The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-10
SHE WEARS TROUSERS.
Mrs. Kreiger and Her Curious Fashior
of Attire.

Mrs Kreiger and Her Curious Fashion
of Attire.
From the San Francisco Examiner
'sSay, what kind Of people are those folks
on the ranch about three miles backs Z" asked
dusty stranger, as he drove into San
Pablo yesterday.
"There are lots Of ranches three miles
back, answered a resident
''Wel, III tell you what happened 70 me
and maybe you'll know the place. | was
driving along about mile this side OF
Pinole and | saw somebody in blue jumper
shoveing just inside the fence by the road
side He didn't pay any attention TO me and
landed a shovelful of art right in front of
my horse. The horse reared back, and as
soon as he got quiet | started in TO curse the
shoveler. He didn't pay any attention to
that and | got out to lick him. Well, L
didn't do it. That fellow just looked into
| nv face and If it wasn't a woman I'll eat
a house and lot. She wore trousers and
| jumper and mans hat, and she was spad-
Ing 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 prize beauty by any means,
but-well. you can fancy how fellow
would feel after swearing and jumping out
of buggy to lick woman"
"Oh, that was Mrs. Kreiger. She always
dresses that way" said the resident. 81
thought everybody in these parts knew
her,"
| Mrs. Kreiger has lived on a ranch on the
| San Pablo road for over fifteen years, and
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. 1t is
doubtful If she ever even heard of Mrs.
Jenness-Miller or Mrs. Boomer, and If you
mentioned Lady Habberton or the divided
skirt TO her she would not know what you
were talking about.
Up to fifteen years ago Mrs. Kreiger wore
skirts and 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.
1t was shortly before the change in her
manner Of dressing that she married Will
lam Kreiger, a thrifty German farmer and
| a widower, and went to live with him on
the ranch.
For awhile there was absolute peace and
concord between them, but 1t did not last
Mrs. Kreiger had just laid in her winters
supply of tea gowns, winter dresses and
Of wrappers, and pretty soon the bills began
to come In.
Crops had not been all they might have
been, potatoes had gone down "a cent a
pound, and an epidemic Of pip had swept
over the poultry yard. Kreiger did not
mind paying $40 for poem Of red silk and
a-green demi-toilet for $13 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 un-
easily. But it was not until the returns
from the milliners came in that he COM
planned. After, however, giving the price
of three spring chickens for a darling of a
bonnet, aud whole sack of turnips for a
mere spot of a straw hat, with some ribbons
and other filings on 1t, he ventured to ex-
postulate.
He told how the Mrs. Kreiger that had
been had worn the same calico dress for
| Sundays two years. and how the same
dress had served as second best for a like
| space and then lasted at least a like time to
| work in, and that there was even then
enough TO make over for the little girl. He
pointed ent how the paragon that had been
| wore the same hat she had when he mar
ried her during all the years Of their welded
| life, and had never breathed demand for
another.
Mrs. Kreiger stood it meekly for awhile.
| Then she blazed out and declared that since
he was SO stingy about 1t she would not
| give him any more chance to complain
] about her dresses Then sne made dread
| full 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.
The Kreigers are we'll Off now. They
have a fine ranch Of eighty or one hundred
acres and money in tank. More who know
them say that kreiger is worth at least
| 800, 900. Mrs. kreiger during all these
years has kept house aud helped on the
farm, in mems garments Her usual cos
tune is duck Jumper" and pair of her
husbands WORKOUT trousers.
She is not proud and works in the field as
well as her husband. Naturally she does
not 60 into society much. In fact, she is
rather retiring. She has few, if any, visi-
| tors. and never goes to town. When she
| 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 what is
wanted.
| An Examiner reporter drove out to the
Kreiger ranch the other day. 1t is about a
mile from Pinole, on the left side of the
| road. The farm house is back several hum
| ASA AUSO ~ OAlA lAo hAk uNdS al avenue DOT
dered by poplars leading from the road to
the door The house is a little white cot
tage, The place Is not particularly tidy,
and there appeared to be nothing living
about IL but vicious yellow dog Just
inside the doorway, however, a strange
figure was seated. 1t was Mrs Kreiger.
She appeared to be about As years old and
was engaged in some knitting or similar
work. She wore Der customary jumper and
a pair Of trousers patched in various places
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 did not
speak English.
Whether she could not, or merely did not
care to, she didn't, and presently She went
about her homework without even a second
look at her visitor
The neighbors say they have frequently
expostulated with her for her outlandish
garb, but she only answered that she had
made her vow and did not propose to
break it.