The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-22

1uQ6 OF G0O60 WQOm 6OWeDOOy GIRLS INC O0-
veIoped women" confess to certain
weakness for the inconspicuous dress, SIM
pie draperies and quiet colors often oharac-
teristic of them.
wouldn't have altered, for instance, the
frocks of Miss Edwards. who lectured to US
on Egyptology all winter in plain silks ex-
uusite Of texture and unnistakably refined,
but costing evidently in the putting on or
taking off very little attention. Despite
the pronunciamento of those who hold that
the chief function of one sex is to adorn
itself, they appeared to me to be quite the
ideal gowns for busy woman.
Neither would alter the toilets of Miss
Frances Willard, who recognizes the policy
Of becoming dress and buys handsome cos
TUNES, when she gets any, but who grows
frequently 80 absorbed in her work that she
forgets her bonnet has been rained on and
her dress acquired wrinkle or two from
much travelling. We women have dress
preached at US in season and out of season.
If We forget 1t, that means we are in earnest,
and earnestness in almost any cause is re-
freshing.
I like the simple, dark. ell-shaped frocks
of Miss Grace Il. Dodge, costing little more
ing girls wife whom she spends 90 many
pleasant evenings. When the pretty club
parlors in Thirty eighth street are full to
OVERLOOKING, and "there's plenty of room,
girls, on the floor and the tables" how
could the smiling president take herself the
when the touched carpet that might pos
sibly be dusty?
The great majority of women writer's diff
fer very little in their outward appearance
from the average, intelligent, rather quiet
woman who goes into quiet society. Mrs.
Mary Mapes Dodge, the editor Of st. Nicho-
las, for example, wears close fitting, mat
roniy gowns of solid colored silks with re-
fined little bonnets. You would never spot
her for celebrity, but simply remark
that she was pleasant and at
tractive looking. So with Mrs.
Margaret E. Sangster, of Harper's Bazaar,
you altogether oblivious of her gracefully
fashioned black dress in contrast with her
fresh complexion and prenaturely whitened
hair. So with Olive Thorne Miller, the
bird lover, of whom you would note that
mature womanhood, straightforward and
sincere, long before it would OCCUR to you
to pay particular attention to her unobtru-
sive but elegant gown-if one may use with
its proper meaning word SO much abused
"a little open at the throat and decked
Lamb. the editor of the Magazine of Amer
lean History; SO with Miss Mary F. Sey-
mour, of the Business Woman's journal,
whose frank, alert countenance with its
bright eyes and rosy cheeks catches the at
tention much sooner than her trim little
lilac Or anything about her clothes;
SO with Mrs. Braeunlich, of the
Engineering and Mining Journal; SO with
Mrs. Grannis, of the Church Union; SO with
Mrs. Belts, of the Christian Union, who will
lean back in a chair and chat with you, and
glimpse of brown turban in the middle
distance, and when it turns about you will
be surprised to find that it adorns the very
woman with whom you have been speaking.
II know not what others may think, but as
for me give me the clothes that convey such
an impression of "suitableness" that
when they are out of your sight you are
unable to call to mind having seen their de-
tails.
Jenny June has worn black since Mr..
Croly's death, and don't know that any
body could find costume in which he
would rather see her than the soft draping
lace falling close about the figure with q
ribbon knotting it here and there.
Grace Greenwood commonly wears black
also. Her figure is little bowed and she
combs her dark hair down over her ears in
the fashion of q generation ago. She is
fond of lace and often covers her shoulders
with handsome lace shawl or mantilla.
Mrs. NJ. Louise Thomas, who dropped her
as nst OF the
Secretary Bayard's wife) is stately and
benevolent in black velvet. She has q
strong, kind face framed in smooth coils Of
hair.
Mrs. Clymer dresses with certain indi-
viduality and grace. The last time saw
her she wore combination Of old rose and
black with picturesque sleeves open from
ruffles. Her haiti was one of those incon-
elusive things that you hesitate to define as
hat or bonnet-was black lace withA wreath
of old rose flowers.
Kate Sanborn dresses handsomely, and is,
with her rather tall, finely developed figure
and blonde coloring, an impressive person
age. have mental picture of her enter
ing Mrs. Croly's drawing-rooms with a
witty sentence on her lips and in trailing
black silk with square-cut neck, lace garni-
ture and here and there q touch of what
one would judge to be her favorite color,
yellow.
Laura Holloway Langford-her new
name does not yet come easily-is a small
person, slender, quick and alive in her
movements. Sometimes she wears black
with touch of blue in her bonnet or q
plaided silk in which there are grayish
Limits mixed with blue.
Mrs. Lee c. Hardy, the southern poet who
pas recently made New York home, is
bhestnut-haired, and wears warm browns
NItu SAu0yK6 lace ana emDtOloeIle6.
When one is as pretty as Miss Bisland
here is reason why she should deck herself
With the soft black lace, draping the bust
hnd exposing the round arms, in which Mr..
Champney painted the young writer.
Mrs. Frank Leslie, who combines bust
hess and social cares, gives much attention
10 her toilet, and in black silk at her Office
lesk or ashes of roses and shaded grays at
reception, with bonnets and gloves of
Eaultless match, is always richly attired.
Robert Collyer was speaking of having met
1er one evening ''loaded with ropes of
pearls" For the taste of an old-fashioned
person like myself she, with most women
Who have money to buy them, wears too
many jewels. have given over expecting
hnybody to agree with me, but / do not
pare to see hand covered-with fincp. II il
prettier without ornaments or with not
more than one. However, since Mrs, Las
ie pluckily made her own money, il Is her
bwn business what she does With il, and a
rood deal goes Warn,-heartedly and iptelli-
GENTLY into charitiea- At least abe wears
ewels only with evening dress, whom such
nagnifcence is allowed.
Mrs. BallinRton Booth Of the Salvation
army u Q woman of whom II mar BE- aid
y Galy - Of xss Lsslis thaS - oStoode