National Republican., 1886-10-04
Pacific COAST WOMEN.
They Grow to Largo size and Dress
EXpensiyeIy.


They Grow to Largo size and Dress
EXpensiveiy.
Letter In Cleveland Leadcr; A feature OF
Pacific coast life which impresses every
stranger who spends much time there s;the
great number of large women to be
seen. have remarked the fact every
where, from Los Angeles to British Column
bia. A woman with immense circumfer-
encc is rare sight In the east, but here
they are us humorous as the mountains.
''Iiow do account for itpn | don't ac-
count for it, any more than l account for
the prOdigious squashes produced,
or for the sweet potato, four feet
long, which | saw the other day.
Climate may have some iufuence, Just how
one is puzzled to tell, unless the braclng
air Induces n ravenous appetite. But here
we must not forget that the very task OF
digesting an undue amount Of food some-
times keeps person thin. The free and
constani.partaking Of fruit may tend to the
undesirable result. An inert life, too lit
tie vigorous exercise may take hand In
the work. But suspect that in some cases
wine and beer may be held accountable for
this excessive physical development. A
vast number OF women on the coast use
these beverages habitually, and they are
not all German and French women by any
means.
The number Of Jewish women Of i'm
moderate size is especially noticeable. AS
class, the Hebrew people Of the coast are
prosperous people and are good livers.
Many of the women, having no lack OF
means, take life easily, are much in the
open air, and spend hours In lively chat and
in light employments. They dress richly
and expensively, and the matronly portion
Of them not tastefully. One can pick ont
the Jewish married women on the street,
not less quickly by the materials and the
styles Of their costumes than by their
features, which certainly are unmlstakable,
nine cases out OF ten. They are fond OF jet
and lace, OF silk and velvet, aud wear a
prolusion of trimmings. But
neat fitting, which lends charm
to the cheapest material, ls usually conspic-
uous by its absence In their costumes Aud
the Hebrew woman is not more trim In her
bearing than In her attire. Many OF them
lack the snug, compact carriage so pleas
ant to see on the street. They get along
over the ground as though II required an
eff Tort to move the body, as with most OF
them II must, These criticisms are not ap-
pllcahle 10 all the married womsn OF tn 1t
race. They are, however, true of many.
But In the case Of the young Jewish
women they fail to apply, Their figures
are more shapely.
After some experience In observing
women OF different nationalities Ia a very
heterogeneous population like that OF San
Francisco, and, indeed, OF the entire Pacific
coast, one learns to recognize the race
characteristics Of each readily, until much
intermRrrying has obliterated the national
or race lines. The voice, accent, features,
and figure, the step, mien, choice OF colors,
and an idea OF the fitness, as evidenced In
dress and demeanOr, with some other
tokens, aid the student OF human nature In
making up his judgment In the case. Aud
everywhere the conviction is forced
upon him that the woman with good Amer
lean blood In her brains aud fair amount
OF mental culture is the one who embraces
within herself the completest catalogue OF
noble qualities. She Is the woman Of ready
resources, OF broad outlook upon the world
She Is the woman most awake TO the worlds
needs, and most capable Of doing woman's
part in supplying them. She Is the most
self'reliant and possesses the finest sympa-
thies. She knows herself as women Of
other countries do not know themselves
She does things