The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-26
"TE CRTNOLYNE."
ITO Be Not to Be; That Is the
Question"

Question"
To be or not TO be--that Is the question
Whether It's nobler in life TO suffer the
steels and crinoine OF outrageous fashion
or to take arms against a sea OF hoop
skirts, and by opposing end them. Such
are the sentiments OF the modern Hamlet,
when his fair Ophelia requests the re-
qufred ducats for the much-taIked-of ar
ttcle. and being refused, grows mad.
Are you going to wear hoop skirts?"
Is the password OF female conversation,
and 1t Is strangely agitating the minds of
| men also. Why they should take up the
question, still remains a mystery; are
our husbands to wear them also? But
the die is cast. Felix and Worth have
sent forth the proclamation and the noble
Queen of England at her last assembly
appeared in hoop skirts" My honest be-
lief Is, though, she has never taken them
| of. The Free Silver bill, presidential
election and the Inauguration have paled
beside this most important question al
though Why a man objects TO his wife
being swell looking" | can never under
stand
Besides II keeps a man at his own dis
lance. we will never be crowded In church
and on the street-cars two men will offer
their seats while now we have only the
pleasure of thanking one. All OF us are
familiar with the story of the Western
woman who was being madly pursued by
bull. There was no fence for miles. and
II IT had been. doubt If she could have
climbed IT. Her huband could not find
the lasso and did not have time TO stop
and look for it. so snatching up a ring
of an old hoop skirt he quickly tied the
clothes line to 1t, and just as the Infatuated
animal In IF vi.
tim into another world they have such
striking ways, you know 'lassoed" the
bull and stopped him in his mad career.
SO her life was saved by a piece OF hoop
skirt instead of a scrap OF paper. People
who make vows and protests 10 their
friends about things they are not going
TO wear are much more precociOus in
buying them than those who have not
quite made their minds as yet" SO
never decide positively against fashions
decree. Generally less than twelve Jurors
will change your verdict; one Is usually
enough. Suppose you are returning from
Europe and have lots of presents by
which you desire to remember your
friends and yet can't afford to pay duty
on them, don't you think being stylish
would help matters some?
1t may be that most Of the articles
against crinolnes are written by the GUS
tom-house officers. But there is good in
everything. said the saint as she stepped
into her hoop skirts. The committee on
street cleaning will have 10 engage a
larger force, as the demi-trains are no
more. The jokes of newspaper wits and
the comic picture makers VIII change
their style also; will enlarge their ideas,
ard the bad little boys viii pay their
far Of cid q frafDG will NOT hp
run at all hours. 1t is also rumored that
oroquet is returning. 1t may be that the
hoops have gotten mixed. but the slender
lawn tennis girl, with clinging skirts, who
does not object to being called forty
love" will have TO step aside for her
dignifed sister with the croquet mallet.
When the old order changeth we soon be-
come &C Istomed to the new. NO on" r.
marked on the extraordinary formation
OF the camel after one year mad elapsed
since the hustle was the thing. Ana
So me clever parer depicted the snduoW
of the high sleeve girl and the anger win
folded wings the same.
AS 10 hoops taking up much room at
the Worlds Fair is mistake. The Tx
nosition will be considered great sue
cess. as the crowd will appear larger
and lust think Of the many women mat
will come because or a new uress. Oile
old lady remarked to me that her dauen-
ter had just persuaded her 10 take H1
hoops, and It gave her violent coiu'
But alas! such is lie, or AZ le"se ias"-
tonahIa life Swings. hammocks, tete-a-tete
chairs will move in the procession with
the hell skirt, and IL any Woman eX-
meets 70 be In "the ring" she Will nave
70 wear hoop skirts. Her disregard OF
cr,noitnes will be Ike Caesars statute
their absence will be more conspicuous
than their presence.