The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-05-08
WOMAN'S SPHERE.
THE INFLUENCE OF DRESS.
Who Can Estimate Ii ?---Some Historical
Instances.

DOst thou think | have a |
doublet and host in my disposi.
tionw asked the merry Rosa
lind when she was "caparisoned
like a man" in the Forest of
Arden. She vowed To Celia
that her "swashing and martial
outside" had no effect on her
feminine curiosity nor her
womanish trait of speaking her
thought.
True, the way one Is dressed
does not alter ones nature, says
Kate Kaufman in the Jenness
Miller Magazine, but it may
utterly transform ones manner.
AS Rosalind's costume enabled
her to act the pert boy, so her
dress may cause any woman to
appear gay, gracious, graceful,
sad, self-assertive or awkward.
The primary influence of
dress is upon the wearer. Who
does not know the elation of
spirit, the sweet charity which
fill a. woman's heart when she
feels that she is we'll dressed?
When detected, an infallible
cure may be found in a becom-
ing costume and promenade. If
an expected letter fails to come,
if a nice laid plan goes awry.
if digestion be deranged, put
on your best clothes and take
a walk, The fresh air and the
admiring eyes of the uy-passers
will restore your serenity.
Sidney Smith says that it is
folly to try to teach a girl that
it makes no differece how she is
dressed. Her whole destiny
may depend on tha color of her
bonnet, a fact which, if she is
keen, she will very soon dis
cover.
Not the least tragic part of
the tragic life of the Bronte
sisters is that they never had
pretty clothes. Think of it!
Poor little girls! Their aunt
dressed them in nine-year-old
fashions from Penzance! Char
lotte, with her passionate, artis-
tic temperament, alive to every
grace and beauty! When at
school in Brussels she tried tc
change her homely crowns &C
cording to French fashion. Poor
Charlotte, with a heart of fire
and the exterior OF a "plain
provincial, sickly-looking ole
maid"
How much more agreeable tC
read of Hannah Mole wearing
at eighty "pea-green silk,
+ which, although it contraste(
> with her face, was Gin harmony
! with the youth Of her step ani
, her clear girlish voice."
Ones exterior has wonderful
effect upon the inner life. Who
! has not heard that "a woman
! is as old as she looks ?" The con
! sciousness of a beautiful ap
! pearance endues a woman witt
> self-confidence, and with audaci
. ty when it is needed; to thi
I may attributed the secondar,
influence of dress-;ts effect ol
:, :, the beholder.
> When Queen Esther wishe'
+ to win for her people the favo
). of her husband, the King. sh
f "put on her royal apparel an
+ made so pleasing an iinpressio
q that he promised what sh
!, might ask, even unto the hal
v of his kingdom.
g Dellius was Antony's messer
4 gel sent to bring Cleopatrs
When lie saw her beauty an
II address he felt sure that sh
:, need fear no displeasure froi
r. his Roman master; however, h
&c advised her to 20 Sin her be:
,s raiment."
h Rachel Felix, the Frenc
h tragedienne (who vas capabI
IN of very sprightly comedy o
IF the stage,) once found it e
is pedient to cajole and "tal
10 over" some offended critics. 81
e thus sportively discloses h'
= plan in a letter to friend:
~ y will put On my little pink boz
re net. / tell you they are dor
* TO-, | Law, tried it as Cleopat
oy tried poisons ON her slaves. II
., effect is certain. When | p1
~ ~ it on last week with a blat
~ flounced dress, young XIV
ng quite stupefied, and has RENAL
as ed so ever since"
.e- The wisdom OF dress, as
ne everything else, is included
e. Solomon's experience. He b
~, m left us this precept: "Let tt
th garments always he white. al
ats let thy head lack no ointlne en-
)rt ~
oil oil 1t is a long time to be MARI
ps tEirty-nine years. Il is a BILE:
to ed gift from God to have a fait
are full, loving, wife to rejoice wi
be. you when the heart is hap
.. and the skies are bright and t
'n nd flowers bloom and the birds ST
Or their little songs of happine
be and is sorrow and weep wi
$50 you when Gods hand rests hes
on lily upon you,and the heart ach
In AMI tho clouds gather and t
. silver cord is lOoSed and