The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-07-12
FASHION A HARD MISTRESS.

YOn Must Always i;e Loarnin: New Parts.
Like the Actresses on the Stage.
You may think it an easy thing
to be fashionable girl, commented
one of them recently, but can as
aarr you IL Is I, GREATNESS ,,;hich has its
penalties. Fashion is memorable and
omnipresent. There is a rule for al
most every moment of existence a la
mode.
Take the afternoon drive, for in
stance, The fashionable girl conforms
constantly to accepted customs in such
exercise. Having taken her position
and adjusted her toilet with great care,
she tilts her parasol at the proper angle
and is driven off. This attitude of
studied languor must not be disturbed.
1t is not good form to turn your head
or look about you ell route. y runa-
way dashlng by your carriage would
hardly justify look behind. StitIly
stolid is the watch word of polite So
ciety OH wheels. and the fashionable
coachman ably aids and abcts his mis-
tress to preserve the corrcc! dcmeanor.
When she has driven enough touch
OF her carriage bell signifies her desire
to return, whcreupon the statue on the
box holds his whip straight up like a
musket and wheels his horses about,
levcling the lash again when they
are headed homeward.
"And of course there lisa fashionable
way to leave the carriage. You must
never lean forward, getting your head
out first The properly trained wo-
man retains her scat till one foot is
above the carriage step, then, slightly
rising, sinks her weight upon it and
glides easily and gracefully to the
curb.
And besides the fixed laws" went
on the tailor made, there are thou.
sand and one little ways to do things,
from thrustinG your gloves into your
glass at dinner when you don't want
wine to using your lorgnette with just
the proper ease when you are not Il bit
nearsighted, which change constantly.
The fashionable walk is different every
season. | can tell in moment Just
how much Il girl is in the swim by
her gait. You remember the Alex
andra limp of n few seasons ago2
was not out then, but know my elder
sister had one of her boot heels made
considerably higher than the other to
give her the proper lop as she stepped.
There is varying and distinct fash
able intonation to your voice, the way
you carry your mutt, your parasol, or
your umbrella, the tilt of the head in
recognizing an acqlaintanco-why, |
believe there is Il fashionable way to
sleep:
You wouldn't believe it, but this"
and ono pretty plump hand crept lit
tie up the forearm of its fellow,
hiding the tips of the tapering fingers
under the lace of the slightly flowing
sleeve, Just now is the swell way to
hold your hands while talking, you
know, and they are ungloved. 4 little
while ago we clasped them loosely in
our laps Ia Evangeline, and q little
before that it was swell to finger one
button OF your corsage with tho left
hand
You would be surprised, too, at the
way these little caprices are started.
Not long ago half the girls at the
opera Wero holding one hand, the
right, up to their heads as if to Shade
thclreycs. That came about in this
wise. a rich girl and quite a leader
has II defective right hand. She was
injured when child. Ungloved she
always keeps her hand out of sight;
but gloved the defect is not only hid
den, but rather heightens tho slim,
pretty look, and she used to sit in her
box at the opera with her hand on ex-
hibition up, lightly touching her fore
head, Other girls discovered and imi-
tated her example, and soon it was a
widespread custom. Oh, wo really are
.dreadfully absurd-but then we are
fashionable.
what is really cxhausting, how
ever, is what | call the mental fash
ion. Such belong to the changcable
ones, too. Fashionable knowledge is
quite unlike any other-don't smile,
please-it is so spasmodic. Sometimes
it is art that you have to know all
about, or enough about to conceal your
ignorance; sometimes it is orchids;
sometimes it is old bronzes; ALWAYS
something different. You have to
skim through the last novel; be up in
every fresh collection of paintings ex-
hibited. Oh, tell you it is fatiguing to
keep up with the procession. New
York Sun.