The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-23
DOINGS OF WOMEN.
1t Was Tight Lacing Not Drink
That Did the Mischief.
Mrs. Moncure D. Conway = "reminiscences Oh
Mrs. Carlyle-A Daughter Of Julian Haw-
thorne-The Return Of Simplicity.
srecial TO THE MORNING CALL

| There was an odd little scene at n famous
| restaurant the other day, at the dinner hou!'
with caused the wicked TO smile ana Tue
| indiciors-such Of them as understood i''
| sirniticunce-to grieye. Ihefe en'e -
| decidedly handsome woman Oh Ia'iIi ~ ,
! habit. attended by two men, appatehtis, ~.
b,,shant and son. The lady wore a strlkilis
| frncL in maize color and copper, cut Win
| one of those long, narrow, stomachereu you
| ices modelled after the costumes III WHICH
Holbein used to paint the Processes Oh me
house of Tudor. Her throat was pare ana
White and about it rose at the back high
collar of brown fur. Her sleeves expanded
at The wrists like the petals of flowers, the
falling ruffles of lace obseuring her twink
ling rings. Her maiza-colOred velvet had
a tiaring brm of jet that framed her cop
perry hair like halo. She was fair of skin,
stately, slow-moyiug, most imposing.
The party took a table near window,
many eyes following. 4 waiter took their
order, and in due time began to serve. And
here one or two who sat nearest noted
little popularity; the lady's oyster-fork was
in her hand, she raised it once or twice half
way to her lips it fell back, she looked sur
prised puzzled. AMI her face flushed slightly.
Her husband made inquiry, she shook her
head, and when the soup came her fork was
still in her fingers. Two or three other diners
raised their leads ut sound Of a suppressed
exclamation. The lady's plump hand rested
on the edge Of the cloth, she was looking at
it, her face was anxious crimson.
Again her husband spoke, again she re-
fused, but when fish had replaced the I'M
tasted soup and had itself been taken away,
the hand rose heavily, dropped the fork with
q clatteF and, as if the effort of will We're eX-
hausted, sank into her lap lifeless In the
wCman'S eyes were growing 4 painful embar-
rassment that amounted to mute agony.
" Marie" there was sharp note in the
man voice that widened the circle Of lis
teners. Marie"
" can't!-"
and even terror The man WAS on.his feet
and ripples of interest ran farther and far
Their in their Journey across the room.
- can't! L cant; it won't" The wo-
mans voice died in the little stir, but even
to tue tips Of her ears the red tide seemed
bursting through the skin.
Then Gomez
She made as if she would stand, but fell
back into her chair. Z" 1 can'tl Won't YOU
underestimate Her voice was a wall.
The husband and tho younger man lifted
her and helped her staggering to the pave
nent. did you ever" said young man
who had looked on. "Se woman in such
terrible condition."
My Gear fellow" replied knowing little
woman, lit was dreadful, but don't let the
wrong bee buzz in your mustache. Unless
] am greatly mistaken it was not case of
drink, but Of dress. It's not thing to ex-
plain to a gentleman, but that lady was as
sober as you are, only she had ON new Tu-
dor frock and that-weI, OF course, you
don't know anything about it, bat that calls
for new and very stiff aud very tight stays"
What has that to do"
at has a great deal to do with il, but
wouldn't say a word except that you would
60 away and talk about the frightful IN
crease Of the drink habit among women.
Now, you lace your corset very close-of
course you don't and l don't either, but
you know what | mean-and il drives all
the blood in your body into the eXtremites.
Plenty OF women can't wear with any COM
fort their regular sizes of boots aud gloves
| the first few times they put on new STAYS {:
| the feet aud hands are swollen. Now, Eve
| seen women aife ted like this once or twice
| before. L know a woman who couldn't
| shake hands with guests on her reception
| afternoon. Her arms felt dull and heavy
| and she thought 1t was incipient paralysis,
| but when her maid undresSed her and re-
| lieved the gorge of blood she was as we'll
! as tefore. 1t was temporary paralysis from
| tight lacing. And l knew-oh, YOU may
laugh, L only wanted you to see it wasn't
punch-well, perhaps pressure is just as
| notifying.