Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-19

THEY LOOK WELL-TO-DOs
Another child that goes past in baby
carriage is asleep under maroon velvet
rug. its face shaded by a lace-covered
canopy.
There goes woman in dress OF navy
blue velvet with hat to match, and there
is another with one of those useless little
wraps Of silk and lace and beads. There
are dozens Of them glitteriDg in the sun,
and they are almost always worn over
costumes that are not at all charmed by
their presence.
Two little girls, eight or ten years old,
come out of a tenement-house. One
Of them is drawing on kid gloves, and
the other looks very bright and pleasing
in dress OF scarlet wool with velvet
trimmings. Here are two young wo-
men, one OF them smoothing down her
sIx-button kid gloves, and the other
smiling and happy in dark wool dress
that fits her as If it had been moulded to
her form.
THEY SOON LEARN RI.
Now and then a woman in slovenly,
unkep. dress sits on q doorstep sur
rounded by pale-faced, dirty children
hut she is the exception, and when she IS
seen her face. her manners. and her
speech all provo her to be n recent ar
rival. She usually appears to be Polish,
or Italian, or, very rarely, German, ana
she looks at you vacsntly if you speak
TO her in English or tells you in her own
language that she doesn't understand. A
few months more and she will begin TO
spruce up. and a year hence she will
come out in lace hat with red roses,
and beaded wrap, a silk dress, and KID
gloves, and join tho street throng with
the best OF them.
The bows and young men are az trim
and as prosperous looking rs the women.
They all wear light spung trousers, neat
cravats, modish shoes, and thin coats
and hats and waistcoats that would put
those Of Russell Sage to shame.
THEY WILL DRESS WE'LL.
Last winter college bred young wo-
man was investigating this region to see
what good she could do, and formed the
acquaintance of a tenementhouse glrl
who works IN a store for - week. One
day she found the shop-girl arraycd in q
new cloak for which she paid 500.
With another college-bred Young woman
she visited a club Of tenement house
girls through which philsnthrOpic per
son was trying to give them entertain
ment and instruction. The two college
women found themselves the poorest
dressed people there. In fact, they al
most felt shabby by the side of the fine
clothes the others wore.
1t has been the fashion in times past
TO explain extravagant and even de
cent-clothes upon working girls with
the sweeping charge Of immortality. But
that must Ice laid aside now along with
the rags and wretchedness that formerly
went with poverty. These girls are de
cent, respectable working women. Il
would not be possible for nine womer
out of every ten. Young and old, through
all the Tenth Ward, and every other 10
boring part OF the city as well, to traffic
their virtue for fine clothes. New ORR
is wicked. but not rs wicked as that.
ExTRAvAGANT But HONEST.
No, this eXtravagant dressing ID hon
estly earned and paid for.
How DO they do 1t
The question is a poser,
II puzzles everybody who has PAID
even the least attention to the life OF the
East Side
The poodle pay their rent-they would
be hustled ont on the Sidewalk IN shor
order if they didn't-thcy eat at less'
enough to keep them alive, they 80 &
balls in the winter and TO pic-nics and
chowder parties IN the summer, bat the
main part of their income IS put npor
their backs Every member Of the family
who can earn even quarter OF dollar a
day is set 10 work They live in wretched
quarters. they occupy just rs little space
as possible. IN order 10 reduce then
rent they scrimp and save in their table
expenses, and they economic AZ every
opportunity, and all for the sake OF
making stunning display Of clothes.
Then the instalment plan has inhamed
the desire for display and made eXtrava
gance easy. tits the era of cheap things
too. when not only imitation fnery but
really good fabrics can he bought at prices
50 tempting that these meagIe purse:
cannot withstand.
This extravaganza is increasing, too.
At least, so say those who have known
the East Side pretty well during the lss
three or four years. They say that TIN:
wish for fine clothes and the determine
ton to have them Is growing SO rapidly
that they can notice its increase from
wear to wear, almost from season to sea
son.
HAS JAMES GORDON BENNETT GONE 1C
RHABTOUM?
New York newspaperdOm and the great
clubs are excited over the latest new.
from Europe that James Gordon Ben
nett. the eccentric proprietor of the New
York Hraid, has gone to khartoum, The
capital of the Mshdi. He left Paris
three weeks AGO. went to Marsoiles
then 70 Alexandria, aud this week Is il
Cairo. Two stories have been cabico
over in explanation of this alngulai
Journey. One Is that at the Club Mere
ton in Paris one night, an organization
which resembles the famous Eccentric
Club OF Jules Verne in the character OF
many Of its members, an officer who had
seen seryicein the Egyptian army SAID that
il WAS impossible for any foreigner &c
enter hhartoum aud depart alive. A
discussion arose N which were cited the
many instances Of clever Europeans
who had disguised themselves, and II
this garb penetrated the most intolerant
and fanatic cities of the Moslem world.
1t eliminated when Bennett who was
taking IN active part in the conversation
declared that any one possessing sui
fcient brains and money could visit the
Mahdi and return unscathed and offered
a heavy wager that ho could himself dc
II within the period of SIX months. The
bet was promptly accepted and Bennett
accompanied 10y an intimate friend
started forthwith upon the hazardous
Journey.
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