, 1890-03-16

~@ SELF with Some
thing must needs
be a Flora McF1imsey.
l have often insisted both by tongue
and pen that every woman owes a duty
to the world-poor things, we owe so
many duties to the world-but one espe-
cial duty peculiar to woman is that OF
identifying the earth and doing her
best to %counteract the sordid, material
and deadening influences always strug-
Cling to "come out on top"
All women are not pretty, all are not
graceful, or Stylish" or attractive, or
imposing; but every woman has a best
side, and it is her duty to know it and to
make the most of it, and to keep 1t on
view instead of the worst side, which so
many of the dear creatures seem deter
mined to present.
Every woman, if she means to fill her
own place in the world, is bound to make
the most Of herself and to keep on doing
1t as long as she lives.
OF course there are ever SO many ways
to apply this rule, and | have in other
places pointed some of them out and
urged them Upon the attention of the sis
terhood, out today l confne myself to
the one question of dress.
To begin with, every style, every de-
gree, every caprice of costume must be
founded upon personal cleanliness. II
may be thought too candid a statement,
and | do sincerely hope that every wo-
man reading these words will be right
eously indignant at such a warming, but
to such an one will say: OF course, my
dear, it is moi meant for Won anv more
than for myself, but there are wo-
men!-
Well, then, the well dressed woman
must be not many hours from her bath.
and must carry about her that atmos.
phere of freshness so obvious and charac-
~teristic of the upper classes in England:
well groomed" they call themselves,
and a young Englishman. whatever else
you NAV say of him. does suggest the
idea of buckets of water, sponres, towels
combs and brushes. So. in a more sub
dued style, should the well dressed wo.
man. whether her costume he of cotton
wool. silk or cloth of gold
Next to the bath comes Iingerie. and
again | say, no woman. whatever the
fabric of her outer dress NAV he iswen
dressed, or dressed as she should he
unless she has dainty underclothiny
But a good many OF us can't afford
itr' cries a voice in nv ear. and renIv.
But we all can, nv dear, for "daintyu
does not ALWAYS mean expensive and
one of the very daintiest outfits of linen
that l ever saw was made for herself by
a Young girl of small means but great
refinement, about to be married. The
only expense in the whole matter was
that she had Used cambria instead of that
stout cotton fabric which in New York
is called muslin" and which. although
a few cents in the ward cheaper than
cambria is utterly Incapable of being
made dainty.
Well, not to enter into particulars NV
little bride had crocheted and tatted and
netted and knitted the greatest variety
of trimmings, and had run little blue
ribbons in at neck and sleeves and frills,
and had embroidered a big monogram ON
everything, and in some places had an.
pliqued sprigs and wreaths of French
embroidery, and in fact had quite un-
consciously TO herself written the word
lady over the whole business, until il
seemed to me almost a liberty to be turn.
ing over and admiring such personal
matters.
The dear child had hardly half a dozen
gowns in her trousseau. and none of
those al all expensive; but although she
had not made them she had contrived
them, and each one told, and would dc
its whole duty and always look appro.
pirate to the occasion.
Two dresses were planned to be made
into one after a year or two, and would
,hen be more effective Than either could
be alone, and a sumptuous evening dress
with a court train and low BODY could
by detaching the train and substituting
a high bodice, be worn in the street or al
a reception. A silk slip was provided
with two or three very distinct gauze and