Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1890-01-04
Dress.
u Il. A, in the Young Idea.

o,,os,l. WV oooin VIII winch the BOY IN his teens
SPEAKS OF petticoats it might easily be supposed
tnat these garments had always been the sole pos
session OF woman. Such however, is not the fact.
Pe'Clcoats as the property of man being easily
Traced through the ages.
In the inventory of Henry V appears mention
OF 'petticoat of red damaske with omen
sleeves Henry VII had one that was adorned
by Tiny bows of red ribbon, very much as girl Of
the present day might decorate gown.
Lace, gold, embroidery and ribbons belonged to
the male gender principally until the time Of the
ludors. Elizabeth, who was grasping in her ma
ture, adopted the masculine petticoat and left if
as legacy to her sex.
IL mas not, however, even now been entirely dis
cafded by men as the surplices of the clergy and
the gowns of judges will show. When men wish
TO make their office imposing they assume robes
and drapery.
There are many indications that point toward
radical change in the present stiff nartistic dress
OF men, which has offended the eve for nearly
hundred years.
1t is curious to note the different crazes in dress
Perhaps upon none has more abuse been heaped
than the unfortunate Bloomer dress, which was
trst worn about forty years ago by an editor, Mrs
Amelia Boomer The skirt came little below
the knees and loose Turkish trousers fastened at
the ankles.
LII was taken up among others by Lucy Stone
and Susan b. Anthony-women who were then
laughed at, but now are honored, petted and feted
Mrs Stone describes her experience and we will
give it in her own words:
At one time Susan B. Anthony and were in
New York. We started to go to the post-ofice
Unfortunately, it was at the noon hour, when all
classes OF people were on their way to dinner.
Gradually we noticed that we were encircled A
wall OF men and boys at last shut in, so that to
go on or to 60 back was impossible. There we
stood. The crowd was good-natured one. They
laughed at u.s. They made faces at us. They
said impertinent things, and they would not let us
out. Every moment brought added numbers who
peered over to see what attracted the crowd.
Among them was an acquaintance of ours, who,
when he saw us, took in the situation at once. He
went for a policeman and carriage, and we
escaped with only little rough treatment at last.
At another time, when clergyman who was to
speak for the Nantucket Lyceum failed, was in
vited to take his place. When Mrs. Nathaniel
Barney escorted me to the platform, the audience,
who expected dgnifed clergyman, but saw in
stead young woman IN Bloomer costume, burst
into roars of laughter But Mrs. Barney was a
member of the Society of Friends, woman well
known and highly esteemed, with fine social po-
sition and much wealth. In the quetest manner
she gave me seat, and at the proper time intro
duced me. To the credit of the audience be it
said that they listened quietly, and evidently soon
became forgetful Of the dress. When l was in
Louisville, KY, negro woman at the public
pump put her hands on her hips awaiting my ap
proach and asked: "Be you one of them theatre
women?' In all directions, and all the time,
those who wore the Bloomer costume were the OBJ
served of all observers, and were looked upon with
unfriendly eyes. Was it any wonder that, after
three years of petty crucifxion, they left it off,
with feeling that the large freedom they gained
for their feet bore no comparison to the bondage
that beset their spirits?
Thus this protest for larger freedom Of limb