The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-10-09
LATEST FAD OF NEW YORK.
"sAB's" KEEN EYE IN a LARGE CITY.
The Works of the Man Who viii BE the
Social Craze-WOmen's Fall Styles
Flannel Petticoats and the Styl-
isH Macdun Plaid, Etc.

sweet woman, the very nasty plays that
were written by Ibsen are being discussed,
approved, or opposed, his opinions thought
worthy consideration, and his motives
wondered at and their worth or lack of it
made meat for many luncheon.
The question as to whether any good is
gained by making vice familiar to US, is
one that has and always will be counted
of great import; for myself, l am bitterly
opposed to the free discussion of things
not usually talked about. do not see that
any good is gained by it, and great deal of
evil results when young women
are allowed to speak of what
their grandmothers did not know
existed and speak having authority. Ibsen
may be sincere in his desire to purify
the world, but if he begun this and sue
ceeded in it in his own special village, he
would have done better work than Civ
ing to the civilized world plays that are
nasty in wording and in subject. The
DOLLS House" which treats OF the evils
of marriage, owed it's success in London
to the wonderful acting of Miss Achurch,
who depicted the frivolous Nora with con-
summate skill, but even she could not
save the play. The "Pillars OF Society,""
to be brought out at the Madison Square
later in the season, is the best and clean
est of the Ibsen dramas. 1t deals with
the sins of hypocrisy, lying and selfish
ness-sins that are, however, not peculiar
to what we call society. That this play
will appeal to certain cultured class can
not be doubted, but that it will not touch
the heart, as does many a less we'll
wrought-out one, is certain.
Ibsen's people do not seem real-they
talk well enough, but they are not human,
and his women are especially unlnterest-
ing. This is all the more curious, because
he believes, or says he does. that women
are the real pillars OF society. Anybody
at all familiar with the plays of the younger
Dumas, those dealing with important
social questions, will simply be disguised
with Ibsen: the Frenchman sees an ulcer
that is growing larger every day, and like
a skilled physician, he takes his finest
lancet and cuts it out Clearly, exactly, and
perfectly. The Norwegian sees the same
ulcer fostering in the human body, and
with the roughness of day laborer, takes
spade and attempts to dig it out, throw
ing up in the air meanwhile the horrible
pieces of fostering flesh. 1t is not good
work, and it will not appeal to the public
as such.
Who is pillar OF society? I'll give you
typical one. The society consists of a
few dowagers, of young people who want
to meet each other, OF actors who are not
on the road this season, of musicians
young enough to believe that some cachet
is gotten at her receptions, OF cranks on
the subject of health, dress and elocution.
She is old-old enough to know better ;
h,,N it'll har Tsr-f1o hoa 10 no
much of a habit that she never expects to
die. Her white hairs are not crown Of
glory TO her, but rather, like a straw
crown, they point moral and adorn a
proverb-that is, that old fools are the
worst She goes to church with unceasing
regularity. She teaches in Sunday-school,
and she gives the orphans treat of ice
cream and cake once year, which is sup
posed to satisfy all the internal cravings
they may have.
From her drawing-room emanates scan
dial, inasmuch as woman she dlsllkes has
her character torn TO bits and her ability
questioned She cultivates some society
reporters and her name gets into the
papers. and people believe that Mrs
Getthere's receptions really amount to
something. She poses as being highly
moral, and yet if Mr.. Ibsen's spade were
taken to clean out her drawing-room, she
would at least affect amazement when she
found out who some of her companions
were Her charity is talked of. but it is
not the charity that begins at home !;
it never enters there; home charities are
not sufficiently advertised to be of any i'm
portance to this self-constituted pillar of
society. A hypocrite to herself, laugh
ing-stock to the world, standing on the
edge of the grave she lacks that which
her church teaches before everything else
charity in word to her neighbor. But
even the description of her leaves bad
taste in ones mouth, and makes one want
TO get down and thank heaven that after
all, it's the great healthy minded healthy
bodied middle class who form society," and
who could never be deceived into resting
on a pillar so weak and made of such poor
materials as this.
The day of the flannel petticoat is at
hand. 1t would seem as if this article OF
use had always been in vogue, and so it
has, but it lacked the sweetness and light
that characterizes it just now. The fam
| mel petticoat of DID, which does not neces-
sarily mean the old flannel petticoat, was
bought without any thought of beauty or
sweetness, but from the stern standpoint
| of comfort. If we did not know We we're
the apotheosis OF the flannel petticoat
| would prove it. In the beginning it was of
white flannel gathered around a muslin
| band, with big button at the back, that
always showed, by its strong imprint,
| through your bodice that it was there; the
/ skirt proper usually had acluster of heavy
/ tucks and hem, unless, indeed, you were
| going to get married or expected fire in
the house, and then it was embroidered
with white floss.
An investigation proves that the favored
design was one of punches Of grapes-if
you have an analytical mind you can de-
vote it to this question. Why grapes on
| flannel petticoats? 1t will be much safer
/ study for you than that of labor, or strikes,
or the status of the workingwomen, and
a thousand times more difficult to solve.
| The flannel petticoat OF to-day is of two
colors, differing in that respect from the
famous coat belonging to Joseph. You are
out of the swim, from the standpoint OF
| the LINGERIE, unless your flannel Is of glow
| ing scarlet, or a somber black. 1t is OF
flannel finished as finely as broadcloth,
and is mounted on yoke of silk, faced
with ribbon of satin and edged with full
pleating or frill of lace. The black is all
! black. or, as the shopkeeper will tell you,
'monochromatic" The red forms dia-
boic combination by its facings of black
satin and its frivols of black lace. "Dia-
! bolic'' is not meant to be in any sense
| derogatory to the dignity of the flannel
4 = u -.