Tombstone epitaph., 1890-04-12
THE eLooMER COSTUME.
The Lady Whose Name It Bears Denies
 That She Introduced It.


 That She Introduced It.
 The following letter from Mrs. Amelia 1 Boomer, whose name became world 'arnous years ago in connection with what was known as tho ''Bloomer cos i 5ume,'' is printed in the Ladies Home | Journal, and has Q keen degree of in 5erest in that the Mrs. Bloomer denies the credit of introducing the costume ln America. This letter, recently written, s now produced in print for the first time:
 CoUNcII. BLUFFS, Ia. - Ny Deer ST: hardly know how to write about tho costume" associated with my namc. But was not it's inventor or originator, ls i3 60 generally believed.
 In March, 1851, Elizabeth Smith Mil Ter, daughter of Hon. Gerritt Smith: of Petcrboro, N. Y, visited her cousin, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, at Seneca Falls, '. Y, which was then my homo, and where I was publishing the Lily, and wherc Mrs Stanton also resided. MIS- Miller came to us in a short skirt and full Turkish trousers, a style Of dress sho had been wearing some two months'
 The matter of wOman's dress having been just previously discussed in the Lily, Mrs. Millers appearance led Mrs. Stanton to at once adopt the style, and very soon followed, Mrs. Stanton intro ducing it to the Seneca Falls public two or three days in advance of me. In tho next number of my paper following my adoption of the dress (April, 1051,) wrote an article announcing to my read CTS that had donned the style to which their attention had been ca. led in prevl- ous numbers.
 The New York Tribune noticed my article, and made it known to it's thou sands of readers tlat l hcd donncd short skirt and trousers, and from this it went from paper to paper throughout this country and countries abroad. l found myself noticed and pictured ln many papers at home and abroad. l was praised and censured, glorifed and rldl- culed, until I stood in amazement at the furor I had wrought by my pen while sitting quietly in my little once at homo attending to my duties.
 Suffice it that it was the press at largo that got up all the excitement and that named the dress. never called l0 the ''Bloomer Costume" With me It was always the short dress and trousers. It consisted of skirt shortened to few inches below the knees and the substitution of trousers made ot the same material as the dress. In othor rc,pects, the dress was the same as worn by all women. At the outset the trousers were full and baggy. but we improved upon them by making them narrower and gathered at the ankle, and finally by making entirely plain andstraight, falling to the shoe nke the trousers of men.
 To some extent, I think the style was adopted abroad, but not largely, or, for that matter, at home. There were ln- dividuals here and there who gladly threw of the burden of heavy skirts and adopted the short ones, but soon both press and people turned upon Ii their ridicule and censure, and women had not the strength of principle to withstand the criticism, and so returned to their dragging skirts. For myself, wore the short dress and no other, ai home and everywhere, for six ol seven years, long after Mrs. Stan tofl, Lucy Stone and 0ttTUTs fzz7ts s'f-s'7r doned it. Lucy Stone wore the dress several years, traveied and lectured II ii. and was married in it, l think. NonC of us ever lectured on the dress ques tion, or in any way introduced it into our lectures. We only wore it because we found it comfortable, convenient safe and tidy-with no thought of intro ducing fashion, but with the wish tha every woman would throw off the bur den of clothes that was dragging hel life out.
 This dress question has been of second arv importance with mo, and it is no for that I wish to be remembered. A YOU will see from That l have writer above, wrong impression prevails il regard to my part in that matter
 was not it's originator. l adopted th' style and made it known to the public The press did the rest.
 I am not featuring at all these las few years. A throat difficulty and m. seventy years have compelled me to re tire from active par;.c: i'ation in work for the advancement of woman.