The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1891-08-29

Thsughtfully discussed Fer Careful
Readers.


Thsughtfully discussed Fer Carefs
Readers.
Periodically a dress reform wav'
seems to strike us, and il appears
that Chatauqua is responsible for thu
recent impulse. Miss Willard ha.
raised her voice in protest against
high heeled shoes, crinoline and mum
erous other fashionable feminine fol
lies, and scarcely newspaper
throughout the length and breadth
of the land, but has devoted an edi.
torial to the subject, few ridiculing
the movement, but the majority evil
IDENTIFY very deslrous of helping il
along, but suffering from the mascu-
line awkwardness that usually sp-
pears when inveigled into discours-
ing upon feminine fashions.
One man pleads for gradual en-
ancipation, because. he says, sud
den and complete change in woman's
dress would be as disastrous MS a
civil war, and result in q business
revulsion. However, he must be ter
rified without cause, for these ener-
geti; reformers are not persuading
women to economize-only tn be
comfcrtable-and the country goes
through frequent Sudden aud com
plete" changes Of feminine costum-
ing, bur they have never vet occa-
stoned panic.
or course, for the majority Of wo-
men, the agitation will produce no
definite results, yet if it influence
them to consult comfort, health and
common sense in their clothing, it
will have produced all the effect that
its promoters hope for, indeed, all OF
which they had themselves thought.
1t is curious how an influence start
ed works out such wholly different
results from what was expected, and
becomes so very definite after having
begun among such scattered gener-
alities.
AS an instance, q dress reform
club has been started in Boston with
three hundred members, and they
have pledged themselves to adopt q
rainy day dress-something a Ger.
tain little woman in our town has
been sensible enough to enjoy with.
out the support of club. However
the Boston rainy day dress is Of a
different pattern. 1t is to be very
much ON the order of bathing suit
the short skirts reaching only an
inch or SO below the knees, or as they
express it, to "clear the ground by
fifteen inches" 1t is evidently de
signed not for Boston alone, but fol
the very muddiest of unpaved towns
as well. Indeed, from what heard
of last winters streets in Charlero
and Huntington, it would be a first
class costume for those enterprisine
places.
The first rainy Saturday il
October is the day the Bostonians
are pledged to appear, and it is prob
able that in the effort to be sensible
and comfortable, they may fine
themselves, although sensible, un
comfortable.
One can't help wondering yha
would happen at Ocean Grove, II
view of the annual agony there ovel
the costumes of its visitors, if thes,
three hundred rainy day dressed wo
men would suddenly appear.
~
1t is wonderful how helpful tn,
men in Europe seem inclined to be re
Gently, whenever some matter of es
pecial interest to women is being con
sidered. Not content with newspa
per editorials and indirect encour
agement, the authorities of Vienns
are thinking of establishing proper
length of skirt by police regulation
If this should prove a popular meas
ure, we may expect a uniformed of
flcer to stop a stately dame, with
.sPardon! Madame, but fear YOU
dress is a trifle longer than is allow
ed, and gravely producing tape lint
or yard stick, proceed to ascertain
or course, such things may bt
slightly annoying, but women are
willing to suffer for the good of theil
sex.
xx
suppose I'm not progressive
citizen. do ardently believe in pro
gression, reformation, and many
other tions, but whenever / have {
vision of our dignified, cultured wo
men adopting the Boston rainy day
costume, feel grateful that the friv
olities of life still retain sufficient
hold upon them to counterfeit whai
is to my mind, too purely an intel
lectual influence However, there il
a glimmer of light. Having swept
the streets faithfully, and now hav
ing attempted an extremely abbrevi
ated skirt, perhaps we shall be treat
ed to happy medium, and see oul
womenkind once more comfortable
sensible, and inconspicuous.
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