St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-06
SOME SHORT SKIRT EFFECTS.

SOME SHOhI ShlhI EtFECIS.
There are some circumstances under
which no human being, and especially
no woman, can look either amiable OF
graceful. Crossing muddy street is
one of these. You remember, don't
you, that last Thursday was one of those
days which make the most cheerful of
us ask with Herbert Spencer: SIS life
worth living?" That sort of weather
doesn't put us in the philosophical
mood which Spencer assumes in answer
ing that the total of pleasure Overbal-
ahce he pain, and therefore life must
be worth living. Perhaps he never
waded or swan through st. Paul mud.
Last Thursday snow and rain during
the early portion of the day combined to
keep people within doors, but the sky
cleared in the afternoon and the people
all went down town. Street cars will
take one from the suburbs to the bust
ness portion of the city, but after that
walking is in order. In novels we read
of ladies hiring cabs when they go
shopping. st. Paul ladies don't do that.
Their democratic tastes and we'll
developed limbs make walking about
town pleasure to themselves and is
source of wonder to beholders. | stood
for nearly an hour last Thursday after
noon at the corner of Wabasha and
Seventh streets waiting for car. that
came In its own good time. That's
way horse cars have. | belong to that
numerous class of people who have to
work six days of the week regardless of
the weather. | am not proud OF the
fact. l don't want to do that. It's
in particular watched the thrOng of
people-mostly wonderland felt de-
gree of savage satisfaction in seeing
them reduced to the same forlorn and
draggled condition as myself. Some of
them looked worse, because they
couldn't resist the temptation OF wear
ing light-colored ulSterS and dainty silk
dresses. | don't own such expensive
articles of apparel, and consequently
escaped all temptation in that direction.
The first lady noticed fixed my at
tention by a circumstance which would
have escaped notice on any other day.
She was middle-aged. plainly dressed
and had commonplace features. She
wore high buttoned boots of the finest
French kid, reaching within a few
inches of the knee. Her dress was care
fully held with both hands, so that it
just covered the top button of the boots
and such an exquisiteIy proportio9ned
foot and ankle. 1t would have made a
Sculptor rave. Two little children tod
oiled by her side and looked after them
selves, as mamma was busy attending
to her own comfort Her appearance
created small sensation, but she
seemed totally UNCONSCIOUS; perhaps
she.was accustomed to it.
4
Then came dainty, willowy creature
clad in Widows weeds, with fringe of
monkey fur around the neck and wrists.
She, wore long, clinging draperies,
which absorbed the thin mud like
sponge. Her skirts looked picturesque
i'm dry weather-but they weren't
made to be lifted, so she padded along
slowly and awkwardly, an arabesque
pattern of mud decorating her skirts to
the depth of about half a yard. She
looked the picture OF woe. / think the
mud made her countenance so express
sive, rather than any tender memories
of the dear departed.
When Mrs. Jenness-Miller was here
last fall she told us that short dress,
reaching just below the shoe tops, was
quite the proper thing, and displayed
sample rainy-day gown in olive green
and black. Everybody said, GLOW
charmingw and promised to get one
Immediately. They must have forgot
ten, because the only woman saw in
short dress was a Squaw from Fort
Smelling. She looked perfectly COM
Portable. [ saw loving couple cross
ing from the market house. They were
holding a session of the mutual admira-
ton society, looking straight into the
depths of each others eyes. ALI
earthly considerations were far from
them. But alas! for the weakness of
flesh. Her footslipped on the street
car. track. He attempted to save her.
There seems to be something irresiSti-
bly, funny in seeing people fall on an
icy or muddy street. This incident |
proved no exception. Even the cart
horses and little dogs allowed the usual |
gravity of their countenances to relax. |
The couple that had looked like bits of |
Dresden china now slowly and sadly |
wendell their way around the corner of |
the next block and hired newsboy |
to scrape off the mud. 'Tis said |
that dainty and fitting under
wear is mark of the true
lady. If that be true, how few and far
between they be. The average woman
is not modest to lift a generous section
of her skirts to get them clear of the |
muddy pavement. This custom makes
one an involuntary witness of various
items. Some women will wear white
skirts. saw them tattered, frayed and
Spattered skirts peeping beneath the
edge of natty tailor-made gowns. The
economical people evidently take the
advice of economical home journals,
and wear out old dress skirts where
they will be least seen and give the
most service.
Rubber boots are evidently not popu-
lar in st. Paul. A bright girl who
knows says rubber boot cannot be
donned unless it be at least two sizes
larger than the ordinary shoe. "PeOple
would think that we all came from Chi
cago, and that would never do" she re-
marks in decisive tone.
{ That car which I was waiting for
came along at last. l dropped my
nickel in the slot, rejecting that it's
good thing that the weather prophet is
kind to us, and there are comparatively
few days in the year when mud makes
life WEAKNESS. EVA GAY.
c SMALL FASHION NOTES.
/ Dark pearls, cut garnets, turquoises
and opaIs find favor for hair ornaments
and fancy girdles.