Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-10-07

directly evil. Indeed, l do no, hesitate
20 scy tnst l believe thet great harm caL
| De done TO the morals of community by
pointing out with too scrupu!ous exact.
ness the wickedDess which might be
squ2tz ID out Of this or that condition OF
being; and while innocence does not a.
! wsYg follow ignorance, there Is no gres,
| good to be accomplished by searching
into human notice with electric light OF
analysis j1st to fad out IL possible
something hiss not escaped the moralist's
Schlpel.
Apropos Ct the decollete dress, 1t mus,
be said, that the custom, undoubtedly, is
one which will remain in force, In spite OF
carping; for every lsdy knows that h3r
delicate silks snd lsces are rendered fer
more becoming by the exposure Of q
beautiful throat and neck. Thst line CT
beauty which connects the head and neck,
the poise CT {. delicate throat rising from
out the plump skspeliu3ss CT well turned
flesh, is one lich both sculptures and
painters love 10 dwell upon for Its intrin-
sic xquisi.eness-apart from any thought
OF modes.y or tmmodesty.
Again, speaking personally, an COM
PEELED to admit that uncovering the neck
eny significance beyond that Of the oesuty
OF the classical structure; CT the delight
IN the fsir snd cleaning texture CT fine
fl ;eh. sm inclined to believe with the
natives VINO veil their women, that the
mifc lief ia done for evil minds when eyes
capable Of every grade CT sensual snd
sensuous expression, and mouths, sus-
ceptible OF the most voiuptuous suggss-
tivenees are exposed.
The purity to the human family depends
less, however, upon what we cover CT
uncover Of the material body than upon
the gsr6 Of the mind which animstes it.
A rela.iTe OF my OWE. lady OF the IT.
most refinement OF ealing, told ma inst g
years travel in Oriental countries and in
the lsrGs Of exposure, entirely changed
her views upon the question of the IN
stiuCtiva morality Of the human race. Sic
did not hesitate TO state her belief that
too puch significance wse attached to
covering for the material cody; nor 20
say that so far as her observation Led TO
conclusion, 1t wGs ell in favor Of less,
isstead CT more clothing in the interests
Of morality.
1 SIN On instructive believer in the viz
tue CT the human hesTt. l have never
learned to regard my fellow creatures
with suspicion, nor to feel shocked 81
their little vsnities-not even ct the pi,
quaint appreciation for the grace OF decol-
lete dress as it is worn By my eoclety
friends, who wear il as matter oi
course.
I. must be remembered that there Was
no sin In Eden until self consciousness
crept within that blissful spot.
IKm not ready to sdmit that We are
under any Immediate moral necessity for
tnveatiag additional laws OF civilization
which shall increase the number and sense
OF our neral infrmities.
AS Lawmakers we have a!l CT the vital
sccisl problems which we Can at present
handle, and for one am in favor Of let
ting the decollete dress slone until we
hnye settled some other questions OF
greater importance. II is not even YER
ifcstion CT the axiom that to the pure il
hesrt sll things aye pure; It is the immu-
table fact that there is absolutely no sig
rifcance OF in Immoral or damaging
character in&he custom, to those who
most pract.te l., that irhusncss me to
Say that l believe il would, be far batter
Tor NE to cease criticism CT the fashion
for the presert-Snd this is the only
answer that hava low or hereafter for
s large number CT iaquirers; snd 1 ask
ttst the distinction which have
nsmed shall be remembered-the
d. ference between the women who wasr
the dress as matter of course, ss
hey wear fine Jewels aud costly rainent,
because born 10 Il, snd knowing nothing
else-snd the class who would be CON-
PEELED to deliberately put aside the edu-
cstion OF pref 1dice. snd G sease CT shsme.
With ere clsEs there is thing llnmorsl
in exposuIe-while with the other there is
the most authoritative ressonfor covering.
But neither class presses 60 closely
upon the other in the social world that
there need be sn issue raised between
then.