Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-02-04
WOMAN AND HONE.
CLARA BELLE TAKES ISSUE WITH
THE MASCULINE CRITICS.
MerceEary Marriages and the Evils
Ihereof-Bits of Decoration-Ibe Edu-
Gated Giri-Children and Cold
Weather Paragraphs



feel called upon to correct some Of the
nonsense uttered and written about the in
jury done to women by their costumes
High -heeiei French shoes and tight lacing
have hitherto borne the burden of blame for
FOR the sufferings Of women. But now comes
the season for abusing Us for the weight OF our
c.othes. We are told that the garb worn by
wcI1en Is too heavy, and, by Ieryersity OF
las ion. they receive an enormous increase
melt 0. weight at TIL. season in the shape of
cloaks and mGntles Of scalSkin or plush with
quilted Innings The waist is encircl4i as
with q belt or hoop, 10 which a lead heavier
than q felpl's chains Is attached, and the
shoulders aad chest are COMPRESSED by an
additional Lurien. Breathing is lab0riously
performed, and the contents Of the trunk and
pslvis are thrust down with a force which. if
represent d In pounds would occasion con
siderable surprise That Is tho kind Of talk
IN which lnen do.
Now what ara wolneR's hips for, if not To
bzar III. weight OF skirts, DR.. F. Hamilton
once said t. me that weight hanging from
Tue hips could 30 little or no harm The
anatomical structure Of that portion Of the
bg4g was Heil ted fur bearing weight, the
projection Il tie hipj0ae supporting skirts
Wei Ho 2dde /: j 10 not think that harm
could be- done 10y weight hanging from the
hips. I'll. muscles Of tie abdomen are
strong and " II arranged Tor standing
strain One -ot runs iiaGonally from left 70
right another IN the opposite direction and
3 third strulght W and down. Now, weight
supported at the waist comes on the hip
bone, and IS borne chiefly By the legs OF
couTse, !; heavy load carried there will tire
woman IN the course II time; but do not see
any special evI! that can arise from it. | CON
slider tho heavy weight of clOaks and
-aai-kins hanging from the shoulders to be
mach worse. There / scs decided danger
Tie weight which hang from the shoulders
bears down upon the spinal column, and
mus, therefore, affect the whole body 1t
a3, q tendency 10 tenI the body and push it
downward, ami keeps the muscles from the
w.ti,; upward IN constant state Of tension
T. resist the pres urc ! do not think that n,
much trIutl. Is eau e b. this as by tight
lacia-, however. The compression of the
lower part e the ribs 10y lacing prevents the
lung from. being easily filled, and is the
cause OF -oyerai dangerous diseases. On the
whole, thi2S weight may be- carried more
-aiely from tie waist than from the
shoulders.
80 | g.u down on those alleged reformers
WHO would have Is hang every thing from
oar shoulders, Instead of letting the weight
Ie harH.leSsly on cur hips In my opinion.
tn. chef reas II FOR the -uIeri1rity Of woman
over mIu "a gree depends on the freedom Of
her shoulders from c0n-train;. If You have
auy ,uubt that women really are more
graceful than men just put some fellow into /
skirts and zee 1T a huiking. awkward. [
"Utiandish fgur, b. cuts. But if for 100 I.
years all ~ thu women were 10 SHIFT the I
~ i-hr %. tier clothes from hips to shoulders !
iAa 7exr, = aid h. brought to a par the (
< E-laI having in The meantime become rs 4
and heavy Us the rousher Be I
..eEs ne, W. have no reason to put the upper /
! arts Of our torso IN bondage