Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-10
MARTYRS TO VANITY.
Helf-Sacrifice to Fashion That Would
Be Noble if Shown in a
Better Cause.
[London Truth. I

Mlranda has the lovelieSt arms you ever
saw. She is delighted that short sleeves are
worn and her gloves are not nearly so long
as other peoples. Her favorite attitude is
sitting, with her right elbow in the palm of
her left hand She waves her hand when she
speaks. At dance her right arm is well ,
displayed behind her partners ,ert ;q he is
tan q on his shoulders. if L lie is small Those
oeau1i.o1 i-'. ..-5 nave spoiled Miranda She
We black, though it does not suit her com
plexlon, because her arms look so white
against it. She is always directing your at
tention to those unluclzy ones, numerous
enough, who have thin arms Whoever mar
res her will have to be very careful never,
under any circumstances, to admire another
Womans arm. If he should make slip ii
this direction there would, to use good old
phrase, be wigs on the green"
Did you eyer see such dear little feet? Or
such perfectly turned ankles? Or more Won
derful stockings? Never, indeed. Herpretty
feet are Lesbias speciality. That is why she
wears those Powered stockings and those
little pointed shoes. That is the reason her
skirts are so unusually short. Lesbia is
bright and clever. She is sensible about
everything but feet. She is a trying girl to
talk to. She will interrupt the most inter-
esting conversation just when you think you
are "both beginning to get on SO WELL" to
ask if you approve Of high heels, or some
other such leading question. She is like Mr..
Dick with King Charles and must drag the
topic of feet into everything. 1t is pity;
and yet many prefer her to Nora, whose feet
are well shaped enough, but who has ''no
style" She talks merrily and pleasantly
when you know her WELL but is rather quiet
with strangers. Not at all the sort of girl to
get on Her voice is not sufficiently loud or
imperious. She does not hustle about with
an air as though the world were made for
her. She wears pretty gowns, but does not
bunch them out nor mince along with a
soubrette-like trip, swaying her gown from
side to side, as Lesbia does In fact, she will
never look anything Gin a room, p" though she
may be well enough as the presiding spirit of
home. She is hopelessly questionable.
Letitia has waist. 1t is her great point,
and she is very proud of it. Well she may
be, for it is the result of patient years of
pain. She has laid on the shrine Of that lit
tie waist many precious things-good health,
good temper and good spirits. Having sacri
feed the first. the two others followed as a
matter of course. But then it is SUCH q Won
derful waist! 1t cannot measure more than
S0tGAecSA dU bGS very uiO~t uS
pressure has made her nose permanently red.
Not all the waters Of Araby would not make
that nose white again, but what matters!
Does it not belong to the smallest waist in
Londons One thing that Immediately strikes
| the beholder. He wonders how SO small waist
can possibly be 50 obtrusive. Were it tive
| yards around it could not more aggressively
insist on being noticed Draperies are so ar
ranged as to lead the eye down to it, and
skirts are of such q fashion as to
! guide the attention up to it. Letitia
walks with her elbows well out from her
! sides, so as to advertise, in q pointed way,
| the fact that your view is scarcely inter
| rupted by her slight and well-distributed fig
ure. As she stands talking to you she puts a
| hand on either side of this wonderful waist,
and appears to be curbing herself in, as it
! were. She wears the tightest Of jackets, and
never is seen in dolman. She gets terrible
! colds in the winter, because she will not
wrap up In fact, her whole existence is a
! burnt-oiFering to her waist Were she to
! grow stout her object in life would be gone.
| Letitia denies herself even the qualification
| of an excellent appetite in the interest of a
| small waist, a self-sacriics that would be
| noble in better cause.
! Mira has the loveliest complexion in the
| world. Without it she would be perfectly
charming girl. With it she is quite bore.
| If there is any wind she is unhappy, 'because
| it makes my cheeks so rough" If the sun
shines she is miserable, because tan fright
fully" If it is hot she grumbles, II flush SO
painfully" If it is cold her cry Is, II can't
go out to-day, for I get SO blue In cold
weather. Her cheeks are Of such an indie
scribable texture that roughness has neve,
! yet invaded them; tanning never approaches
/ them. She fushes the prettiest dainty pink
| you ever saw; and in cold weather soft color
rises in her face and a wistful look comes into
| her eyes that makes her quite adorable. Why,
| then, all these excusess Simply because she
| thinks prevention better than cure, and is
afraid of a thousand viewless enemies on her
compleslion's account. She is martyr to
her own consciousness.