Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-09
HER STOCK IN TRADE.
A Collection of Sympathetic Gowns to BE
Worn I'm Divorce Suit.
New York Recorder.l

Worn I'm n Divorce Suit.
New York Recordcr.l
Although a woman's gowns frequently
deserve and receive honorable mention,
like brand of baking-powder at national
exhibit, there are only three times IN her
Iife-it NAV be four if she is an American
when thew are entered for the blue ribbon.
These are important occasions, and these
gowns are the result of anxious thought
and laborious research in the helds OF
gown literature.
First, the dress she wears as debtItdnt !:
secondly the wedding-gown. The third
gown is worn by the young mother when
she receives the relatives and friends who
have come to offer their congratulations to
her and their gifts TO her first-born child.
DeIrltdnf, bride, and mother Alwoman
NAV be all these. and in America she fire.
quently is something more-a divorce.
Here frocks are not important factors, and
am irresistably reminded of trunkful of
dresses saw last week which are to play
prominent part IN big divorce, case soon.
What heap Of pretty. trocks,1 said.
YES" my friend replied; Horribly
expensive. and couldn't well afford them,
either, but business is business, you know,
these are my stock in trade. They're very
sympathetic gowns, | must say. The de-
signer caught my idea perfectly"
" sympathetic gownsl Stock in trade
What do you mean 2" gasped.
what do l mean? Why, stupid, these
are to wear at the trial"
"Oh, dear me All those?"
Eyes, all those. Now, here's this black
one" said she, talking. like Rosina Vokes
in one of her soliloquies. =" / shall wear
this the first day. 1t makes me look pale
and has a crapy, mournful air about 1t that
will make a favorable first impression on
the Court. wish them to understand that
the defendant has wrecked my young life.
See ?"
"Well, this red gownl Doesn't this bris-
tie all over with determination? Isn't win
or die futterng from every fold? shall
wear this the day we make the biggest
fight. 1t looks so aggressive.
Now here's this white cloth. Very SIM
pie. YOU observe. Silver girdle. Broad
hat with feathers. Fluffy boa. Sweet SIM
plicity. Girlish loveiiness. That's for the
day my counsel sums up.
THAT gray-sad, dove-colored, Quaker
ish looking. / shall wear that-with tears
in case we seem to be getting beaten. -.
This is brown cloth to wear uponall
the common, ordinary occasions. 1t Is
made in a sensible way, with this business
like Jacket. There is a set of silver tablets
goes with it, also a vinaigrette. The
tablets for any random ideas / might have
which should be instantly jotted down,
the vinaigrette in case | should faint. IL
may be necessary to faint, you know.
Some judges are 80 obdurate.
This notebook, l fancy, will make a
great hit with the jury. Yes, it did cost
pretty penny, but hope the results will
more than compensate for the outlay.
You see, one of Teds strong points OF
defence is that / was so extrayagant he
couldn't stand it. The idea Well now
any Jury of average intelligence seeing me
with this little book will say: Dear me
She couldn't be so awfully extravagant.
Such methodical, business-like habits don't
90 with extravaganza. No, indeed
That's what the jury will say, and
shall come out with flying colors AND
victory perched upon NY banners. And
why? Well of course, the fact that my
side is right. and Ted's is wrong has some
thing to do with it, but chiefly, my dear,
chiefly because of my gowns.
THE Jury won't know it; the Judge
won't know it. When did a man know
ANYTHING about woman or her strategiesi
And between you and me the less they
know the better. What they don't know
won't hurt them and it IS really selfish OF
a woman TO worry a man with trivial mat
tiers VIII en- he has such grave and important
cases on his mind.
Going? Well. wish me luck with my
gowns. This is my way of casting breac
upon the waters"