The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-23
Tights and the Stage.

young lady OF this city has gone on the
stage because OF her fathers loss OF his for
tune. It is very credltable to her that she
starts out thus to earn her own living. and it
Is not improbable that she has chosen the
employment for which she Is best fitted.
1t is creditable to her also that she has ac-
cepted the necessities OF her situation and
appeared without resistance in the costume
which the part assigned to her on the stage
requires. She wears tights.
OF course II the costume were really I'm
modest. Miss WAsHBURN could not wear 1t
without loss OF sclf-respect which would
not DO compensated by any gain OF money
She might make by such an exhibition OF her
self. Even tilial duty could not Justify the
moral sacrifice. She would earn money at
the price OF her shame. and all decent people
would revolt against her course. An effort
was made this year to secure the passage OF
law in Western State to forbid the wear
ing ofsuch a costume on the stage by women
as an offence against good morals and con-
duclve to public degradation. II IT was rea-
sonablc and necessary. she is shameless
creature.
So far from being that. she Is both mod
est and a sensible girl. She wears tights on
the stage because they are In accordance
with the conventions OF tho theatre. Hun
dreds OF other young women wear them
there. and the public are US accustomed to see
them on the stage as they are to observing
tho flowing draperies OF women In every
day life. Tie usual feminine dress may be
worn shamelessly and tights may DO
worn with entire modcsty. What arc
called tights reveal the legs. but
So also tho conventional bathing cos
tune makes that exhibition. and yet
modest and innocent women are not afraid
to appear in ii when the necessities OF bath
ing require. Along the sea beaches during
the whole OF the past summer thousands OF
ladies thus clad have been seen daily. and
they have not been alone, but accompanied
by men Fathers. They have been both
matrons aud mald"ns OF tho strictest con-
vcntionnlity and tho purest character
Sometimes their legs have even been bare
to the knees, and yet nobody's moral sense
has been shocked
The reason FOR this Ia that custom and con-
ventionality determine what Is modest and
suitable In raimcnt. and they vary In their
requirements according to the occasion
and arc not fixed by any. absolute law
without regard to difference Of circum-
stances. The fnll evening costume OF a
lady would outrage propricty IL 1t were
worn In the street and In the broad day.
light. People would hoot at tho woman
who went abroad in n low-cut cOrsage and
with arms bare to the shoulder. and
they would do the same II she ap-
peared on Broadway in ono OF the
bathing costumes Worn SO unconcern-
cdly at the scacOast this summer. So
also would people stare IL she went to
ball In street costume or plunged into
the breakers with trailing gown. She
must dress appropriately. What is suitable
and modest for one place and at one time Is
regarded rs immodcst and offensive at an
other and with different surroundings. Ex-
hibiting the bare arms and n portion OF tho
bust has never been accounted Of itself i'm
proper and immodest by civilization. as a
study OF the fashion plates for centuries
past will bear witness. Convention has
merely restricted the occasions when the