The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-03-11
miscellaneous.
What John Harding Thought.
\ STORY FOR THE GENTLEMEN.


"ln some things women are so silly and
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 iashioning to the solemn face of the
speaker.
an some things? That is encouraging
surely I've known such quantities of men
that were silly and ridiculous in so many
What is it now, wondcr?"
Loftily oblivious to the quiet sarcasm in
these words, Mr.. Harding continued
Just look at the way they dress, for in
stance"
ooh "
mot only devoid of common sense, but of
NIL 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, chow
ever silly woman may be in your estimation,
| think they might know how and what style
to dress"
"Thcy might, suppose" was the cool re-
sponse; "but that they don't is very evident.
Have you read Dress as it Relates to Health
NO" responded Mrs Harding, with toss
Of the head at was written by some man,
| suppose"
mo matter who it was written by it is
sound sense, every word of it, | wish you
would study that article, Mary it would do
you an immense deal of good don't mean
to say that you haven't sense in a good many
things, which surprises me all the more that
you should show so little in the way YOU
dress"
Mrs. Hardings rcd cheeks grew still red
der.
John Harding"
There, now, Mary, don't fly into passion
because | tell you the truth, all for your own
good. Just look at the trimming on the
skirt ofyour dress for instance according to
all artistic rules, the line should be unbroken
from waist to feet, and here it is cut up and
destroyed in halfa-dozen places?'
Have you ever seen me in dress whose
skirt is entirely plain, or, as you term it, with
the line unbroken from waist to feet ?"
mo; hut should be glad to do So
you would? Have you any farther com
plant to make? Ifyou have | beg that YOU
won't he backward about stating it,"
II don't mean to be. There's the hat YOU
wear. That is what you call it, | suppose,
though for any use it performs il might as
well be called most anything else; n mass of
ribbons feathers and flowers, piled up as
high as possible, and worn upon the back of
the head. And then your hair !" .p,,
"I1ow would you have me arrange it,,
dear ?'
"Why simply drawn back from the fore
head and coled low at the back of the head
so as to preserve its elastic outline Some
thing the way it is in that picture. See"
Nro IInr,lin,r ,rln nt In,
which her husband pointed, that oft very
lovely girl, with small regular features and
whose wayy hair WAS loosely knotted at the
back.
Yes, | sec. But don't think you ever
saw my hair dressed in that style"
at would be an immense improvement if
you would dress il so, you'd look like quite
another person.
81 think should But you have no fur
thcr suggestion to make Your ideas are so
original that they interest me +"
Not Mt present. returned Mr.. Harding
biting off the end ola cigar he intended to
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
"Lshall be around with the ponies ut
three, Mary. Don't keep me waiting"
Mrs Harding belonged to that very large
more or less on style of dress, and no one un-
dcrstood this more clearly than she She
knew her strong and weak points, and
how to bring out the one and conceal the
other. For instance, she had fine eyes,
hair and complexion, but her features
were rather irregular, her forehead especially
being out of proportion with the rest of the
face, and the form wanting in roundness of
outline. But so skillfully were these defects
remedied by the adjustment of the hair and
dress that they were scarcely noticed
and she was considered by all who knew her
her husband not cXcepted-to be mn attract.
i've and very charming waman.
Mrs. Harding spent the greater part of the
morning in the attic overhaulnga chest that
had belonged TO her husbands aunt, appar-
antly well repaid for her trouble by the gar
ments tished up out of its dark depths, and
which she carried to her own room Out of
one of these she fashioned a dress very SINH
lar in style to the one for which her husband
had expressed so much admiration
l hate to distigure myself so she thought,
as the straight folds fell lankly around the
tall, thin form, making it look still more tall
and thin but nothing else will cure our John,
and if he keeps on he'll drive me franticl
Then she proceeded to take down the
heavy braids of hair, and combing it smooth
y from her forehead over the ear, arranged it
in pug low at the back of the head
Good gracious | didn't suppose anything
could make me look so much like fool |"
calculated Mrs Harding, as She noted the