Daily Republican., 1889-04-06

The main consideration that should in
huenee ohe IN determining q question OF
dress Is suitability.
This should be consulted by every
woman, whether rich or poor, aud Ia rs
Binding upon the fashionable lady Whose
yearly dre-smAking aud millinery bills
| rarely all short Of three figures, Us UPON
the shop-Etr or domestic servant whose
annual income hardly equals the sum my
lady expcn1s upon one OF her Partisan
costumes.
just here. however. IL where the STUN
bling biloxi Hes. The struggle after
equality which Is y prime characteristic
OF cial lie, aud which consists, he |
remarked, In seeking to rise 10 Level
with the highes. clssssq, ard not III con-
seniing TO acknowledge comrahfship with
those OF the so.callsd over ranks--ths
anguish Of endeavor to prove that every
ono is ut least Is IS good as her eshbor,
il not better, crystalizes into tangible
form IN the dress problem.
Here Il something the Aspirant can lay
hold 0t. She may envy, without under
standing or striving to attain, the high
bred case, the diepiied composurc, the
kindly courtesy, that mark the true gen
| tlewomaB.
She can grasp and comprehend the fact
| iiah hlt lAbfI hifhaEN WIN IlEAlltAh anu
taste, aud, taking this outward and visi-
bic ,ign OF an inward and spiritual gr.ce
for the grace itself. the climber near tho
bottom of the social ladder Jumps to the
conclusion that like habilim.uts would
MAKE her like woman.
She cannot hope TO purchase real seal
skins and sables, to clothe hertelf in vel
vet at thirty shillings yard, or silks and
satins Of the richest quality. but she docs
her INSTRUCTED best, poor tbingl
She dcprives herself of needed fiannels
and decent iootgear, snd purchases with
the money thus saved cheap materials
and limitations of the goods she has seen
worn by madam.
Arrayed in these, over her ragged and
insufficient urderc hing, she goes on
her Sunday outing, trying to fattcr her
self Into foTgetialuoss OF her depleted
purse and imperlectiy prot cted chest
and feet by the reflection that she looks
nearly or quite Ms fine as any of the
wealthy promenadcrs over on "the ave
nue."
The duty OF the working girl In adapt
ing her clothing TO the position She holds
and TO the amount of money she carne
has been pointed out again and again by
social performers who have the real good
of the struggling toiler at heart.
In rare Instances some one of the
wage-earners may be found who has sut-
ticient common sense to Sc the iltuess OF
things and to comprehend that she does
not imply personal infrriority when she
dresses in style suitable to her work
and her pocket.
But IN the majority Of the cases the
mighty influence OF example wields moe
power than all he words OF aumon ition,
and the girl who views enyiUusIy the
superbly-dressed woman she serves from
behind the counter has all the good pre-
cepis concerning suitability swept away
by the rush of desire To initiate, even II
afar of, the costumes that I'LL her soul
with admiration.
Following the principle, therefore, of
bearing one another burdens, the ques-
ton of responsibility is thus, II not en-
rely trans erred, at least partially
shifted to the shoulders of those TO whom
| the cost of dressing Is far lighter con-
sidcratIon than 1t is TO their poorer sister.
And yet, what can one dot is the query.
Because they are virtuOus, shall there
be no more cakes and alo'
Does the principle of avoiding giving
the weaker brother occasion to stumble
carry one so far as that.
This IL not a matter upon which we can
speak hastily and decide for the whole by
an indy dual opinion. l. CHI one must
resolve for herseli how far her own per-
| sonal accouptableness extends.