The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-02-22

Women, at least thinking women,
have come TO apiece where they clear
ly see that their mode OF dress is at
present the most obstinate difficulty In
the way OF progress. They cannot
march on toward the glorious heights
already shown TO be possible for them,
while hampered by heavy skirts. tight
waists, bustles, and Gripping shoes.
Women must either devise "a healthful
mode Of dress or give up their newly
awakened ambitions Put an able
bodied man into such things as women
wear, and h3 would soon be an invalid
or an idiot. 1t is hard TO say how many
women rank as partial invalids. though
we are ready TO class some OF our fash
ION leaders under the other term.
We have had revolutionary attempts
at dress reform for women, but they
but they have all failed because they
went TO such extremes ns 10 shock so
ciety, which has been educated in the
present line for centuries. Women's
dress is better, perhaps. now than II has
been heretofore; but women have never
dema nded so much intellectually, polit-
ically, and in business way as now,
aEi they can never attain the end OF
their desires while held in bondage by
such an unhealthy mode Of dress. What
women want is not something so outre
as TO shock people aud antagonize them
and throw ridicule upon the movement.
but something which shall answer the
demands Of health and yet appear out
wardly as little conspicuous as possible
Ia remodeling and readapting Of pres.
ent garments, so that outwardly the
change shall not make the wearer ride
ulous in the eyes Of anyone.
al hu
Jenness Miller within year or two
comes nearest this desideratum. The
casual observer would notice the alb
sence OF wasp waists and Jig bustles
Though the latter are said TO DO disap-
pearIng anyway; but aside from these.
he would find nothing TO occasion
particular notice. The most important
changes are in the undergdrments. The
first garment worn Tin cold weather) is
a Jersey combiAat on suit. which is
elastic and fits without wrinkles; next
comes the ordinary, but perfect-fitting,
combination suit. of cotton, linen, cash
mere, silk. or wool: and. lastly, the
"leglettes" or divided skirt, made OF
any suitable material and trimmed as
desired. The idea is to clothe every
part OF tho body evenly, and make each
member carry its own burdens. No
corset and none of the ordinary woman
destroying skirts are worn, save the
dress skirt, and that is OF very light
weight and attached 10 the waist;
though we think line princess cambria
skirt, with full back, would be n
desirable addition az times. This, how
ever, is emphatically movement in
the right direction. and deserves the
thoughtful attention Of all true women.
They Found the Darling Needle.
It is difficult for sof the present gem
Grafton TO realize the privations Of the
pioneers who first came into the coun-
try where we now comfortably reside.
the straits TO which they were AZ times
reduced from lack Of article, now az
common us water and mir with us. and
the reposterous value they often sat
upon them.
An aged resident OF Fitzroy, Ontario,
recently told me, says "a correspondent,
that he well remembered the time when
there was but one darning needle in
that county, and the only grist mill was
days journey distant.
One day a Mrs. Dickson. who chanced
Go have temporary possession OF the
darning needle. and had il carefully
stuck in n holder attached to her apron.
set oil 70 go TO mill with bag OF grain
laid on the back Of horse. The good
lady encountered certain rough vicssi-
tudes bv the way. and, unfortunately,
lost the darning. needle.
This was really public calamity IN
Fitzroy. Nearly twenty housewives
depended upon that dafning needle for
repairing socks and for other coarse
mending. IL pissed from one log house
TO another. by special messenger. and
every woman had the use Of IL one day
In three weeks. Another darning needle
could not be procured nearer than Perth,
tlftv miles distant.
Tidings OF tho dis lster which had be-
fallen Mrs. Dickson soon spread, and on
the following morning "a dozen women.
some OF them accompanied by their
children and some by their husbands
turned out to search three miles OF for
est path.
IL seemed TO be well-nigh hopeless
task, but keen eyes were bent upon every
portion OF the highway. ami at length
one little girl espied H.
A great shout was raised, and the
good news was carried along the line of
searclners The party re-collected, and
the rejoicings IN newly settled Fitzr0y
that day were great. Youths Com
panion.
A Cultivated Little DiInd Girl.
n + Iohnson of Boeton xva4 sneak.