The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-17
THE MATTER OF DRESS.
Its Effects on the Happiness of Woman
Facts to be Pondered by Husbands.
From the Greenvillc News.

eiCll OllleI lol S''ilIe" uclc Il'ili SiA
thousand to sixty thousand years and
they do not understand each ether
unto this day. Many Il man who every
day of his life yields to some tcHnPta
ton of taste or appetite that he km""S
he cannot honestly afford bian"s wo-
men savagely for cNtravaganrv"f'irt$S:
and on the other hand women WHO
spend for something 70 nut nn money
they know in the depths of their hearts
they should not spend, can find n"ex-
cuses for men who fall in Stress o.
temptation from something appealing
to their pet weakness. Then, again,
men ard women do not give each other
the credit deserved for self denial.
Every day that comes in every part
of the world is filled with little strug-
giles IN the hearts of men and women
too-struggles between strong inciina-
ton and strong sense OF duty, between
nature and conscience, seltishncss and
generosity. Thank Heaven, the better
qualities win in the vast majority of
cases. The men who yield to their
passions, appetites and instincts 50 far
as to stint their families are the eNccp-
tions; the men who work hard ana
patiently and devote what they earn
for the comfort and happiness Of those
dependent on them form the greater
and the respectable class Of every COM
munity. But for all that, the woman's
triumph over herself is most frequent.
The man who deprives wife and child
ren for his own qualification is the cX-
ception, but we find him scattered
everywhere; the woman who know
ingly and habitually gratifies her in
stincts and tastes at the cost of bus
band and children is very, very rare.
But nearly every woman learns self
sacrifice until it becomes the habit and
instinct OF her life.
It is serious business with woman
this matter Of dress. We do otsuppose
any man can ever appreciate the real
heart pang there is for wife or sister in
relinQuishing some cherished little van
ity, some long desired little gew-gaw;
or the real heart string there is in hav-
ing to 60 shabby when other women
are blooming out in the glories Of the
newest styles and the latest fabrics.
Yet the pang and the sting are accepted
every day, every hour, with a little
half sigh that inadequately tells the
woe Of the tender heart it comes from:
and patient fingers are once more put
to work to turn and twist and struggle
with that weary problem of making
old new, producing something from
nothing, trying to make cents count
for dollars.
There is nothing more pathetic, be-
cause there is nothing more unnatural,
than the woman who has reached the
condition Of not caring how she looks
or what she has on. They are, fortu-
nately, very few. When we do see
them they always remind us of the
poor flowers of late autumn, with
leaves and petals beaten from them by
the cold rain and withered by frost.
There must be long, long chilling and
weary, stormy beating of adversely
and sorrow to drive from w0man's
heart the desire to be attractive and
we'll dressed and the interest in skirts
and bonnets aud ribbons and fashion
plates and such matters. To the con-
trary, it is pleasant to see old women
retain proper and decorous interest in
the things that delighted their youth
to have them Smarten up on occasions
and make the best Of what the years
have left them and give evidence of
having spent reasonable time before
their mirrors and taken good heed to
habiliment and head gear. We like to
see the poorest and loveliest Of woman
come out with something in the shape
of decoration even if it lie but the
tiniest and cheapest b.t of ribben at
| throat or waist or head. 1t is the visi-
BILE sign that poverty and hardship
have not crushed the womanly spirit
and instinct from them, and good evil
dence that there is in their homes at
least all occasional gleam of life and
hope and brightness.
The mother who can appear with
children we'll and comfortably clad,
with the household provided for and
with a new Easter suit satisfactory to
herself in material, cut, finish and
trimming-she is a thing for all be-
holders to rejoice in and sympathize
with, for all hearts which love wO-
manly woman are glad in the re.
wards Of virtue to warm to. We dc
not mean the very rich. 1t is doubtful
if they ever get the full measure OF
happiness from dressing, however fine
it may be. The real, honest, heart.
filling triumph is that of the woman
who has waited and relinquished hel
pet ambition and watched it alternate
ly advance and recede with the rising
and falling of the domestic financia
tide-who has had it torn away wher
almost within her grasp by suddel
epidemic of toeless shoes; who has beel
reduced almost to despair by dsma
reports from business; who has had the
vision to fade behind the cloud of al
abnormal grocery bill; who has at last
after everything else and everybody
else has been cared for, by dint OF con
trivance and anxious study, and mucl
sallying forth and consultation-bN
close watching Of advertisements ant