The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-09
Ladies' Wearing Trousers.


Gradually the ladies are coming to
wear the trousers. Says Washington
Letter to the Baltimore 1mertcan:
~ The increasing popularity of horse
back riding among people of all classes
lin Washington, emphasizes a fact that
seems rather surprising to some OF the
readers of this correspondence, that
great many Washington ladies wear
trousers. and itshas been been mischiev-
.ously remarked in certain quarters that
the novel experience of wearing pants
has gone a great way toward inducing
some rather timid ladies to under
take the task of learning to ride. The
best riding habits, here.as elsewhere. are
made by taiorsswho. make this line of
business specially, and who have in
some of their mysterious back parlors a
wooden horse, on which the ladies sit
while their cloth skirts are draped to hang
we'll over the tighs-titting pants. ''Of
course said one of these tailors re-
Gently, ''of course ladies wear pants
with their riding habits. They wear
them under their riding skirts. This has
been the custom for some time. They
wear their skirts shorter than formerly,
just so as to touch the ground when
they stand. Then they wear pants I'M
derneath, nothing else; no skirts; Wash
ington is very like Paris. The ladies
have good taste. l could name lots of
ladies,-I don't know how many-who
come in and have their measures TAKEN
just as graciously as men would, and
they are much easier to fit and pleasanter
to serve than men. And the trying on
of garments? We have parlors and maids
in attendance. They retire to parIor
and put on the garment, which is basted
together, and when they get it on am
sent for and go il, and fit it, taking it in
here, marking it for alteration, and let
ting it-outJtheTeA- When have finished
l retire, and sthezl lady again changes her
;, garment ssEhissis the custom altogether
) Paris, and isNerys ra55idly beco ming so
) here" The average Washington price
ofs gladys riding habjtsis,aheut 800,
~ Esyp,IansN uhs.=
& Most were -midd1e-aged women, and
three or.four were widows. Whether
They can leave it if very anxious to do so
do notknow, but from what can learn
Imagine. if really DESTROYS to return to
her family: and they to receive her, that
: a nun might obtain permission but that
they do not like to leave, either from be-
ing content or because it would -
looked on as great disgrace.
The nuns l spoke to seemed content,
and it is certain they were not under the
constraint have always noticed among
Roman Catholic nuns; beside, to the
nature more languid than our
sHorthe the monotony of
theslIs6s not SO great trial as to us.
TheysSeemedst ito live more like family
0fsslstefs, with an aunt or elder relative,
as head, than in the abject submission
sWhichis the state Of the Sepolto Vive
!. Gsse. Sburied alive nuns, as they are
Acalled insFlorence, where woman once
scattering, never sees a member of her
family, or receives letter from any one,
again.
One was brought to me to show her
beautiful copying both Arabic and Cop
tic. The latter did not understand.
nor did she, except that she knew the
letters, and could repeat the words by
rote of some of the prayers; but as
language she knew nothing of it. Very
few indeed, even of the higher clergy
understand COptic now. The Arabic I
could appreciate, for it was so clear it
was as easy as print to read. instead of
being, like, the common writing,
quite unintelligible to me- Inever saw
such copying-so clean, and even, and
faultiess in every way. The writer was
pleasant looking woman of about five
and thirty, OF perhaps less; she was
mildly vain of her talent, the Raysa and
the rest much more so, anG they showed
thick volumes bound in calf, with curl
GUS leather thongs made like clasps, and
written on vellum paper, with genuine
pride and delight
After partaking of their hospitality in
the shape of sherbet made from orange
flowers, we sat down together, and had
good deal of friendly conversation. I
spoke OF the preciousness of the gospel,
and they then showed me Bible, an / a
couple OF portious, consisting of the
four Gospels, also separate Gospel of
st. Matthew.-A L. Whalley, in the
Qusuer.
Fashion Notes.
Chenille frinuoo rop,o;r ,>on,,lo.