The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-09-05
BUSTING OF A BUSTLE.
A Lady knocked Down in Church by an
Explosion-A Suit for Damages.
from the San Francisco Examiner

(From the San Francisco ENamlner.)
Those persons who attended the read
ings of Charles Dickens, Jr., at the First
Congregational Church about two
months ago, will recall, when their
memory is refreshed, a peculiar and en-
barrassing accident that happened to a
lady who was present one evening.
Mr.. Dickens was delivering in his most
English style the story about DR.. Mari
gold, the philosophical 'eheap jack,
and had almost awakened feeling OF
interest in the minds of his audience.
A tall, finely formed lady, with pat
rician features and digni6ed gait, entered
by the left door about this time and
walked up the aisle. She was accomps-
MED by her husband, whose military
bearing added effect to the aristocratc
appearance of his better half.
On reaching seat few yards from
the platform she gave swing to her dress
as she attempted to sit down gracefully.
But her foot caught in the carpet and
she stumbled and fell heavily on the
seat.
AS she did so muhied report was
heard, and the lady was observed to
collapse with lurch. Her face turned
first deathly pale and them 8 carmine
hue, and she sprang to her feet IN great
confusion.
Mr.. Dickens stopped moment in his
! leading at the sound of the explosion,
| if such it was, and the finding that moth
ing serious had apparently happened,
| he continued his efforts. A litter, COM
| bined with broad smile, however, pass
ed from one to another of those who
| OWNED the nature Of the trouble.
The husband, who possessed g mans
hardness and who could not sympathize
with woman's chagrin and tender
| sensibility, clasped his arms around his
wife's waist as she arose, and told her
| not to look and act so fooGshly.
But the explosion of patent hustle Is
no small matter to lady, and although
she at length consented to stay, she eVi-
IDENTIFY felt III at ease al the evening. A
large shawl was thrown over her shoul-
ders to hide the bushes which even stole
around the back Of her neck.
It was an accident deserving Of the
most sympathetic consideration, but in
stead It received only ndicule.
No one dreamed that this story would
be the subject of civil suit, and as it
was not published at the time, through
sympathy with the lady, it was thought
by those present that it was lost on the
air.
Justice of the Peace Boland found
yesterday afternoon that this was not so,
when Mrs. Elsie Wilkins was sued by
Miss Margaret Towan to recover $40 in
the Justices Court, on account Of goods
supplied and work and labor performed.
Mrs. Wilkins was the wearer of the
hustle and Miss Towsn be- dressmaker.
Miss Towan took tie stand, end said:
ssThe defendant ordered me to make a
dress for hc1, which must be 8 perfect
6t. She purchased the rich, dark brown
natarial, so was to charge $20 for my
lIabor and hustle. ! took exceptional
1 pains TO fit her, but It seems to me that
she varies in size from day to day, and re-
quires an alteration OF her dress after
every meal, as she expands and contrsottS
considerably.
Gas to the hustle, I would say that I
am the agent OF importers of the hustle
in Chicago. I only give the printed
guarantee of the firm and csuion to
purchasers. I hear that the hustle burst
when the Lady sat down In church, and
she was so enraged that she refused to
pay my bill, but I can swear that I told
her what the consequences would be if
she were not careful in sitting down"
ssDo you maintain that the shrt. of the
dress fitted Mrs. Wilkns?" queried
Attorney W. W. Matthews.
etI do, sir"
esDon't you know that it was discarded
after the first night?"
'There was no reason for it, if such
was the case. !"
ssWhat kind of hustle was this?"
/ cit Was in shape Of cross between 8
football and a brdcsge. The outer cover
ing was of rubber, and by means of a
screw in the Hghthsnd corner it could
be opened, then inflated by using tube
that accompanies it; then the oriice
could be closed and the hustle made
air-ight. This style is called The
Eclipse, and for grace and comfort it
ecEpses all the other protuberances msde
of wire or other materials"
The witness then procured similar
article to the one IN dispute, and it was
a source of amusement to his Honor and
the spectators present, while the ladies'
l slyly touched their cheeks with powder
rags to hide their bushes.
May Gilbert, prize beauty in cream
eoAored dress, said she was one of Miss
Towan's assistants, and could swear that
/ no special guarantee was made that the
hustle would not explode under any
circumstances.
Patrick Duffy said he found the re-
mains Of what he thought was a toy
balloon when he swept out the church
! next morning but it proved, however, to
be the corpse of the hustle.
Mrs. Wilkins then retired into the
Judges chambers, and resppeared in a
few minutes wearing the dress in ques-
Gon.
She ssid it was too tight across the
hips and impeded her progress in walk
ing. When she tried to sit down the
tension was too great and the dress
improver accordingly burst. The plaintiff
had extolled the merits Of s'The Eclipse"
and guaranteed that there would be no
danger. of any such distressing predics-
ment as that in which she had been SUBJ
sequently placed.
The case being submitted, Justice
Boland closely inspected the dress and