Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-26
TOPICAL TALK.
"Hilda" Writes a Bright Letter of Espe-
cial Interest to Springfield
Ladies.
The rhestsr a Study for Dress-A
Crack At High Hats-"Mirror
Cardsr-Remarks on In
teresting Topics.

DEAR UNA:-From a tower one sees
everything in a far different way than
from the midst of a crowd. Do you re-
member what Hawthorne makes Marion
say, in the Marble Faun. to Hilda in her
tower-"What hermitage you have found
for yourself. You breathe sweet air above
all the evil scents Of Rome; and even so in
your maiden elevation you dwell above our
vanities and passions, our moral
DUST AND MUD,
with the doves and the angels for your
nearest neighbors." Ny neighbors are not
doves and angels probably, though the
sweet little children who look out of win
dows near my own may have the mission OF
the doves, and my sweet-tempered neigh
Dor may be an angel in disguise. and my
tower is not high enough to free me from
all moral dust and mud. (SOme one near
me suggests that, being made of dust, we
may have some of our own moral dust
and mud" always with US
This living out OF society and not being,
as some one has called il, in the SWIM" is
delightful TO be appreciated after a
hard experience Of meeting d hundred peo-
pie every day, and hearing as many differ
ent opinions on the same subject-and too
often on subject not worth an opinion.
What cheap coin passes current in this
touch and go" contact we ordinary NOR
tails have with each other. When will the
time come for people who are really de-
cided and sincere in their convictions to ex-
press themselves without fear OF being pro-
nounced cranks, or eccentric, at least.
That bright woman we met two years ago
at commencement was so short and jerky.
yes, almost rude in her expressions, that
the wit and wisdom she really possessed
were wholly lost on the rosebud girls of
our party. who trembled lest some of those
delightful college men" should mistake us
all for strOng-minded set of females. We
Older ones did enjoy her, you know.
The whole trouble with our friend was
that she had grown up among slow-witted
people, and had begun early to enjoy saying
all these bright speeches in q way to shock
She would have shocked them if she had
spoken. ever so gently such daring ideas
as some of hers would seem in such staid
decorOus society. There must be pioneers
to open the way to better fields in
SOCIETY LIFE
as to our new countries. To me, in my
tower, pioneering seems easy enough.
though weakly confess TO not being made
of such noble stuff, and when | have any
opinions TO express shall be sure that my
auditor knows a good opinion and enjoys it.
Fashion and its follies are so much better
studied from afar-one can be so much
more philosophical and entertaining when
| speaking of them. The people who make
up the audiences in our opera houses are
| fruitful subjects for study. l will not class
an audience in church under the same
head. for no one goes to church for other
examination than self-examination. and 1t
isn't fair to judge people in their humblest
state of mind any more than when in a
| brOken-down financial condition.
But from some Of our latest entertain
mentS in the opera houses such admirable
studies could be made of people and dresses.
Artistic costumes are coming to be the rule
rather than the exception in these shows
known in theatrical parlance as ''one-
night" stands-and the result will be Of the
! happiest nature. The pretty opera "Ermi-
| ME" could hardly be called a .'one-night
stand" affair, but we should all becume
more apprecative of beautiful dressing if
we could See and hear such
companies oftener More of the fol-
lies of fashion come from defec-
tive early education than from any innate
perverSiOn of the feminine sOul-and mas
culine soul, too. A wise Frenchman-it
ought to have been woman, but what can
you expect in country where the best
| dress-makerS are men-said once that
while English girls had the most beautiful
| faces, they wore the d0wdiest dresses in the
world. and always would until each one
! should have long mirror in her dressing
room and be able to study full-length effects
| as she did her face" So on the stage in
these DAYS of the modern society play, or
opera, we can almost ''see ourselves
AS OTHERS SEE U.s."
and can adapt and arrange many artistic eff
fectS almost instinctiyely after the eye has
become better trained as TO form and color
by familiarity with good. well-mounted
plays. 1t is 10 be hoped that our morals
are not being neglected by this new mode Of
| education. and as we usually find what we
seek in all such exhibitions. the pious edi-
tor of the Interior, in his abuse of the the
ater. may prove to be an incentive TO l.
for the good with the evil.
| If only the good taste could be cultivated
which would make the beautiful bonnets in
| tended for street visiting occasions seem as
i really intelligent as they are for theater
purposes, how thankful We would be. As
siX-O'clOck dinners indicate one kind Of
finer civilization, so does the lady who has
one dress for the house, another for the
street, one for the church, and another for
the theater, show higher degree of refine
ment and intelligence than the one who
gets something ''chic' and wears ii every
where until the newness is worn off, OF she
can afford another as stunning.
Speaking of mirrors reminds me that you
asked me for a copy of my mirror Card" ("
Mine is different from any have ever seen,
but If had room should adopt a sugges-
ton got not long ago. Clara is systematic
As ever, and now as she does her hair in the
morning she slips into cunning little re-
ceiver the card on which she has jOtted the
days duties. i think she has card for
each day in the week, with the routine
work at the beginning, and room for any
new order which may occur to her.
My mirror Card" is something | found
long ago written by Lillian Whiting and
has been of great help to me.
WHAT TO LEAVE OUT.
''lt is quite impossible to read everything,
to go everywhere, to see everybody, for all
Of which opportunities offer, without
losing, in this rush of life, the power to
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