St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-18
LIVING FOR SHOW.
Pointed Remarks by Rev. Scuddt
on Fashionable FOiIies.

the First Congregational church, East Side.
The subject was, Living for Show; or,
The Evils Of Dress" Text, Matthew vi,
81: ''Wherewithal shall we be clothed?"
The speaker remarked that this question
had troubled the world from the time the
human race began to wear clothing even
to the present hour. Adam was perplexed
about it, and answered it in his primitive
way by sewing fig leaves together, and we
at this end Of the race are so troubled about
il that it has become one of the leading
questions of civilization. Clothing often
costs more in family than food, rent or
fuel. On this universal want are built
most manufactures of textile fabrics; on il
stand these immense downtown clothing
houses, where coats and pantaloonS are
piled up in rows towards the ceiling
and remind US of miniature mountain
ranges. No incOnsiderable portion
of trade and manufacture depends
upon this general want Man scours
the earth in search of material to cover and
beautifv himself. The sheep must give its
wool, the OK its hide, the ostrich its feathers,
the worm its cocoon, the flax its sinew. the
cotton its blossom, and so on, ad infinitum,
to supply this myriad sided desire of man
and woman for that which shall decorate
the body. Mother Earth turns her pockets
inside out for her children, and old Nep-
tune delivers up the rich treasures of the
deep without word of complaint.
THE USES OF DRESS
are two-fold. First. to cover the body and
keep it warm. Man is unlike other ami
mails. What nature does for them he must
do for himself. In winter the bird can fly
away, and the horse throw out an OvercOat
1flengthened hair to protect himself against
l>,,N IL.
for man. He must jump into the skins Of
other animals or adjust himself to his frigid
surroundings by artificial means.
Another valid reason for dress is that in
dividuals thereby may improve their looks
and make them presentable. Some few
fortunate ones possess beauty that is indie
pendent of auXiliarieS, but most of us can
not lay claim to this beauty unadOmed.
Our beauty must be prOpped up by
ingenious devices and decorative art. I'm
projections of form or feature must be dis
guised. Thus humanity appears better and
makes the rest of humanity feel better.
But there are many abuses of dress, among
which may be mentioned the opportunity it
provides for the exhibition of vanity.
characterization should never run into OSten-
tation or the advertisement of ones wealth.
This is vulgar. Many a woman takes keen
fashions loading herself with jewelry. and
parading in public to secure admiration. If
any of her acquaintance feel themselves
eclipsed by her gaudY attire. and are excl, ed
to envy, the deeper is her qualification.
Gay society sometimes reminds one of fleet
of yachts on gala day, each Yying with
the other to see how much canvass IL can
spread. A husband once upbraided his
wife for dressing too well. and told her she
need not dress to please the men, now that
she was married. 81 don't dress
to please the men," she replied,
''but to worry other women"
She was more candid than Christian.
Some women are not satisfied unless they
carry several thousand dollars upon their
backs and around their necks and ears. In
dress they live and move and have their
being. Sometimes they
LOSE THEIR PERSONALITY
in the richness of their wrappings People
behold the exquisite frame and almost for
get to look at the picture. The shell APP
pears more valuable than the kernel. There
is a deal of this eXtravagant expenditure in
America 1t might better be converted into
clothing for the poor and shoes for little
frost-bitten feet. Nine. Pompadour owned
a fan that cost $50, 900, and nine years
were employed in its construction. The
Empress Eugene had her dresses fringed
with diamonds, and covered them with lace
valued at $1,000 a yard. Contrast these
French fiyaways with that solid, sterling
woman. Queen Victoria, who, though en-
press of the seas and holding a territory
upon which the sun in his course never
ceases to shine, dressed her children so sim
ply that when walking through Windsor
park they were frequently mistaken for the
lodgekeeper's daughters. Some people
are not eXtravagant, perhaps but are
to be criticised for their slavish ad-
herence to frivolous fashions. Think of
the time given to dressmakng in many
households, and what pinching and ecOno-
MIXING to keep in The latest fashions, no
matter if the family is half fed and the
house is cold, to save the expense. There
is great deal of this spectacular nom
sense in America; this living for show in
place of living for convenience and comfort
and what worriment and heartbunings ac-
company it! Many fashions are ridiculous
in themselves considered. Look for eX-
ample at these artificial hummOcks which
ladies have been wearing on the tip ends of
their shoulders during the last twelve
months. How ludicrOus and opposed TO all
taste! If the oracleS of fashion declare in
favor of
SLENDER WAISTS
multitudeS of our young women commence
a process of cutting themselves in two until
they acquire the authorized wasp-like
figures. If you should attempt to draw up
the girth of horse One-half so tight he
would manifest his displeasure with open
mouth and tell you he was not disposed TO
follow the custom of tight lacing. Worth,
the celebrated authority on style in Paris,
declares in favor of more simplicity in
dress, and advises every woman
to study herself and adhere to
that style which best suits her
face and figure. If women who are tired
and fashion ridden would be independent
and decline to follow the lead of some
European despot in matters of dress men
of sense would respect them. Another de-
plorable feature of dress is this. 1t is a
sort of passport into society, and he or she
who expects to obtain general recognition
is obliged, unfortunately, to be well dressed.
Such determinations against the Door who
cannot afford costly apparel is unjust and
cruel, and | sympathize with them with all
my heart, as they suffer under the smart of
this subtle wrong. Society ought to Judge
a man by what is in him and not by what
he carries on his back. How many young
women in order to provide themselves with
Suitable dppdI6l dlO oClhPOOu ihtO pdbuS OF
sin and shame? One part of society is con-
tlnually being
LED AsTRAY
because another part attaches such undue
importance to dress. Thank God. the Al
mighty Father does not judge men by their
external appearance, but by their heart;
not by what they have on, but by what they
have in. Behind many jaunty suit you
Thno al
would blush for him if they could;
while beneath many rusty. shabby