which her husband pointed, that of q very
lovely girl, with small regular features and
whose wavy hair was loosely knotted at the
back.
Yes, see. But don't think you ever
saw my hair dressed in that style"
:" 1t would be an immense improvement il
you would dress it so, you'd look like quite
another person."
:" think should. But you have no fur.
Their suggestion to make? Your ideas are SC
original that they interest me-"
Not at present." returned Mr. Harding
biting off the end of cigar he intended tc
light as soon as he got out on the steps
A few minutes later he put his head back
into the room where his wife was sitting,
=" shall be around with the ponies at three
Mary. Don't keep me waiting"
Mrs. Harding belonge to that very larged
class of ladies whose attractions depended
more or less or style of dress, and no one un
derstood this more clearly than she. Sh,
knew her strong and weak points, and how t.
bring out the one and conceal the other. Fol
instance, she had fine eyes, hair and complex
ion, but her features were rather irregular
her forehead especially being out of proper
ton with the rest of the face, and the form
wanting in roundness of outline, but so skill
fully were these defects remedied by the nd
justment of the hair and dress that they wer,
scarcely noticed, and she was considered By
all who knew her-her husband not excepted
to be an attractive and charming woman.
Mrs. Harding spent the greater part of tn
morning in the attic overhaulng II chest tina
had belonged to her husbands aunt, appar
emily well repaid for the trouble by the gar
ments fshed up out of its dark depths, an,
which she carried to her own room. Out O
these she fashioned dress very similar il
style to the one for which her husband had OK
pressed SO much admiration.
hate to disagure myself so she thought a
the straight folds fell lanky around the tall, thi
form, making it look still more tall and thin
but nothing else will cure John, and if h
keeps on he'll drive me frantic!
Then she proceeded to take down the heav
braids of hair, and combing it smoothly fror
her forehead over the ear, arranged it in pu
low at the back of the head.
GOOD gracious didn't suppose anythin
could make me look so much like fool 7
calculated Mrs. Harding, as she noted tn
change that it made in her appearance
But no matter, it's only for once, and gues
] can stand it IL he camp
Taking a round, fiat hat, very much /
vogue few years ago, and whose only orns
ment was ribbon around the crown, Mr.
Harding went down into the parlor
She did not have long To wait Ten minute
later John came up to the door In an ope
ph@ton, drawn by the well-matched grays tn.
were the pride Of his heart.
Running up the steps, he opened the door
the room where his wife sat.
He stared at her for a moment in dunn
anazement.
Heavens and earth, Mary, is that your
thought it was--I don't know what VIII
have you been doing to yourself2'
81 have been trying to carry out the hin