Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-04-08

HOOPS AND HANDEL.

dOOHS AMI hANOhLs
Apropos of "the recurrent orinoline,"
here is an item that may be somewhat in
teresting:
At the first performance of Handel's
oratorio, 1.-The Messiah" given at Dublin,
Ireland, April 13, 174s, SO great was the
anxiety of the people to obtain seats that,
as the chronicler tells as, ''ths ladies of
rank in the capital agreed for the time
being to go without hoops, so that an ad
ditional number of people could be sd-
mitted in the audience"
This was considerste and generous No
doubt the ladies of rank felt limp, and
slim, and Aimsy enough in their olinging
gowns, but they were sustained by the
moral force of their good intentions and
the courage that Is characteristic of unity.
But what a triumph for the musicisnl
To have caused such a REIMBURSEMENT of
the fashionable garment, If garment 1t
may be called, such q general dofing of
that which though stiff, uDgainly and un-
graceful, was still considered "good form"
was most remarkable exhibition of power.
The tumultuous applau 70 that greeted the
inspired composer, the rapt attention &C.
corded his glorious masterpiece, were not
SO sincere tribute to his genius as was
tho spectacle of row after row of wealthy
and fashionable women, Dublin's four
hundred, most unfashionably attired,
hoop1ess, but without doubt comfort
able and even happy. Such vol
untary sacrifice deserves recognition and
appreciation, even at this late day. But
women, good souls that they ever have
been and arc now. are always ready to
sacrifice something when great interests
demand 1t of them, and the relinq uishing
of hoop-skirt for the sake of an oratorio
is not deed to be sniffed at by any selfish
and self sufficient Man.
WOMAN AND MOUSE.
Are women really afraid of inject is q
question which has of late been investi-
gated by an earnest seeker after truth.
Many women and girls were interviewed.
Fifty seven of the number proudly denied
that they ever felt any fear of the little
creatures, while five admitted that they
experienced either fear or repulsion, OF
both.
Miss Kate Field, the energetic and in.
dependent editor of "Washington, avow
ed that she did not know, or care, whether
women feared mice. 1t depended entirely
on the kind of woman, and as ehe had moi
a numerical list, of the different types tc
estimate from, she objected to venturine
grave import. "For myself" she added
dryly, ''I have never yet encountered {
mouse that was not afraid of me-" This Il
the general experience of women the world
over. 1t lie true that one may be startled
by the sudden appearance of the sleek ant
nimble rodent, but as for the mouse him
self, what terror possesses him, and how
swiftly he seuttles to the nearest hidinJ
placsi Could mice be interviewed as Il
their fear of women, would they not b,
unanimous In expressing their terror ani
abhorrencei Though 1t ls possible tina
some knowing veteran might say, com
placently, IT never saw q woman yet tha
was not afraid of me-"
Mrs. Van Rensselaer, Cruger, In one O
her novels, says upon this subject, '.Ths
sort of squeamishness has gone out o
!, date" Another noted woman, not In tn
least afraid of mice herself, considers thi
weakness in women generally, aud whicl
) they share with the ferocious lion and tn
ponderous, intelligent elephant If thes
powerful creatures tremble at the sight o
mouse why should not gentle, timorou
woman also tremble, and why should sh
not Zee to some elevated place of refuge
, or to the protection of her nearest NAL
relative or acquaintance 81
Most men believe that women are reall
) afraid of mice. It is one of those fable
, that have been handed down from fathe
to son and cherished rs an article of thei
creed. They pin their faith upon 1t, the
hug 1.-THE fable-to their breats; the
) laugh hilariously when they speak of Il
And yet 1t is . worn-out myth, fable n
peated proved false, an exploded theory
. There is an editor Of an old and infuentii
!: daily paper in ono of our New Englan
. towns, who, being subject to visitation
. from manuscript producing women, ,traine
: mouse to play about his desk, TO sharI
en- its teeth upon petziae