The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1886-06-04
JUDGED BY THE COLORS.
HOW THE LADIES OF ST. PAUL
SELECT THEIR FOOT-GEAR.

What Glasses Wear Striped and Solid
Colored Hosiery-Red Color That In
dieates a Fiery Disposition-Black the
Proper Thing-Pure White.
stockings an indication of character?"
'epeated the clerk in charge of the hosiery
department. OF a prominent dry-goods
htore, as he folded beautiful pair Of blue
silk hose and replaced them in a box.
Eyes, think that the color, the texture,
and in fact the lady's conduct while max
ing selection of foot covering enable
the observing clerk to judge a good deal
of her character, and even if she is per-
feet stranger and her name and residence
are unknown quantities. have tried my
hand at guessing in that way, and when
ever the stranger has become regular Gus
toner, thus giving me chance to discover
the truth or falsity of my prediction, have
found that have judged her correctly. l
knew a clerk in an extensive New York
establishment, which dealt largely in hos
iery, who had an elaborated theory on the
subject, and in number of cases, which
came under our knowledge in connection
with the published testimony in subse-
quent divorce preceding, he came mighty
hSdL 1CCldIlS lHSlI W q luC
point.
UGLY AND INAPPROPRIATE Fo0T-GEAR.
"For instance, he maintained that no re-
fined woman, no woman with perfect
taste, would ever make barber shop sign
sign of herself by wearing striped stock
ings. He held that female with striking
costume, a display of cheap jewelry, and
living, walking illustration of inhar-
monious combinations of colors was the
only respectable being who ever called for
barber stockings He excused her on the
ground that she knew no better. Ignor-
ance, he said, was the ruly reason why
young girls and country maidens called
for such ugly and inappropriate foot-gear.
am thoroughly convinced that his theory
was correct, as have yet to receive a call
for such striped stockings from ST. Paul
woman, old or young, whom l. know to
have leading position in social circles.
They are worn great deal by little girls,
but with children the demand is for the
smallest kind of a stripe. Blue and white
or black and white are the reigning COM
binations of color. They want as
near the neutral tint as posi-
BILE, for the less conspicuous an article is
as to color the more desirable. The striped
stockings are in great favor with the few
Indian girls who chance to visit the store.
They want the red and white or some other
flaring colors, and the stripes are never too
broad to suit them. Next to the Indians
come the darkies. The colored women like
snowy stockings. The foreigners are next.
So that we get rid of all such stuff between
the Indians, negroes, and the domestics OF
foreign birth Or'extraction.
This experienced friend of mine had a
theory that woman who would wear red
stockings from choice was aperson blessed
with more than her share of temper. Bru-
nettes are more likely to prefer that color
than blondes and brunettes as rule are
higher tempered than their paler sisters.
But when blonde calls for that she is hot
tempered. We had this proved to our en-
tire satisfaction. A blonde customer in
New York invariably called for red. In
subsequent divorce trial her husband tes-
titled that she was perfect demon when
she got mad, and trities were enough to
get her mad. She chased him out of the
house with butcher knife and made mar
ried life unbearable.
A SAVAGE TASTE AND DISPOSITION.
II will never risk my life with woman
who has partiality for red-it shows
savage taste and is generally coupled with
savage disposition. Now blue and gray
are great improvements ON red. They are
more subdued. They show that their
owner is of a refined character and likes
not display. But far above them, as
they are elevated above the barber-pole
stockings, are the solid black hose. They
are always elegant and appropriate. AS a
rule the prettiest girls with the prettiest
figures take black. This is the latest craze.
A short time ago the solid colors were all
popular, but now black is. the leading fa-
vorite. It's all nonsense to talk about in
tellectual girls preferring blue stockings.
"When female calls for white stock
ings it is safe to say that she is either an
old widow or an old maid, who don't ex-
pect to get married. They are per-
fectly reckless, and don't care. I
always feel sorry for woman
who wants that kind of hosiery.
OF course it is only matter of few years
since white was the prevailing color. 1t
changed, and now no one thinks of getting
pure white except those who are looking
for bargain or women who don't care
for fashion Even bride don't get pure
white hose. She wants a tint of some kind
and she gets it, if we have to send to New
York for it. Future brides are the most
particular customers who visit Il dry
goods store. Nothing is ever good enough
for them. They get over that feeling after
they have been married a few years, and
are less particular. l don't blame 'em a
bit, for everybody helps to make 'em fool
ish. They don't have a female acquaint-
ance who wouldn't leave anything to go
down town and buy or match something
for bride-elect. After the ceremony
these brides have to do their own shop
ping."-St Paul Pioneer Press.