, 1889-05-11
FASHION A HARD MISTRESS.


You Must Always DO Learning New Parts.
Like the Actresses on tho Stage
you may think il an easy thing
TO DO n fashionable girl" commented
one Of them recently, but can as
sure you il is a greatness "hich has its
penalties. Fashion is memorable and
omnipresent There is n rule for al
most every moment of existence a Ia
mode.
Take the afternoon drive, for in.
stance. Tho fashionable girl conforms
constantly to accepted customs in such
exercise. Having taken her position
and adjusted her toilet with great care,
she tits 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 en- route. a runa-
way dashIng by your carriage would
hardly justify a look behind. Stitly
stolid is the watch word of polite so
ciety on wheels, and the fashionable
coachman ably aids and abets his mis-
tress TO preserve the correct demeanor.
When she has driven enough n touch
of her carriage bell signifies her desire
10 return, ~whereupon the statue on the
box holds his whip straight up like a
muskct and wheels his horses about,
lcvcling tho 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 Tho properly Trained wo-
man retains her scat till ono 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 arc a thou
sand and one little ways TO do things,
from thrusting your gloves into your
glass Mt dinner when you don't want
vino 10 using your ~lorgnette with just
the proper case when you are not a bit
nearsighted, which change constantly.
The fashionable walk is different every
season. | can tell in n moment Just
how much n girl is in the swim by
her gait You remember the Alex
andra limp of n few seasons ago7 i
vas not out then, but know my elder
sister had m OF her boot heels made
considerably higher than tho other to
give her the proper lop as she stepped.
There is n varying and distinct fash
able intonation TO your voice, the way
you carry your muff, your parasol, or
your umbrella, tho tilt of the head in
recognizing an acquaintance-why, /
believe there is n fashionable way TO
sleSePG won,5ot ho,to,o :, ,,,, ,n,.n
and one pretty plump hand crept a lit
tic up the forearm of its fellow,
hiding tho tips of the tapering fingers
Hplnp tbp lorn aF Tho 81 n.r,.-
sleeve, Just now is tho swell way 70
hold your hands while talking, you
know, and they are ungloved. 4 little
while ago We clasped them loosely in
our laps a Ia Evangeline, and n little
before that it was swell to finger m
button of your corsago with the left
hand.
You would be surprised, too, at the
way these little caprices arc started.
Not long ago half the girls Mt the
opera were holding one hand, the
right, up 10 their heads us if TO shade
their eyes. That came about in this
wise. A rich girl and quite q leader
has n defective right hand. She was
injured when q child. Ungloved she
always keeps her hand out of sight;
but gloved the defect is not only hid
den, but rather heightens the 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 n
widespread custom. Oh, we really are
dreadfully absurd-but then wo are
fashionable.
What is really e~xhausting, how
ever, is what l call the mental fash
ion. Such belong to the changeable
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 %orenough 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.n-New
York Sun.