The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-20
TORkiNG GIRLS AND TIGHTS.
A New Workers. Talk About the Bsstoa
Protest AxninSt Modern stnge Posters.

AEnInNt MOOcrn Stnge fOotoros
An observant man whose dutics take him
into the tencments all over town. snid yestsr.
day that he was surprised ut the action OF the
Boston working girls In retitoning the city
Government to forbid the posting Of theatrical
bills showing actresses in tights. lam sur.
prised." said he. " because have seen enough
to cause mo to think that there Is very little
feeling against such displays. either on the
walls or on tho stage. among the same sort OF
women in this city. have seen so many such
pictures in the shopping rooms and common
family rooms in the tenements that it long
ago set mo to thinking deeply upon tho sub.
jcct. wondered ut first why 1t was that %
often saw portraits OF women in tights whore
every other sign and surrounding went to
prove that the women were hard working. self.
respecting persons. At first thought that it
must DO TINT these pictures could be had for
the asking. because many are OF the sort that
arc given away with cigarettes and as gifts In
tho stores. But TINT would not account for
the case. because pictures OF men and OF fully
clothed women are obtainnble from the same
sources Next thought it must be that the
very poor hard-worked girls admired such
pictures because of the contrast In life that
was illustrated by portraits OF popular favor.
tics o! iortuao as against their own dull for.
tunos. -! still think there is great deal In
that Tho working girls know that many OF
the stage people were once poor and now arc
prosperous. at least arc surrounded By .
glare that hides whatever OF hardship they
Nv, ,he rsa reason why see so many such
pictures in WORK girls homes is one that T
OF it, that it is the result Of vanity Of their own
charms among the women who thus display
ana hoard pictures OF tho charms OF others. 1
hrlicre that those women are conscious that
they are themselves shapely and graceful In
the public were they dressed as the actresses
and tn" ballet girls are, l sny this with oil
that they would drcss as the actresses do. or
that they ever dream OF such thing or envy
those wh" DO. but they nro conscious OF their
hearts the pride of that consciousness. A
strong. reason for my believing SO is the fond.
parties in costumes that reveal their ankles.
IL not their Legs. and their arms. II not their
Photographed in these masquerade costumes.
holding the hired dresses Tor n forenoon after
tn. hal! or party in order to be photographed
before they take them back to the costumer.
After all. that is only saying that working
girls are women: that they are human. Pre-
caiIcd tito ladies' oi tho land They do not
cigarette chromos. but they exhibit French art
IN paint and marble in thei; parors: Their
WSes e ma s mo- cs Snt sHe
Fifth avenue or broadway and LOOK ut the
M the wh;lS sHnM Tsh
in full h;icol!et" evening dress: yes. and in
Just such costumes for amateur theatricn!s
and musuue!ndes rs we SEQ in tho east side
gallery photographs. II there is y difference Il
seems to m" that the skirts of the nhsauer-
aders in She tenement districts are more than
| 1ritc longer than those OF the Murray Hill
ladies' No w2m"n hiE, or low or rich or poor.
| opera and tho ballet plays Ut each ern attract
women lust ns they d" men. SO that conclude
tha' whit" women may not hnye uIl the ,rleas..
urc that men get from such displays they ut
least share with the stronger sex that enjoy.
mcnt OF beauty and grace and perfection
which is H." heritage of all civilized creation.
The more think Of it the more convinced
am thai some strong minded leader Is re.
spoons bic tor the attitude OF the Boston work.
in. girls AGAINST modern stage pictures. Lett
to;hemsevcs. don't hci"ve tho girls would
ever utter u sound against them"