Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-05-10
TRE DEMAND. OF SOCIETY.

Speaking of the demands of society
reminds me of a feeble complaint i
heard from a we'll known social light
from Philadelphia few days ago, writes
a Long Branch correspondent. Ii was
Just after dinner, as she passed out of
the dining-room handsomely attired in
costly dress of white satin and be-
docked with diamonds, her escort re-
marked:
lyon look charming"
Yes, she answered, YEARLY, i sup
pose | do, but at what cost. | don't
mean financially" sue FASTENED to ex-
plain, but physically. You men who
compliment as on our appearance never
think of the struggle We have to main
tain it,
But why do you women pay so much
attention to your appearance, thsnY"
asked the young man. as they seated
themselves ON one of the sofas in the
corridor Of the West End Hotel.
Why exclaimed his fair compan-
ion; look and see for yourself" And
she pointed down the long corridor,
thr0nged with handsomely dressed Ia
dies and gentlemen. See those women
there. Do you suppose one of them
would attract half the attention she
does If she were to appear in an ordi
narv dress! DO you su pose that 1t Is
her face shat wins her the compliments
that are now heaped upon her. which
keeps you men around her like a moth
around a lamp! No, indeed. It's her
dress and her diamonds"
"The married ladies. though" began
the other.
They are worse than the SINCE ones"
quickly replied the lady. How many
of those in this corridor now are single?
Not one-fourth. You'll find the younger
ones outside but here Ia where the mar
ried ladies display their handsome tot
let's while promenading on the arm of
some convenient gentleman friend. The
husband Is playing billiards or enjoying
cigar out upon the veranda, serenely
confident thas his wife's appearance
will attract to her all the company she
desires
There's an example of the necessity
of costly Dress" she continued, singing
out lady who Was seated alone on one
OF the sofas. "ls there any reason why
she should have to sit there solitary and
alone throughout the whole evening, ex
cept that she has on a plain dress!
None at all. She Is more than good
looking--she il handsome. IL her dress
were only as handsome as her face, she
would have any number of admirers at
her feet, ready to do her bid ling"
Thus she lady kept up her indictment
of her sex. The words were not spoken
because of any jealousy, for the speaker
herself Was a. handsomely attlred as
any one around her, and certainly has
An unlimited our &c to supply her every
want. Her words were only too true.
IL woman wishes to create q Juror at
the BraEoh-if. indeed. sue wishes d
attract even passing notioe-she must
sacrifice everything, health, wealth and
comfort, to dress.
A woman might better far be in q vii
derness than in Long Branch without
having first contracted a good long bill
al her dressmaker's. One lady from the
far west. who is spending the summer
here, hit upon a novel idea by which to
outshine her eastern rivals She brought
her own dressmaker with her. When
she srst came TO the Bcanch II was her
boast that she would not appear IN the
same dress twice in the season: and,
though il is nov three weeks since her
arrival here, she has 30 far kept her
boast. Every evening has seen her ar
rayed IN different toilet, and her friends
say she has yet in store handsome sup
ply of dresses.
Widows weeds are easily removed by