Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-05
WOES OF THE GIRLS.
WHAT TROUBLES THEY ENCOUNTER
PREPARING THEIR OUTFITS.
bothered About What to Get and Then
with It's Making-Sotes About
Society Life.


conglomeration of flmy hounces. lace
meshes, and floating ribbons This is the
maiden fair which the masculine eye
wells upon and is enchanted. The be-
witching totts ensemble he definitely ad-
mires a. a whole but vaguely compre-
hends as TO Its component parts. lruly
she IS es sweet and fresh as though
she had been "arrayed like one OF
these but that she has budded and
blossomed into such loneliness under no
harsher influence than the dews OF night
and sunshine or day 10 a deception most
base and cruel. As q lily OF the held
woman may appear, riyalling not only
Solomon in all his glory, but summer III
all her glory and several other glorious
things, but to do 1t she must and does DO
all the "toiling and spinning" that IS
creditably denied the modifs operd1di OF the
scriptural flowers beauty, aud much more
besides than ever their scented petals wot
of.
The now and the after must have their
before. every effect follows It's cause, ana
though divine music may thrill tue soui
with ecstacy. its instrument has been de-
veloped from the chaos of some workshop
where the only strain of sound was the
grating OF tools. and neither does this
creature generallze as 1.-THE summer girl
springs Minerva-like, ready equipped tor
the fray. The cause OF her eiect mas
been very serious cause and one, TOO,
full of vexations OF spirit and boiy 10 De
SO lightly passed over as 1t is when she
stands before US cdp-d-ple.
This may DO a breach of confidence, a
portrayal OF court secrets in FASHIONS
kingdom, an unwise dlslliusioning or
merely bit Of realism, which Is the name
we apply to the plain. unyarnished truth
when we want to speak tashionabiy. but
for the consolation of the stay-at-home
girl, If nothing else, it must be proven
that the seaside summer girl mas
grievances in consequence of her airs
and graces OF attire, and many OF them.
If she is arrayed, as we have SAID. las one
OF these" then she must first bud. ana
how does she do 1t? In the vernacular OF
the simile budding stands for shopping;
and this embryo process has It's checkefeu
difficulties the wide world over. hiTis
from neighbOring cities come TO Ken,
mond for their summer petals. Richmond
girls can find nothing that suits unless
they 90 to Baltimore. The bOnny Baltl-
moreans HE them 70 New York. and the
Fifth avenue beauties scorn every gown
for their own wear that is not fresh from
tho hands of a Partisan mOdis'e.
The first budding development Is the
selection If O general utility dress-a visit
ing toilet that will also be suitable Tor
afternoon teas-ChIna silks with two
waists. Your weaithiest friend tells you
that this is what she does; but you always
feel uncomfortably conscious Of an eco
nomical look when pressing one skirt into
| double service, and there is certain pity
you can't help giving that Over-burdened
| skirt chambrays, linens, organizes, demi-
toilettes, and ball-gowns galore! Sum up
the needed creature-comforts from our
buds point of yiew-boots. ties. slippers,
parasols. hats, gloves, and fans are merely
details of the course.
-
II there is one desire stronger than an
] other in the mind of the society girl. be
she summer flower or winter butterfly,
| il is for individuality. Both quality and
price are subOrdlnated to their insatiate
search after what they term something
different" and the height Of social treach-
| cry Is 10 copy some womans clothes. 80
it would ess ly be seen that Mrs. N. 5
! possession detracted from rather than
added to the value OF an article. Then
there Is the woman whose beauty and
dignity as well are not strong 10y this shop
ignorance that dares 10 assume that she
would need Mrs. AnybOdy's recommenda-
ton 10 what she purchased and the re-
taliatlOu which springs TO her mind TO be
only expressed in a scornful departure
from the shop Is: The ideal You EVIL
|
Then again this poor ,. e.. who we are
beginning to commiserate more than envy
! has so many little packages that she loses
one and hot. tired, and foot-sore retraces
her steps and searches in every shop. OF
course TO find it in the last one, lest. the
conundrum says, because she stops look
ing then.
She is in great hurry, her absence be-
inc enioyed by the sewIng-girl at home
/ q ba trit lax lal 70 n
threading needles. but the world or shops
is i'm no sympathy with her. She meets the
same people that greet her at afternoon
teas, and the same little chats are begun
and ended. why are MT you going 70
the White Sulphur No place like it
Bar Harbor Indeed-yes. lovely" &c.
Finally girl with with O Pysche knot
behind the counter does her bidding,
and she Is done-no. her change has
not vet come. She wants to catch the
next car-hears it's bell dingling IN the
distance-still waiting for change The
Pysche knot swings on 10 the rope with a
far away look in her eyes. calm and serene,
humming some unknown song. Slowly
hack comes the wire basket invented for
its speed, and she hears that perplexlng
double-back action counting ". 7Jc... II.
g. 80, g, and goes out too glad 20 have
finally gotten her change 10 care that she
hasn't an idea how much. but the car has
passed and no other Is even IN sight.
though the street corner Is hot and
dusty. So much for the dear crea-
lures budding. Now she must blossom,
and that right speedily, for time is grow
ing apace. This stage of her attired exist
ence means milliners and dress-makers.
Robert Bruce's motto was, Iry. try
again. The maxim of these autocrats OF
fashion is, Try, Try on"
Into the realms of mountains Of trimmed
hats too fine to wear, and valleys OF IN
trimmed hats too plain TO wear. she wan.
ders aimless.y and detected. cast down and
sorrowful, at the knowledge that has just
come to her of how far from pretty she
IL. She takes of tins weather-beaten lap
oyerp that has been pressed into service
and out of shape, and begins the iliustra
hair is out of curl, various styles hay,
pulled her coil entirely down, but still
She strives for something becoming. Some
one comes up to her and says IN an indit
ferent and com handing tone. viii you
tell me the price of this. please?" On,
! look from the summer girl and then {
yolley Of incoberent apologies" Just saw
your back, you know, hat off, and dldn'
think. A thousand pardons.' DC.
When this trying motto comes t
: have its execution, the pathos il
the song OIL INC ohIl, % iOu~ tACccb
inc that of the song Of the
shirt. is fully appreciated. The waits be
tween the dress-maker act are but exagge
rated interims in the most elaborate o
tragedies, and the summer girl has ample
time TO begin her regular course in high
literature by the perusal of such edifyn!
editions as DemOreSi. Bon Ton, la Mode
and HarpeI's Bdzar. which is dear tC
every woman's soul. This is but thu
opening overture. There are mysterious
rites called first fittings, which require per
feet resignation to pullings and pinchingi
standings up and sittings down, Jerks anC
lars and pin sticks innumerable, and theI
comes the need OF nerve force when tn,
cold steel of scissors lately ground creep:
around the neck and arm with Damocle'
sword, threatening in its dangerous prox
unity Thus she stands like veteran il
the cause. until the first signs of surrende
appear in her constant change OF pedestal
First sine stands on one foot and then th'
other. she turns pale, she totters, she falls
and our summer girl in full bloom tall
faitlng amid all her gorgeous petals
having suffered to be beautiful" and Il
blossom.