Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-31
MRS. kRElGsR,S VOW.
She Wears Trousers While Costly Fcmi-
nine Attire Hangs in Her Closets.

MRS. KREieeR's vow.
she Wears Trousers While Costly Fcmi-
nine Attire Hangs in Her Closets.
rsan Francisco Examiaorl
"Say. what kind of people are those
folks on tho ranch about three miles
back?n asked dusty stranger as he drove
into San Pablo yesterday.
"Thare are lots of ranches three miles
bach. :" answered the resident.
well, I'll tell you what happened 10
me. aud maybe you'll know the place. !
was driving along about mile TINS side OF
Pinole. and | saw somebody. in blue
iumper shoyelling Just inside the fence by
the roadside. He didn't pay any atten-
ton to me. and landed o shovelful or dirt
right in front Of my horse. The horse
reared back. and as soon rs he got quiet
started in 10 curse the shoveller. he didn't
paw any attention to that. and got out 10
lick. Well, didn't do It,. That fellow
just looked into my face, ana II ~ eva Tasn r =
woman I'll eat house and lot. she wore
trousers and jumper and a mans nat,
ana she was spading up the SOIL In great
shape but her long hair was flying about
her head. and her face was as placid as any
grandmother you ever met.
"She wasn't q prize beauty. by any
means, but-well you can fancy how rel
low WOulu IteI hIbtT SNcai ib, ohu Jumping
ont of buggy TO lick woman.
"Ob. that was Mrs. Kreiger. She always
dresses that way said the resident; Il
thought everybody in these parts knew
her."
Mrs. Kreiger has lived on ranch on the
San Pablo road for over fifteen years, ana
during that time she has not worn the or,
binary apparel of woman. so accustomed
have the people OF that vicinity become to
her and her strange dress that they no
longer notice it..
Still. Mrs. Kreiger is no woman's rights
apostle nor advocate of dress reform: Ii
ia n oubtfrll if she ever even heard OF Mrs.
Jenness-Millor or Mrs. Bloomer, and If
YOU mentioned Lady Habberton or the
divided skirt TO her she would not know
what you meant. ,r
wore skirts aud dresses like any other OF
her sex. Indeed it appears that she had
more of them. and that they were OF more
varied forms, textures, and colors than are
usually possessed by farmers wives.
II was shortly before the change in her
manner of dressing that she married WI,
liam Kreiger. q thrifty German farmer and
q widower, and went TO i've on the rahch;
For awhile there was absolute peace and
concord between them. but it did not last.
Mrs Kreiger had just laid IN her winter
supply of tea-gowns, winter dresses. and
dinner toilets, not to mention some ducks
of wrappers. and pretty soon the DIS
began to come IN.
Crops had not been all they might have
been, potatoes had gone down, q cent a
pound, and an epidemic OF pip had swept
mind paying SIC for a poem OF red SIX,
and a-green demi-toilet for $l3 did not
shake him, but when one after another the
accounts for yellow calico, blue gingham.
and other tokens of vanity and pride were
rendered he began TO grow gloomy and
taciturn, to lose his appetite and sleep
uneasIly. But it was not until the returns
from the milliners came In that he COM
planned After hoysvsr gisdd ssr Inc p Of
bonnet. and whole sack OF turnips for, q
mere spot of straw hat, with some RIB,
bons and other fxings on 1t, he yentured
to expostulate.
been had worn the same calico dress lot
SUNDAYS two years, and how the same dress
had served as second best for IKE space,
and then lasted at least like time to Work
in, and that there was even then enough 70
make over for the little girl. He pointed
ont how the paragon that had been wore
the same hat she had when he married her
during all the years of their welded ufe,
and had never breatned demand for
Mrs. Kreiger stood it meekly for awhile.
Then she blazed Dut and declared That
since he was so stlngy about 1t she would
not give him any more chance 70 complain
about her dresses. Then she made
dreadful vow never to wear dresses again.
And she hasn't.
The bright-hued garments were packed
away in two trunks, and they are there
yet. rr
have a fine ranch of eighty or one num-
bred acres, and money in bank. Men VINO
know them say that Kreiger Is worth az
these years, has kept house and helped on
the farm in mems garments. Her usua.
costume is duck Jumper" and pair OF
her husbands worn-out trousers.
She is not proud. and works in the field
as well as her husband. Naturally she does
not go into society much. In fact, she IS
rather retiring. She has few, II any, visl-
tors. and never goes to town. Mhen sac
wants the butcher or any other tradesman
to call for an order she hangs out flag IN
the road. This signal they all understand,
and drive to the house to find out what Is
wanted.
Kreiger ranch the other day. 1t IS about
mile from Pinole, on the left side OF the
road. Inc farm-nOustls pach eeNciai Huh-
| dred feet from the highway, an avenue
bordered by poplars leading from the road
to the door. The house is little white i
cottage. The place is nottpartlcparly udy,
and there appeared TO be nothing living
about it but vicious yellow dog. just
inside the doorway. however, strange
| figure was seated. 1t was Mrs. Kreiger.
| She appeared to be about forty-fve years
| old. and was engaged in some knitting or
similar work. She wore her customary
| jumper and pair OF trousers patcheu IN
yariousplaces with pieces Of grain-.bags.
| She was not disturbed at all by the visit,
but merely ran her hand through her
| tousled hair and indicated that She dld
not speak English.
| Whether she could or not. or merely did
not care too, she didn't. and presently she
! went about her homework without even
second look at her visitor.
The neighbors say they have frequently
expostulated with her about her outlsnd-
ish garb, but she only answered that sne
| had made her vov and did not propo to
! break It,